The Mistake To Never Make Before Applying Eyeliner To Older Eyes

If eyes are the windows to the soul, eyeliner is the curtain — and nobody wants saggy drapes. As the years go by, the smooth line that once took but a simple flick of the wrist starts to demand negotiation. Just as your hair changes as you age, over time, your skin does, too. In later life, it loses elasticity, resulting in crepey skin, which means that makeup can tug more easily. Fine lines, dryness, and changes in skin texture can all work against you, making eyeliner skip, smudge, or settle into creases you didn't even realize were there. It's tempting to blame the products themselves, but often the real betrayal happens before the applicator even comes out.

For a flawless eye look, Los-Angeles-based makeup artist and hairstylist Luna Viola believes that proper skin preparation is imperative. "It's important to prep the skin on mature eyes for a smoother application and to ensure the make-up is long lasting," she exclusively told Women.com. "As we age, the skin around the eyes gets dehydrated resulting in visible fine lines. It's important to keep the area hydrated for a flawless application."

In other words: Neglect hydration at your peril. Luckily, Viola shared a few tricks with Women.com to keep your eyeliner from wandering — and to keep the soul's windows framed exactly as they should be.

Beauty may well be in the eye of the beholder, but eyeliner hiccups are in the eye of everyone, and applying it incorrectly is undoubtedly turning it one of the makeup mistakes that are aging you even more. That's why prepping the eye area properly becomes essential as skin matures.

To join the ranks of celebs that are confronting aging with confidence in no time, "Always cleanse and hydrate the eye area," Viola advises, "preferably using products that contain hyaluronic acid." This wellness wonder is a must-have skincare ingredient for dry skin, as it plumps the visage and diminishes the look of fine lines. After hydration, she recommends applying a primer to prevent creasing, followed by "a little dab of concealer to even out any discoloration." A light layer of translucent helps absorb excess oil and lock everything into place.

As for the liner itself, Viola suggests opting for a high-pigment pencil rather than a liquid, to "create a defined line without being too harsh." For a final flourish, she suggests softly running a bit of powder eye shadow over the liner with a small buffer brush: "this blurring effect softens the eyeliner resulting in a much more natural and youthful look."