If you are a woman over 50 or better, chances are you aren’t wearing the same makeup brand and formulas that you did in your 20s. When it comes to the best mascara for older women, there are great options. Older women tend to have thinning eyelashes that are more delicate and tolerate less pulling and tugging than when we were younger. We don’t want a mascara that is difficult to remove. We also aren’t looking for spider eyes. That kind of heavy makeup look is especially unflattering to older skin. Luckily, I have tried them all, and I have some great recommendations on the best mascara for women like us!
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Best Mascara for Mature Women – Tubing
In the last few years, a new type of mascara has hit the market. It’s called “tubing” mascara. Tubing mascara wraps the lashes in a…well, a tube! It deposits the color around the lashes rather than on them. But it also has great staying power. One of the best things about tubing mascara is that it lasts all day, but it comes off with just water. They just slide off the lashes, instead of the pulling and rubbing of the past. (Which any woman with thin lashes does not need!) Tubing mascaras are great for both adding volume and length. In my opinion, the best mascara for older women. Here are my favorites that I have tested and used myself.
ThriveCausemetics Liquid Lash Extension Mascara
This was the first tubing mascara I ever tried, and it is still my favorite. You can apply multiple layers to add more and more length to your lashes. It’s non-irritating, safe for contacts, and doesn’t smudge or flake. My mom and sister both took my suggestion 2 years ago and gave this a try, and they’re still using it! Plus, I love that this company for every product you buy, they donate a product to women in need. They are a sustainable company and offer student, teacher, and military discounts. Cruelty-free (which is a biggie for me!) and vegan, it comes in 5 colors. Love. This. Stuff.
Tarte Tartlette Tubing Mascara
This is my second fav mascara for older women. Also a tubing mascara, this one has everything the last one did. But for those of your girls who like a little more drama, they also have a Tartlette Tubing XL version for more length. There is shea butter and castor oil in this product that they claim nourishes the lashes. 24-hour smudeproof too. Tarte has great sales several times a year, so sign up for their newsletter and watch for them.
Best Lengthening Mascaras for Older Women
When I want a lot of length for a special event, I love this mascara for length. It has 16-hour wear, but it also gives the lashes some lift and curl. In fact, it delivers a 31.5% increase in lash curl. I’ll take it! lashes that curl up help to visually lift our entire face, as the eyes are where people look first. Best mascara for straight lashes! This one may need a touch of face wash and warm water to remove but doesn’t need any eye makeup remover. (Hate that stuff!) For my most dramatic eyes without looking like a caterpillar is lying on my lashes, I layer this over a tubing mascara. Perfection.
Best Mascara for Short Lashes
This mascara has nourishing ingredients that 94% of people said made their lashes look longer after two weeks of using the product. It is a more natural-looking result, so for all you girls who just want a quick slick of mascara before they run out the door, this one is perfect for you. This is more one I would wear going to the Farmers Market than out to dinner with my hubby. But it is a winner! Best mascara for short lashes! (And for mature women over 60, this can get to be a bigger issue.)
Best Mascara for Sensitive Eyes
I really like this mascara for women over 50 because it has 99% clean ingredients. It has a dual-sided wand to help you lift and curl on one side, and lengthen and remove any clumps with the other. This one also only needs warm water to remove. It feels pretty weightless, and you can build coats for more drama. This really is the best mascara for sensitive eyes just based on its ingredients alone. (Not to mention its amazing performance as well!)
Best Drugstore Mascara
There are two makeup products I splurge on because it makes a big difference. Foundation, and mascara. That and the fact that most of the better over-the-counter mascaras are not cruelty-free, I usually stay away. I just can’t picture what might have happened to some poor bunny just so I could have pretty lashes.
However, there is one cruelty free drugstore mascara that is great for mature women. Actually, two. (But the same brand!)
This is the best drugstore mascara for mature women because it does exactly what it says on the label… It curls your lashes upward. Remember what I said earlier about curled lashes giving you a lifted look? This one does it for just $6! Cruelty free brand that works well does not flake or smudge.
This is the lengthening version of e.l.f.’s mascaras, and it lasts all day with great length and definition. It doesn’t clump and is easy to remove at the end of the day.
Best Glamour Mascara for Mature Women
This mascara has a cult following, and it isn’t just because of the name. It gives you thick, full lashes without clumping. The special brush can be a little hard to use if you have really short lashes as it doesn’t grab well, but that’s also what helps give you all the length and volume. (A little secret, the best mascara formula can fall flat if it doesn’t have a brush that works well!) It’s worth a try for older women, if it’s a hit with you, you will love it. If you have trouble with the brush though, you will wonder what all the fuss is about. Make sure you buy it from Ulta or Sephora so you can return it if it doesn’t work for you.
Mascaras That Didn’t Work for Me
I’m not a big fan of volumizing mascara for older women. Any mascara will give you some volume to add to any sparse lashes. But without lengthening, volumizing your lashes just makes them look short and stubby. Not the look I’m going for! In addition, here are some mascaras that just didn’t work for me, and why…
Tarte Big Ego and Man Eater
I found both these mascaras to be clumpy. They didn’t leave a smooth application on my lashes, and I didn’t really see any volumizing or lengthening. And Tarte is one of my go-to makeup brands!
Honest Extreme Length Mascara + Primer
This just seemed like a meh mascara to me. I didn’t see extreme length, and the primer dried out very quickly in the tube.
So that’s it, my list of best mascara for older women that I actually use and have tested out. I hope you find one you love!
More “Best in Beauty – Mature Edition”!
Best Concealer for Mature Skin
Best Moisturizer for Mature Skin
Best Makeup Primer for Mature Skin
Best Foundation for Mature Skin
Check out my Freebies page for everything… well, free!
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