There’s nothing like a tube of mascara to brighten and open up the eyes. As we get older, our lashes can become thinner and weaker, so choosing the right mascara becomes even more important.
To enhance mature eyes, professional makeup artists opt for mascaras to encourage lash definition and volume. Tanya Pop, a makeup artist at Pop Coh, usually reaches for tubing mascaras, which wrap tiny polymers around each individual lash for instant definition and lift.
Our eyes can also become more easily irritated as we age. While I’m only in my mid 30s, chemotherapy made my eyes more sensitive, and the full, thick lashes I’d had my whole life became thin and sparse.
This put me on a quest to find easy-on-the-eyes mascara that could help enhance my newly thin lashes, without causing any more irritation and damage.
The following mascaras are the best options for older women and mature eyes, according to makeup artists and my personal testing.
What to look for | Expert-approved mascaras for mature women | Editor-approved mascaras for mature women | What happens to eyelashes as you age? | Mascara ingredients to look for | How we chose | Meet the experts
Our top picks
The best mascara for older women
Solid tubing option
Tartelette XL Tubing Mascara
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$27.00
Tarte Cosmetics
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Dr. Brendan Camp, a double board-certified dermatologist, tells us that mature women should "reach for lightweight mascaras that will not weigh down lashes." He continues, "Look or mascara products that are hypoallergenic and fragrance-free, as they may be better tolerated by sensitive skin."
Gretchen Friese, a certified trichologist for BosleyMD, tells us that "tubing mascara can be good for lashes that are getting thinner because you are coating the lash on all sides." She continues, "But tubing mascara takes more time and effort to apply because it can grab more than one lash at a time and look a bit clumpy."
In summation, based on our expert advice, mature women could benefit from tubing mascara that's lightweight and hypoallergenic — but everyone has different needs when it comes to makeup preferences as they age.
Expert-approved mascaras for mature womenIdeal for sensitive eyes: Tower 28 MakeWaves Mascara
What we like
- Contact-lens safe
- Sensitive eye safe
- Lifts and volumizes
Something to note
- Water-resistant, not proof
- Provides a more subtle look
Type: Volumizing | Key ingredients: Castor seed oil | Waterproof? No
When I had the least amount of eyelashes from chemotherapy, and the most sensitivities in my eye area, this lightweight mascara is the only one I could use. Buildable and totally natural-looking, the mascara was developed to feel safe, comfortable, and non-irritating on sensitive eyes, while offering a substantial lift and volumizing payoff. (There’s also an excellent brown version for an even more natural look.)
This is one of makeup artist Brittney Ounanian’s favorite newer mascaras for sensitive eyes, including her own. “I have extremely sensitive eyes that get super red and dry and almost every eye makeup irritates me,” she says. “I just started using Tower 28’s Mascara and it’s been super gentle and non-irritating.”
Conditioning ingredients: Tarte Tartelette XL Tubing Mascara
Type: Tubing | Key ingredients: Shea butter, castor oil, biotin, panthenol | Waterproof? No
Tubing mascaras not only add definition to each individual lash, but they also wash off more easily than traditional formulas, so you don’t have to stand at the sink scrubbing your eyes all night and risk losing more lashes.
“For my clients with mature eyes, I love using a tubing mascara and a mascara that has a cone- or flat-shaped brush,” says Pop.
She likes the Tartelette XL tubing mascara, which contains conditioning castor oil and shea butter, because it “lifts, lengthens, and adds volume to the lashes.” She adds, “This gives the perfect combination to open the eyes up.”
Lifting, yet lightweight: Lancôme Hypnose Doll Lashes Mascara
Type: Volumizing | Key ingredients: Carnauba wax, panthenol | Waterproof? No
For a wide-eyed look, this high-drama mascara is enriched with nylon powders to add volume without weighing eye lashes down. On mature clients, Pop likes to use this sculpting, volumizing mascara from Lancôme because it has a cone-shaped brush, which helps lift each individual lash more easily.
The perfect brush: Christian Dior Diorshow Pump N Volume Mascara
What we like
- Provides extreme volume
- Comes in three colors
Something to note
- Has a heavier formula
- Not ideal for layering
Type: Volumizing | Key ingredients: Cornflower extract | Waterproof? No
To lift and open the eyes, there’s nothing quite like Diorshow, one of the most-loved mascaras on the market. Professional makeup artist Katrina Hess loves to use this product on her mature clients because of its unique brush. “My opinion is that the brush is the heart of the mascara,” says Hess. “Aging eyes can get saggy, and you need to use a smaller brush that wiggles to cover the lash from root to tips.”
This mascara also comes in black, brown, and blue colors — and Hess says you shouldn’t rule out the blue. “Yes, blue can make eyes sparkle in a subtle way.”
Editor-approved mascaras for mature womenTruly "sky high": Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara
Type: Lengthening | Key ingredients: Bamboo extract | Waterproof? Yes
For days I want to go for a more natural, no-makeup-makeup look, I reach for this sensitive-eye-friendly brown mascara from Maybelline, which has a bendy, flexible wand that helps me lengthen each individual lash. This mascara does not budge throughout the day (which makes it slightly difficult to take off) and adds such natural-looking length and definition. Most importantly, the formula doesn’t irritate my sensitive eyes.
Former TODAY.com contributor Terri Peters loved this Shop TODAY 2024 Beauty Award-winning mascara most for its buildability. “What I love most about this product is that it’s buildable,” she says. “The more I layer on, the longer my lashes appear. So, I frequently apply three coats from root to tip.”
Nourishing and non-irritating: Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara
What we like
- Dual-sided wand
- Flake-resistant formula
Something to note
- Natural look
Type: Conditioning | Key ingredients: Arginine, organic shea butter, beeswax | Waterproof? No
Ilia is one of my all-time favorite clean beauty brands for skin-friendly formulas that still get the job done. (Bonus: Celebrities love this mascara, too!) This conditioning mascara feels nourishing and non-irritating on my eyes, while giving my fragile lashes a pretty lift and just the right amount of volume. It has a two-sided brush that achieves two different looks: the comb-like side is great for lengthening and separating, while the short side helps lift and define the lashes.
What happens to eyelashes as you age?Camp tell us that "eyelashes may not be as dense in older age as a result of aging and damage from curling, styling or reactions to skin care products and makeup."
Friese says, "Just like the hair on our heads, our eyelashes can thin as we get older. They can also become shorter and straighter."
She continues, "They may also lose pigment (just like the hair on our heads that goes 'gray')," Friese also says that with age, eyelashes "become more dry and brittle, which makes them more prone to breakage."
Mascara ingredients to look forWhen it comes to ingredients, Camp says you should look for "mascara products made with fortifying ingredients, like biotin, panthenol and peptides" which "may encourage the health and growth of eyelashes."
Friese tells us that "ingredients like castor oil, vitamin E, sunflower oil and shea butter are all good for thinning lashes because they can moisturize lashes and support lash health."
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s a personal choice! Some people find that putting mascara and eyeliner on the lower parts of the eyes can accentuate dark circles and fine lines, especially if there’s smudging, and others find that it makes their eyes look droopy. But there are no hard-and-fast rules in makeup, so find the routine you feel suits you the best.
Lash primer coats the lashes with a colorless formula to create lift, definition and curl before you go in with mascara. It can also help mascara last longer on the lashes. Bear in mind that adding extra product can always increase the risk of clumping.
Many women with sensitive eyes opt for tubing mascaras because they tend to be much easier to remove. Because tubing formulas coat each lash in a “tube” made of nylon polymers, they come off easily with warm water (no scrubbing necessary).
Shop TODAY enlisted the expertise of professional makeup artists who work with mature clients and have years of experience in makeup. We also took their advice on the most important qualities to look for in a mature-eyes-friendly mascara and also took into account customer reviews. In addition, we’ve tested many of these products personally.
Meet the experts- Tanya Pop and Brittney Ounanian are professional makeup artists and co-founders of pop+coh.
- Katrina Hess is a professional makeup artist based in Boston, Massachusetts.
- Dr. Brendan Camp, MD, is a New York-based double board-certified dermatologist in dermatology and dermatopathology at MDCS Dermatology.
- Gretchen Friese is a certified trichologist for BosleyMD.
Maria Yagoda
Maria Yagoda is a writer, editor and reporter based in New York City.
