1. Use Concealer around Your Entire Eye

One of my favorite makeup tips for younger looking eyes is to not only apply concealer under the eye where dark circles are, but on top of the entire eyelid and surrounding the outer eyes as well. This creates a lighted effect that illuminates the eye and reduces the darkness that veins in the eye and eyelids can cause. Be sure to pick a moisturizing cream concealer instead of a powder or a stick. I like Maybelline’s 24 Hour Super Stay concealer in the cream color, which adds a brightening effect to the skin, and it fills in wrinkles while staying on all day long. It is the number one concealer I’ve ever used for combating dark circles that can make your eyes look older than they are. Give it a try; you won’t be sorry!

2. Wear Less Eyeliner

Did you know the more eyeliner you wear, the older you look? In high school, I wore much more eyeliner than I do now because I wanted to look older. Now that I’m nearing 30, I’ve lightened it up a lot! Stick with gel pencils or pencils for eyeliner instead of liquid, which can make the eyes look older by being overbearing. Also, try using eyeliner on just the bottoms of your eyes instead of completely around, or experiment with subtle nude eyeliner or white eyeliner on your waterline. This makes the eyes look bigger, brighter, and more youthful. Practicing proper placement with your eye liner creates flattering eyeliner looks without dragging down your features.

3. Don’t Powder Them up

One trick to reduce fine lines around the eyes is not to apply powder directly under your eyes where most of us have fine lines, which I prefer to call laugh lines! Instead, let your concealer dry well before applying powder to your face and before you put on your eyeliner. It is fine to use eyeshadow of course, but eliminate using powder underneath the eye, and you’ll see how much more youthful your eyes will look when pairing this technique with a proper moisturizing routine.

Here is a quick checklist of essential beauty tools for achieving youthful eye makeup:

4. Wear Lighter Colors

One trick for getting younger eyes just by altering your makeup is to use different colors of eyeshadow, primarily lighter colored ones. This is a makeup trick many makeup artists use, and one that deserves a moment’s worth of attention in your routine. Instead of using dark purples, dark browns, greys and black colors, use lighter ones such as golden brown, light brown, mauve, beige, light pink and even a dusty gold color. This brightens the eye and makes it appear larger, which automatically makes you look younger. Finding the best eyeshadow for older women involves choosing soft, illuminating shades over heavy dark tones.

5. Try Brown Eyeliner

I adore black eyeliner and have always used it for my choice of eyeliner, however, my mom started using brown eyeliner awhile back, and her eyes look much younger than when she used black. Brown eyeliner is much subtler, which opens up the eyes more, creating less of a harsh effect. If you want to brighten up your eyes, try using a dark brown eyeliner in lieu of your normal black. Pairing brown eyeliner with a touch of nude eyeliner or subtle pink eyeliner in the inner corners is one of the easiest modern eyeliner trends to try.

6. Use a Primer

One tool I found helpful when taking a makeup class once, was to use a makeup primer under my makeup. It softens the skin, fills in fine lines, and helps your makeup go on smoother. Around your eyes, it can help your makeup look more even, less cakey, and overall smoother, which makes your face look younger and more luminous. It also prevents powders from eyeshadows from seeping into lines around your eyes. I like products by Estée Lauder the best, but try different primers to see which one you like best. You'll apply primer about 10 minutes after you apply moisturizer, but be sure your primer is put on at least 20 minutes before your makeup so it can set in well. Using a quality primer is a key step before applying cream concealer.

7. Moisturize before You Apply Makeup

Lastly, but most importantly, be sure you are using a good eye moisturizer around your eyes before you apply your makeup. Allow at least 30 minutes for it to dry so it doesn’t interfere with your makeup application. Anytime you put makeup on dry skin, you’ll automatically see more lines, wrinkles, and due to dry skin, it can make you look older than you are. A great trick is to put moisturizer on when you get out of the shower or wash your face. Then, 10 minutes later apply your primer. Go ahead and fix your hair and get your outfit ready, and 20 minutes later, come back to do your makeup! This is my favorite way for fitting the application of moisturizer and primer into my schedule without them seeming like a chore.

I’ve also found that less makeup overall is better for creating a more youthful look. Think less overall, and you’ll look more natural, which gives a youthful appeal. Learning how to get younger looking eyes comes down to these subtle, smart techniques rather than heavy application. Do you have a great makeup tip to help your eyes look younger? Share your thoughts in the comments below!