Anti-aging Makeup Tips: Best Mascara For Older Women

Best Mascara For Women Over 50 – 60

Note: This post has been updated in February 2021

Endless brands of mascara claim to be smudge-proof, water-proof, run or streak-free. I think I have probably tried most of them over the years. As a contact lens wearer, I can tend to rub my eyes a bit at times, so having a product that doesn’t easily come off is important. Also, having a product that DOES easily come off is important! The best mascara for over 50 is the one that meets as many of these criteria as are important to you.

Our Top 3 Mascaras For Older Women

Anti-aging makeup tips for women over 50 or 60 definitely needs to include how to choose the right mascara. The best mascara for older women is one that works for you. What to consider? Ease of application and removal, quality of the product, price, how it works on thinning eyelashes, and our biggest pet peeve: smudging (the worst). There is nothing more aging than dark circles under the eyes, so walking around looking like Rocky Raccoon from smudged mascara is a #1 no-no.

It doesn’t matter how well dressed you are, how well you carry yourself or how much you spend on it, smudged mascara is an equal opportunity ager! Unfortunately, finding a product that doesn’t run, smudge, or what’s the best anti clump mascara is actually easier said than done. The best eye makeup for over 60 gals is the makeup that works for you. So, what IS the best mascara for older women? There are hundreds of different brands out there, and everyone wears it differently.

There are a number of ways you can smudge your mascara:

• Tears
• Rubbing your eyes
• Sweating
• Swimming

Mascara of Choice #1: Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara

Looking for a mascara that’ll last all day and won’t smudge? Features tube technology that forms a protective coating around each lash, so you can wear it comfortably all day long. Plus, it’s easy to remove with just warm water – no rubbing or harsh makeup removers required.

The one mascara that I finally found after years of trying everything from Cover Girl to Lancôme, Maybelline to Dior is Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara. (Not to be confused with Clinique High Impact Mascara…different products!) Why does this continue to make the top of the list of the best mascara for women over 50? If you don’t want dark circles from your eye makeup, this is an absolutely terrific choice. Compared to the other dozens of brands that claim to be “smudge free” or “streak free”, this one comes through:

• Clinique High Impact requires a little bit of attention going on – you need to get it on the lashes and then continue to coat and separate them. It makes a big difference in how it looks if you get as close to the base of the lashes as possible.

• Let it sit on your lashes for 30 seconds or so before you look right up or close your eyes tightly so it doesn’t end up on your face. (Not to worry, though, if it does, it comes right off with a damp cloth or makeup pad)

• No second coat!

This mascara features tube technology, meaning once this is on, it creates a coating of mascara around the eyelashes. I can wear this all day long and have zero mascara under my eyes at the end of the day.

One of the most amazing things about this mascara is that when you want to take it off, all it requires is warm water. As a matter of fact, if you wet your face in the shower, for instance, you can gently just pull the mascara off as though it were little mascara tubes coating your lashes. No rubbing, pulling, or applying oily makeup remover that gets in your eyes.

The negatives to this mascara? If anything, I would say I don’t absolutely love the brush, but it works so well it’s hard to complain about it. Also, it tends to start to dry out in the tube after a bit…it’s really best when fresh. It does last a long time, though, and it’s pretty affordable for the quality.

Buy it Here: On Amazon

Mascara of Choice #2: Lancome Monsieur Big Volume Mascara

So, my search for the perfect mascara is never-ending, thankfully, as once I discovered this mascara it has been quickly added to my go-to list! Lancome has knocked it out of the park with this one. Called Lancome Monsieur Big Volume Mascara, No. 01 Big is The New Black, this mascara has most of the attributes of the others, including the non-smudge feature, that make it my #2 choice for the best mascara for older women like me!

Monsieur Big is BIG volume at its best! This innovative mascara has a unique brush that lets you coat each lash with intense, buildable volume. The rich, dark color gives your lashes an instant boost of drama, while the fast-drying formula ensures long-lasting wear.

• The brush on this one has a lot to do with the positive experience I have had with this product. It distributes a healthy amount of mascara to the eyelashes on the first application, which is important if you have thinning eyelashes. Having to go back and do a second coat of mascara can sometimes, depending on the product, leave your eyelashes weighted down and gloppy with too much product.
• This product allows you to “work it” a bit on the lashes…moving back and forth with the brush until you have the effect or volume you want, separating the lashes. Doesn’t dry out too quickly.Color is rich and dark.
• One of the reasons I chose this as the best mascara for my thinning lashes is that if you apply it directly from the base of the lashes up, it gives the appearance of having an eyeliner without having to go through all that nonsense. (I have never had good luck with keeping an eyeliner on my eyelid instead of under it.) Sort of a nice two-fer.

Any negatives? This product is billed as an anti-smudge, and it is, but the Clinique High Impact Curling mascara above is so superior in that regard that I couldn’t replace it with this one at #1, or I would have. It is resistant to smudging, but if you rub your eyes, spend any time in the hot tub or the pool, it’s average.

Monsieur Big Volume Mascara is the perfect mascara for anyone looking to achieve serious volume and drama. The unique brush shape lets you build your lashes up to incredible heights, while the rich, dark color gives you an intense look that lasts all day long. One coat of this mascara is all it takes to achieve unbelievable volume – so go ahead and sweep on that glamourous look today! Proof positive that this mascara works? And probably the reason it’s my #1? I have actually had people comment on my lashes after using it. That’s all I needed to know. Ha!

Buy it Here: On Amazon

Mascara of Choice #3: Mary Kay Lash Intensity Mascara

This mascara is super close behind both #1 and #2. Mary Kay Lash Intensity Mascara checks all the boxes. It is easy to apply, easy to remove, doesn’t smudge, and has lash lengthening and thickening properties that you have to try to believe .

As we get older, our lashes and brows begin to thin and actually regrowth is slower. You may find that using an eyelash curler is harder on your lashes, and can pull them out or break them if you aren’t careful. Be gentle with that you put on your eyes, and avoid rubbing them as much as possible.

A good mascara can go a long way toward maintaining the appearance of long, lush eyelashes. Today the technology for thickening mascaras is pretty amazing, and Mary Kay Lash Intensity Mascara has nailed it:

• Mary Kay Lash Intensity Mascara is a beautiful, deep, rich black. Sounds crazy, but it really is pretty.
• The brush with this product is probably one of the things that makes it so successful. It is designed to give multi-directional coverage, and does just that. It covers quickly and smoothly in one coat.
• On and off: this mascara says on all day, and comes off with soap and water or a non-oily makeup remover.

Negatives? The only one I can think of is that as it starts to dry out at all, you need to pull the brush in and out a few times to make sure there are not any thick areas of mascara on the tip of the brush. It may go on too thick, and you have to brush it a few times to get all the lashes to the right ‘plumpness’. Also, I think some people have trouble getting used to the unique brush, but once you do you realize how important the brush is to getting that rich, lush look on your eyelashes.

Overall an amazing product. Contact your Avon Representative to get one, or try it out by ordering on Amazon here.

Buy It Here: On Amazon

The best mascara for older women will offer coverage, ease of application, non-smudging properties and a moderate price-point. For more information on mascara, and tips on types, colors, and ways to apply eye makeup for 50 plus, visit our Ultimate Guide: Anti-Aging Makeup Tips.

*Note: This is an independent product review. The author did not receive compensation of any type.