The 13 Best Eyeliners for Mature Eyes, According to Experts

Reported by Harper's Bazaar.

Eyeliner was never supposed to get harder with age — and yet, here we are. Thinning lids, drier eyes, and skin that no longer tolerates a stiff pencil dragged across the waterline have turned what used to be a thirty-second step into a full negotiation. The good news: the right formula genuinely changes everything, and the experts have opinions.

According to Harper's Bazaar, the panel behind the intel includes celebrity makeup artist Nick Barose (whose clientele runs from Lupita Nyong'o to Kim Cattrall), New York ophthalmologist Dr. Ashley Brissette, and beauty expert Felicia Walker. Their collective verdict? Soft gel and creamy pencils win. "They glide on without tugging delicate lids, don't flake into the eyes, and are less likely to migrate into the tear film," says Brissette — a real concern as lids get thinner and oil production slows. She flags fragrance, essential oils, and harsh preservatives like benzalkonium chloride as ingredients worth avoiding, and strongly advises keeping liner off the waterline to protect your oil glands.

The Formulas That Actually Perform

Stand-outs from the roundup span every price point: L'Oréal's Infallible Grip Mechanical Gel Liner is ophthalmologist-tested and holds for 36 hours even on watery eyes. Maybelline's Tattoo Studio Gel Pencil offers the same staying power at a drugstore price. For something more elevated, Walker is devoted to Victoria Beckham's Satin Kajal Liner — "It frames and softens the gaze gorgeously," she says, reaching for Cocoa and Bordeaux specifically. Barose champions MAC's Pro Longwear Fluidline gel pot for anyone who wants that slightly blurry, smoked-out effect that reads as effortless rather than overdone. And for a precise wing? He calls Charlotte Tilbury's Kitten Flick liquid liner pen a lift-creating secret weapon.

Application technique matters just as much as the formula you choose. Barose recommends dusting lids with a light powder before you even uncap the liner, then sealing the finished look with a product like Inglot's Duraline, a clear topcoat that locks color in place all day. On color: skip the sharp, stark black. "It can be quite jarring," he notes, suggesting brown, bronze, navy, or plum instead — and concentrating any thickness at the outer corners for a subtle, natural lift. For hygiene, Brissette recommends replacing your liner every three to six months, washing hands before application, and removing every trace before bed — residue along the lash line is one of the most common causes of irritation and styes.

The formula, the shade, and how you apply it are doing equal work — get all three right and liner stops being a problem to solve and starts being the easiest thing in your routine.

Read the original at Harper's Bazaar.