Sandy has lived in Ecuador for 9.5 years. We happen to live in the same neighborhood and met one day as I was headed to buy some vegetables at the local tienda (store). Her cute little Shih Tzu ran up to me, jumping up and down as if I were an old friend.

As a retired executive assistant married for almost 50 years, Sandy doesn’t wear makeup because she has felt that makeup will only make her hooded lids look heavier. To a certain extent, she is correct. When you apply makeup to mature hooded eyes, it’s important to work at it slowly so that you don’t overdo it, adding just enough to make your eyes pop, but not look like a badger.

How do you do that? Let’s find out!

Dry Skin and Pastries

For those of you overwhelmed by Instagram makeup applications that use, like, 50 products, this video is for you. I used only 3 products on Sandy’s eyes including the eyeliner, and it took me less than 10 minutes to complete the whole makeup, and she doesn’t look like a badger. You’re welcome.

The most important aspect of makeup is having hydrated skin. I cannot tell you the number of people who have sat in my makeup chair with parched skin and want me to fix it with foundation. Foundation will not fix dry, dehydrated skin any more than eating pastries will make you thin (although that’s a huge bummer because I just ate the most fabulous pastry and my bum is growing as I type this).

Sandy doesn’t have dry skin, but does need a nourishing boost of vitamin C serum. This immediately brightened her complexion and helped the foundation glide on her face.

Where to Put Color on Hooded Lids

Sandy has beautiful blue eyes, so I used a blue grey cream eyeshadow as eyeliner to make the color stand out. Using a thin brush, I put the color next to her lash line being careful to keep the line fairly thin. Then I grabbed a neutral shade with brush #217 in her outer crease in order to give her eyes a lifted appearance.

Using the same color, I added a bit under her eye as well which works because the color is very soft and doesn’t look heavy. To pop the inner corner of her eye, I applied a slightly glittery cream color just on the inner corner.

Because I felt she needed a little more umph for the camera, I added a smidge of a dark blue to the outer edge of her top eyeliner, but for everyday wear, she probably doesn’t need it. I then applied a pretty pink lipstick and rosey blush to keep the focus on her eyes but not lose her other features.

Many times, we think we can’t wear bright lipstick because we haven’t added enough eyeliner. It’s all about balance, including having your eyeliner and lipstick be complementary to your face shape.

Minimalism for Mature Skin

Sandy has, in my opinion, minimalistic makeup without looking dead. Returning to the Instagram makeover idea, our younger counterparts can sometimes get away with wearing almost no makeup and still look stylish, but for mature women, it’s a bit tougher.

In general, I go for having a pop of color with minimal makeup added to the right spots. The idea is to avoid the badger look, but still be pretty and show off your best features.

For more information about dryness and the holy grail products for mature skin, check out this interview with skin care chemist Ben Fuchs.

Whatever your approach to makeup, take with you the notion that you can wear brighter colors, and eyeshadow with hooded lids. It’s all in the application and the warm, kind hearted vibe of my friend Sandy in Ecuador and her Shih Tzu.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

When applying makeup, do you prefer to go for fewer products than what you see in most tutorials? Which area of your face is the most problematic to make up? Have you found ways to fix the issue without much hassle?