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I first discovered black eyeliner in my early teens—a relationship I was faithful to until I turned 40. But once stress, lack of sleep, and loss of collagen took a toll on my eyes, what was once my signature beauty look began to feel…well, not so beautiful.
“Black created an aggressive visual contrast,” says makeup artist Raquel Álvarez. Apparently, this can be great when you’re young—but not so much when there are dark circles next to your dark eyeliner. So instead, Álvarez offered me a simple switch: Trade my inky black eyeliner for the eggplant-y brown shade we’re seeing all over right now. “A brown eyeliner blends in much better with skin, eye, and hair while still giving that pop,” he says, adding “plus, it will restore brightness to the skin.”
She chooses Chanel’s new Brun Agapé shade for me from a handful of browns that all have different undertones. “This translates into a fresher and more natural beauty look,” she tells me as she smudges the shade into my lash line. When I look in the mirror, I see the definition I know and desire from my beloved black eyeliner without all the harshness.
Another tip from Álvarez when it comes to eyeliner and mature skin: Always select a matte formula, not shimmer, when it comes to eyeliner. “Mature skin that has a tendency to have an eyelid with more excess skin and to which the eye contour has blurred. With a matte finish, because there is no light reflection, you can see more definition and sharpness. It’s what we makeup artists call ‘depth,’” explains Álvarez.
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