On Sunday, March 2, all eyes were on the flowing Prada gown worn by Lupita Nyong’o at the Oscars, but when the lights dimmed, among the movie stars of a certain age, more attention was probably being paid to finding ways to have younger eyes. It’s one frequent question I get from the women I meet, so I spent most of the Academy Awards show looking at beautiful eyes and the commercial breaks researching healthy tips for keeping them that way.
Some eye-openers I found come just in time, because getting older is not for sissies. Still, it can be a graceful process as Julia Roberts, the face of Lancome, showed us at the Oscars. First, try using the fourth finger to gently tap creams and makeup onto the fragile, thin eye area. Pulling and tugging at the sensitive skin around the eyes will age you before your time.
Sunglasses are no longer an option, but a necessity. The bigger the better, and make certain the lenses protect your eyes from both UVA and UVB rays. Squinting recruits fine lines around the eye area, and encourages, gasp, wrinkles.
Be sure your lotions and skin serums are loaded with antioxidants which fight free radical damage from the sun, pollutants, smoking and other sources. Hydration is paramount when it comes to vivacious, youthful eyes. Incorporate plenty of water, omega-3 fatty acids and flax seeds into your daily diet to keep the skin moist.
Concealer can be our friend or foe. Choose the right shade to camouflage dark circles and brighten the eyes, but a shade too light will announce your age to everyone. Those frustrating under-eye circles can be battled with topical creams rich in vitamin K, and eating more iron from red meat and green leafy vegetables will also help.
The makeup can be overdone in the hunt for brighter, younger eyes. The bottom lashes should be bare, but mascara is key to playing up the eyes. Bolder brows are a surefire way to give the eyes a lift, and don’t accentuate the dark areas of your under-eyes with red or deep purple liners and shadows. It’s just a no-no.
Finally, the most essential tip is probably what your mama told you, “Don’t sleep with your makeup on.” It’s true.
I’m going to take my own advice by putting on globs of SPF, my favorite sunglasses and, hopefully, skip the scalpel as some of the Hollywood crowd could do also.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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