9 makeup habits Boomer women learned in the 80s that make them look older now

I was cleaning out my bathroom cabinet last week when I found it: a tube of electric blue mascara from the late 80s, somehow still lurking in the back corner. For a moment, I was transported back to my early twenties, when that mascara felt like the height of sophistication.

Then I looked in the mirror at my forty-something face and thought, thank goodness I'm not still wearing that.

But here's the uncomfortable truth I've noticed while volunteering at farmers' markets and chatting with women my age: many of us are still clinging to makeup habits we learned in the 80s. We've updated our phones, our wardrobes, even our coffee orders. Yet somehow, our makeup routines remain frozen in time.

The 80s were iconic. Bold colors, dramatic looks, unapologetic self-expression. Those trends were perfect for that decade. But what looked fresh and exciting back then can actually age us now. Our skin has changed, makeup formulas have evolved, and what once made us look polished now makes us look dated.

After spending nearly 20 years analyzing patterns in my finance career, I learned to spot when something that used to work no longer serves its purpose. The same principle applies to beauty routines.

So let's talk about the makeup habits many Boomer women learned in the 80s that might be adding years to their appearance today. No judgment here, just honest observations and better alternatives.

1) Heavy foundation two shades too light

Remember when having a pale, matte base was the ultimate goal? Back in the 80s, foundation was applied like spackling paste, often two shades lighter than your natural skin tone. The idea was to create a blank canvas for all those vibrant colors.

Here's what I've learned from my years of analyzing patterns and trends: what worked in one context rarely translates well to another. And this is especially true with foundation.

As our skin matures, it naturally loses some of its rosiness and can appear more sallow. Slapping on a too-light foundation only amplifies that pallor, making you look washed out rather than fresh-faced.

I spent my thirties in a corporate environment where I thought more coverage meant more polish. Turns out, I was just making myself look tired and older. The fix? Choose a foundation that matches your skin exactly, or even go slightly warmer. Your face shouldn't look like it's wearing a mask.

2) Unblended bright blush applied in stripes

The 80s approach to blush was simple: more is more, and blending is optional. Women would apply bright pink, coral, or even plum blush in heavy streaks across their cheekbones without bothering to soften the edges.

This is one of those habits that really shows its age. As we get older, harsh lines and unblended color draw attention to sagging skin and create an unflattering contrast. The stripe of color can actually emphasize jowls rather than lift the face.

Try this instead: use a cream blush in a soft coral or rose tone, apply it to the apples of your cheeks, and blend upward toward your temples. The key word here is blend. Your blush should look like a natural flush, not a sunset painted across your face.

3) Raccoon eyes with heavy black eyeliner

If your signature look involves lining both your upper and lower lids with thick black liner and then smudging it into oblivion, you might be stuck in 1987.

The raccoon eye was intentional back then, part of that edgy, rebellious aesthetic. But as our skin loses contrast with age (our hair grays, our skin pales, our natural features soften), that harsh black liner becomes the only thing people notice. It makes eyes appear smaller, draws attention to crow's feet, and looks severe rather than sophisticated.

During my corporate years, I clung to my black liner like it was armor. It took a brutally honest friend to tell me it was making me look exhausted. Switching to a deep brown or even a soft charcoal along just the upper lash line opened up my entire face. If you want to define your lower lash line, use a smudged shadow rather than a harsh line.

4) Bright electric eyeshadow from lash to brow

Electric blue. Hot pink. Neon purple. The 80s loved bold eyeshadow, and the application method was straightforward: sweep it from your lash line all the way up to your heavily penciled brows.

Look, I love color. I grow bright flowers in my garden specifically because they make me happy. But there's a difference between strategic pops of color and looking like you're headed to a costume party.

When you apply vibrant shadow across your entire eyelid, especially shimmery formulas, it emphasizes hooded lids, makes droopy eyes look droopier, and settles into every crease.

The modern approach? If you want to play with color (and you should), use it as an accent. A pop of plum in the outer corner. A hint of bronze on the lid. Keep the application focused and use matte formulas on mature skin since shimmer highlights every line and fold.

5) Dark lip liner with lighter lipstick

This was the ultimate 90s carryover from the late 80s: a dark brown or burgundy lip liner paired with a much lighter lipstick or gloss. The harsh outline was supposed to define your lips and make them look fuller.

What it actually does is make your lips look smaller, draws attention to the fine lines around your mouth, and screams "I haven't updated my routine since Friends was on the air." As we age, our lips naturally lose volume and definition. A stark, dark outline only emphasizes that thinning.

I had to throw out half my makeup collection when I finally accepted that what worked for me at 25 wasn't serving me at 40. Now I use a lip liner that's just slightly deeper than my natural lip color, fill in my entire lip with it, and then top with a hydrating lipstick or gloss in a complementary shade. The result looks fuller, softer, and infinitely more modern.

6) Over-powdering everything into a matte finish

The 80s beauty ideal was aggressively matte. Shine was the enemy, so women powdered their faces heavily and repeatedly throughout the day. Every surface had to be flat and non-reflective.

Here's the thing about powder: it can be aging in ways that are hard to undo. It settles into fine lines, emphasizes texture, makes skin look dry and dull, and can actually create that dreaded "old lady makeup" effect. Your face ends up looking flat and lifeless rather than dimensional and healthy.

After two decades of analyzing data and financial reports, I learned that sometimes less information presented more clearly is more valuable than drowning someone in numbers. The same is true with powder. A light dusting in your T-zone to control shine? Fine. Coating your entire face? That's aging you.

Switch to a luminous or natural finish foundation, skip the powder entirely if your skin is dry, or use it only where you absolutely need it. Your skin should look like skin, not porcelain.

7) Colored mascara in every shade of the rainbow

Blue mascara. Purple mascara. Green mascara. The 80s mascara game was wild, and the brighter the better. It was supposed to coordinate with your eyeshadow and complete that colorful look.

The problem? Colored mascara on mature lashes draws attention for all the wrong reasons. It makes sparse lashes look even sparser, can make your eyes appear smaller, and generally looks like you're trying way too hard to recapture your youth.

I learned through trail running that you don't need fancy gear to perform well. You need the right basics executed properly. The same goes for mascara. A good black or dark brown mascara that lengthens and defines will always look more polished and youthful than anything neon.

If you really want to experiment with color, try a colored liner in the inner rim of your eye or as a lower lash accent. But keep your mascara classic.

8) Thin, severely arched eyebrows

While the early 80s embraced natural, bushy brows, by the late 80s and into the 90s, the pendulum swung hard in the opposite direction. Thin, highly arched eyebrows became the standard, and many women over-plucked to achieve that severe look.

Most women who went through this phase are still paying the price. Over-plucked brows often don't grow back fully, and what we're left with is sparse, unnaturally shaped brows that age us significantly. Thin brows make your face look longer, draw attention to sagging eyelids, and create a permanently surprised or harsh expression.

When I started volunteering at farmers' markets, I noticed how women of all ages were embracing more natural, full brows. It was a revelation. Your brows should frame your face, not fight against it. Fill in sparse areas with a brow pencil in a shade that matches your hair (not too dark), brush them upward for a fuller look, and resist the urge to over-pluck.

If your brows are permanently thin from decades of plucking, consider microblading or a good brow pomade to create the illusion of fuller, more natural arches.

9) Glittery, shimmery eyeshadow everywhere

The 80s loved sparkle. Glittery eyeshadow, frosted highlighter, shimmery everything. It was part of that maximalist aesthetic that defined the decade.

But here's an uncomfortable truth: shimmer and glitter are not friends to aging skin. They settle into creases, emphasize wrinkles, make hooded lids look heavier, and generally draw attention to every texture issue you'd rather minimize. What looked fun and festive at 20 looks like you're trying too hard at 60.

During my career transition from finance to writing, I had to rethink everything about how I presented myself. One of the biggest changes? Switching from shimmery to matte eyeshadows. The difference was startling. Matte shadows create depth and definition without highlighting every line. They make eyes look more lifted and rested.

If you absolutely must have some shine (and I get it, sometimes we want that bit of glamour), use a very finely milled, subtle shimmer only on the inner corner of your eye or the very center of your lid. Keep it minimal and strategic.

Final thoughts

Change is hard. I spent almost 20 years in the same career before finally making the leap to something completely different, so I understand the comfort of sticking with what you know.

But here's what I learned: growth requires letting go of what's no longer serving you. That applies to careers, relationships, and yes, even your makeup routine.

The 80s were a fun, bold decade. Those makeup trends were perfect for that time and place. But we're not in the 80s anymore, and our faces aren't the same as they were back then.

The goal isn't to look like you're trying to be 20 again. The goal is to look like the best, most vibrant version of yourself right now. And sometimes that means updating the habits we've been carrying around for decades.

Your face has earned its lines and character. The right makeup should enhance that, not fight against it or try to paint over it with techniques from another era.

So take a good look at your routine. Which of these 80s habits are you still holding onto? And more importantly, are you ready to let them go?