A simple triangle drawn in the right place can completely change the look, especially when the eyelid begins to droop after age 50. Long reserved for professional makeup artists, this geometric gesture is now making its way into bathrooms, driven by viral tutorials and promises of a rejuvenated look with just a few brush strokes. Enough to arouse curiosity.
The triangle technique involves playing with light and shadow to visually stretch the eye outwards, without surgery or complicated smoky. Makeup artist Kimberly Weimer popularized it in an Instagram video, while Val Garland, 66, international make-up director of L’Oréal Paris, recalls that well-structured eyebrows also help to lift the upper part of the face.
Why does the triangle technique appeal so much to people over 50?
With age, the eye contour relaxes, the eyelid wrinkles and the eyebrows become thinner. After age 60, eyebrows can even become almost “invisible”, which immediately tires the face. Working on the eyes means no longer just applying eye shadow, but also rebuilding lost volumes to restore structure.
On the eyebrows, Val Garland relies on another triangle, the famous “golden triangle”. She advises, for example: , explains Val Garland in an interview relayed by Aufeminin. She specifies where to place the arc, speaking of , before assuring: . To maintain a natural result, she recommends having and adds: . She also emphasizes the gestures of the pencil: , in order to obtain .
How to perform the triangle technique on the eyelid
For the eyes, Kimberly Weimer starts with a light pink, matte shadow, applied all over the eyelid to illuminate it. Then she places a neutral brown shadow not in the natural crease, but slightly above, with her eyes open, so that it remains visible despite a drooping eyelid. She sums up her gesture: , she explains in the video shared by Elle.
This line serves as the upper side of the triangle, which is then closed at the outer corner of the eye before delicately filling in and blending upwards. To navigate this, we can keep three key steps in mind:
- apply a light matte shadow all over the eyelid to add light;
- draw, above the pupil, a brown line drawn towards the tip of the eyebrow;
- connect this line to the outer corner, form a triangle, fill it then blend the edges outwards.
Adapt the triangle to illuminate and enhance the eyes after 50 years
This placement slightly higher than the natural crease creates a “false hollow” which gives the illusion of a raised eyelid. Clear attracts light to the center of the eye, brown structures in the outer corner and directs the gaze of others towards ascending lines. On a mature eyelid, this triangular effect acts like a mini optical lifting, without adding weight.
On very drooping eyelids, it is beneficial to place the top of the triangle a little higher, ensuring that the darkest part remains visible with open eyes. On small or close-set eyes, keep a thin triangle, stretched towards the temple, and emphasize the light at the inner corner. And then, recalling Val Garland’s advice on eyebrows, we can clearly see that a triangle of shadow associated with redensified eyebrows is often enough to wake up the entire upper part of the face.
Is the triangle technique suitable for all eye shapes after 50?
Yes, provided you adjust the height and size of the triangle depending on whether the eyelid is very drooping, hollow or rather wide.
What types of shadows should I use for the triangle technique after 50?
Choose a light matte shadow to highlight, combined with a neutral matte or slightly satiny brown, which provides structure without marking fine lines.
Can we combine the triangle technique and eyebrow work?
Yes, the result is even more harmonious if you lightly redraw the eyebrows while respecting their key points, then place the shadow triangle consistently.
Sources
- Aufeminin
“Makeup after 60: “I am a makeup artist and here is the “golden triangle” technique which will lift your eyebrows and your face””
