Celia Holman-Lee

“I’m 66. There’s no way I could wear make-up like the Kardashians. My skin couldn’t take it it sits into the wrinkles”

I was 16 when I started wearing make-up heavily. I’m a child of the 1960s, when there were double fake-eyelashes, top and bottom.

I never saw my mother with a screed of make-up in my life. Nivea and Astral cream were all I ever saw on her dressing table. As an older teenager, I used to plaster myself with panstick. But it was modelling that really introduced me to make-up. I did a TV commercial, they did the make-up, and I remember seeing my face. I couldn’t believe it was me.

I look at the young kids of today, wearing so much make-up, but we did the same. We used to wear tons of hairpieces as well. Hair extensions probably evolved from hairpieces. The eyelashes — I used to use them. Everyone was screaming about the Kardashians and contouring four years ago; we were doing that with nearly white chalk. So they think it’s very new, but I’ve seen it all before.

I would have worn make-up outside modelling jobs when I started out. First of all, I was always so keen to be on trend. Secondly, I hadn’t the confidence to go without it.

I’m 66. There’s no way I could wear make-up like the Kardashians my skin couldn’t take it. It sits into the wrinkles. So I was cute enough to watch make-up artists work, and learn myself. I moved to a softer make-up; a lighter foundation. If you’re over 45, everything contributes to the lines and textures in your face

sickness, getting upset, getting depressed, loss of life in the family, people dying.

Everything affects you, and as you get older, it affects your skin. My mother passed, and then I lost my brother, and I lost my nephew, and a few of my aunts. Life changed completely, so sorrow sets in. That fire you have takes a while to come back. And the skin takes it. For me, it got duller. Listening to the people I’m around in the industry, they advised using illumination, so the skin can shine a little bit.

The industry I’m in, I would rather not go to events, or work situations without make-up. But it’s not the end of the world. I forgot my make-up bag for an event in the Four Seasons and I used mascara as eye make-up; I blackened the sides of my eyes a bit.

I’ve never had any work done. People ask me why I didn’t bother. I wish I had a better answer — I just didn’t feel that I wanted to go there. It just never appealed.

I’ll tell you what bothers me about ageing. It’s losing your energy. I want to do everything. And, a lot of the time, I’m not able to do as much as I used to. Wrinkles or lines that’s life. The only thing that bothers me about ageing is that I want to keep going, I am trying to keep going. The rest of me is in God’s hands. I’m happy enough with the way I look.