Make-up blogs for grown-ups
I’M BORED of my usual eyeshadow and lip colours, which I’ve been wearing for years, but I’m wary of trying something new in case it ages me. How can I learn some new tips? I’m too nervous to have a makeover at a cosmetics counter.
sandra, 56, York. Have you thought about watching an online make-up tutorial? The growing popularity for uploading how-to make-up videos on the internet has revolutionised the beauty industry.
and they are not just made by twentysomethings in their bedrooms. I have come across some fabulous how-to videos made by older women for older women, with excellent beauty tips.
The best thing is that you can stop the video and re-watch anything you can’t quite get the hang of.
L’Oreal Paris has released a series of YouTube videos called Wow-To (Wow stands for Wiser Older Women), with step-by- step tutorials on how to rejuvenate your style.
The presenters, Tessa Broadhead, 46, and Carol anne Swan, 56, receive tips from celebrity make-up artist Ruby Hammer on how to shop for and wear make-up that will suit them.
Ruby starts by choosing the right foundation. ‘Don’t try it on the back of your hand or underneath your jaw,’ she says. ‘Instead, apply a little on your face in natural daylight.’ Ruby prefers to apply foundation with a brush, starting in the centre of the face and working outwards.
She also has a trick for applying lipstick: use a clear lip liner, such as Urban Decay’s Ultimate Ozone pencil (£ 15, urbandecay.co.uk), around lips first. ‘It stops lipstick and gloss bleeding on to the skin around the mouth,’ she says.
To get a perfect outline, Ruby recommends dividing the lips into quarters. ‘Line and fill in each quarter, one at a time, then use your ring finger to press the colour into the lips to take off excess lipstick and give a smooth finish — this is what we do on catwalk models.’
I find make-up videos especially useful when learning about eye make-up, which is notoriously tricky — Ruby helps with that, too. ‘Muted colours have the most impact on eyes,’ she says.
‘Use a natural colour across the whole lid as a base, with a darker shade in the socket to add some definition.’ Try L’Oreal Paris Color Riche La Palette Nude Beige ( pictured, £ 14.99, Boots), a selection of wearable and natural shades.
another lady who creates make-up videos for older women is Tricia Cusden, 67, from Wimbledon. She created her make-up brand Look Fabulous Forever ( look fabulousforever.com) and made videos for the website, showing how best to use her products.
Tricia suits bright shades because of her cool-toned skin — one of her f avourites is Fabulous Lip Colour in Fuchsia (£18). She uses make-up artist Linda Sullivan in her videos, with advice for every complexion and skin problem.
Linda’s top tip is for thicker-looking lashes. ‘as we age, they tend to become thinner, so use a waxy eye crayon close to the lash line to give the illusion of a full flutter,’ she says.
‘With all your products, it is important to blend the colour, so there aren’t any hard edges. Keep it subtle and i t won’t be ageing.’