BEAUTY: youthful tricks for eyes and lips

Many women are unsure of how to make the most of their eyes – ditto lips. Janine Phillipson quizzed the experts for tips on making the most of what you’ve got.

Defined eyes

Eye shadow or eyeliner? It’s a personal preference, but for make-up artist Mary Wiles (who is Naomi Watts’ go-to), it’s liner. “I prefer eyeliner to eyeshadow for a quick look,” she says. “Apply it into your top lashes and blend with a fingertip, smudging up and out. This creates depth without making eyes look heavy. Finish with a coat of mascara. Apply to your top lashes and blend with a fingertip.”

Make-up artist Sarah Laidlaw suggests blending a matte eye shadow in a shade darker than your skin tone across the hooded area of the lid to lift the area. “Curl lashes and finish with a thickening mascara. To add the illusion of fullness,

brush on a soft brow powder. Past 40, eyelids start to get more hooded – lashes and brows thin out and get shorter, so go-to make-up for a 40-ish woman is about camouflaging signs of ageing.”

Kheahni Jackson of Bobbi Brown says a cream eye shadow stick allows for smoother application. “Apply shadow close to the lash line and blend upwards towards your socket with your finger or a brush.” 1. Inika Certified Organic Eyeliner, $29. 2. Nars Eyeshadow Quad in Mahé, $76. 3. Bourjois Volume Glamour Ultra Curl Mascara, $20. 4. Mecca

Cosmetica Eyelash Curler,

$25. 5. Bobbi Brown Long

Wear Cream Shadow Stick, $47.

Bright eyes

“A skin-toned eyeliner pencil will brighten eyes – go for your own skin tone, not white,” says Sarah. “Using colours such as taupe, the perfect balance of both a warm and cool tone, and bronze are great options to liven up your look,” suggests Kheahni. “Avoid using red-based shadows as they can highlight tired-eye redness and fatigue.”

“Many women forget the most important step in acing their eye make-up – hydration, using a good eye cream, corrector and concealer,” says Kheahni. “A lighter, brighter under-eye area is the perfect way to start your eye make-up and is often missed. The result? Women try to overcompensate with more or darker eye make-up to look fresh, clean and modern,” she explains. 6. Models Prefer Magic Multi-Purpose Pencil, $9.99.

Great brows

“As we age our hair thins, as do our brows,” says Mary. However, groomed brows can make eyes stand out and give the face a more polished look.

“Choose a colour that compliments your natural colour,” says Kheahni. Try a pencil or a brow powder and brush for a soft look and apply with feather strokes. 7. Lancôme Monsieur Big Brow,

$39, is a clever soft brow crayon and brush in one.

Polished lips

If you have been wearing the same lip shade for years, it may be time to update your colour palette. For definition, aim for a lipstick up to two shades deeper than your lips,” says Kheahni. “If you are looking for a pop of colour, the most important thing is to choose a colour that makes you feel good. Don’t spend too much time worrying about what works – make-up should be fun, so if you love it and feel great in it, wear it!” And if your lips are thin? “Avoid darker colours as they will make the lips appear even thinner,” says Sarah. 8. Natio Lip Colour in Eden, $14.95. 9. Clinique Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Curviest Caramel, $37. 10. Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Color in Bare, $46.

How to make lip colour last

“As we get older, the lip line is less defined,” says Mary. “Lipliner can help to keep bleeding lipstick in check as it’s a stiffer texture than lipstick,” says Sarah. “Colouring in the entire lip with a lipliner the same colour as your lipstick can help it to stay longer by creating a base that is less likely to move,” Sarah adds. 11. Lancôme Contour Pro Lip Pencil in Tulip Rose, $48.