Minute Makeovers
OPEN UPYOUR EYES
HIDEYOUR WRINKLES
PLUMPYOUR POUT
You already know that your eyes are the first place to show signs of ageing. And sadly, that includes your lashes.While professional extensions and growth formulas do a fine job of boosting lash length and thickness—making your eyes appear lifted—they also demand a long-term commitment. Volumising mascaras are the quickest way to create a youthful look. Givenchy 4 in 1 Noir Couture Mascara is equipped with jagged brush to condition, curl, lengthen, and volumise. “A full-bristle wand ensures that you can coat every lash, which instantly opens the eyes,” says makeup artist Moani Lee. For maximum effect, she advises dotting a liquid liner (like Dior Art Pen,
2,200) on your upper lids in the spaces between lashes.
Botox and fillers remain the gold standard for eradicating fine lines and wrinkles, but products that fake a more youthful complexion do exist, especially when you’re desperate for a speedy solution. If you’re oily: Camouflage lines with something that’s lightweight and oil-free. Guerlain Meteorites Perfecting Primer is loaded with three different pearls to illuminate skin and add a subtle shimmer. Apply it before your makeup and we guarantee you’ll need far less foundation. If you’re dry: Filorga DeepFill Deep Wrinkle Soothing Treatment (`3,800), is formulated with peptides to tighten, elastomers to fill, and light-diffusers to soften the look of wrinkles. “We call that fairy dust,” says Ava Shamban, a Beverly Hills dermatologist. “Any product that reflects light will make you look like you just had a five-minute laser treatment.” But beware, “these products won’t last all day,” though they will “give you results for an evening,” adds Shamban.
Whether or not you’re blessed with Angelina lips, “everyone’s will deflate with age,” says Shamban, and it can start to happen as early as your 30s. Although your everyday gloss may be capable of hydrating your pout (remember, moisture makes skin and lips fill out naturally), special plumping formulas like Soap & Glory’s (above centre) and Dior Lip Maximiser (`2,050), go a step further, mixing collagen with marine- based fillers and mint, to instantly plump the lips. Shamban agrees. “Lip plumpers absolutely work,” she says, and they can even help puff up wrinkles on your lip lines. Look for ingredients such as cinnamon, ginger, and peppermint oils as well as jojoba oil and hyaluronic acid. Since most offer only a hint of colour, try Lee’s trick if you want to pull off a bright mouth: Apply your plumper, and allow it to set for three minutes; wipe off any excess with a tissue, then add lipstick.
TIGHTENYOUR PORES
Despite what you may think, your pores aren’t getting bigger. It’s just that when they’re open and clogged (with oil and dead skin, which can oxidise and turn black), they stretch, look larger, and can form blackheads. “The actual size of a person’s pores cannot be changed,” says Howard Murad, a Los Angeles dermatologist. The good news is that you can reduce their appearance in minutes with Murad’s new pore and blackhead duo (left), a two-part system that exfoliates the gunk lodged inside with volcanic mineral clay, then seals and tightens pores with a salicylic acid serum. Unlike other pore reducers, this one prevents the sebum in clogged pores from oxidising, which blocks blackheads from forming.
DISGUISEYOUR GREYS
Grey regrowth at your roots can add up to a decade, says LA colourist Denis de Souza. Because visiting a salon every two weeks is rarely feasible, Colour Wow Root Cover-Up (`2,150 approx), a tinted mineral powder that you brush onto your roots, offers a quick, at-home solution. Available in four shades, it looks similar to an eye-shadow compact and comes with a doublesided brush. It doesn’t dry out or feel sticky like other grey-concealing products. De Souza recommends using it sparingly, applying it with the smaller end of the brush for precision. The powder adheres immediately, and won’t rub off on your hands or clothing (it washes out when you shampoo). And if your colour is dull, Oscar Blandi At-Home Salon Glaze brightens it in a few sprays. Jessica Prince