ALL EYES on me!
MAKE YOUR PEEPERS POP WITH THESE SIMPLE TRICKS
1 CARE...
With fewer oil glands and a fine texture, the delicate skin around our eyes is one of the first places to show dehydration. Once that happens, crepiness and lines are only emphasised further.
Keep skin supple with eye creams and serums that help it hold onto moisture, plumping out dry areas to reduce the look of wrinkles. Tap one around the eye socket (the bone that can be felt under our eyes and below our brows) and let it absorb well before you apply any eye make-up.
If you suffer from tired and puffy eyes, keep a teaspoon in the freezer overnight and try using the cold, smooth surface of the back of the spoon to apply your eye cream or serum in the morning. Move the spoon from the inside corner of the nose towards the outside of your brows to help with lymphatic drainage.
The latest...
(1) Nivea Q10 Power Eye Cream, $21.99, helps prevent new lines forming with its firming formula; (2) StriVectin Advanced Retinol Eye Cream, $125, targets deeper wrinkles with line-smoothing retinol;
(3) Dr LeWinn’s Line Smoothing Complex Hyaluronic Acid & Caffeine Under Eye
Recovery Masks, $11.99
(for 3) revives eyes with a list of impressive antiageing ingredients including peptides.
2 CONTOUR...
As we get older, our eyelids tend to lose their natural contour, but eyeshadow can be used to help recreate dimension.
If traditional eyeshadow powder terrifies you, the easiest thing to use is a single shade of cream shadow in a pot or crayon. Simply dab the colour onto the lid and buff it out quickly, with your fingertip or a brush, into the crease of your eye. This helps create a natural-looking crease when blinking.
Nude-toned colours are the easiest to use and their creamy formulas make the eye area look more hydrated. Once dry, they have great staying power too.
The latest...
(1) Revlon ColorStay Crème Eye Shadow, $18, is highly pigmented and superresistant to creasing;
(2) DB Cosmetics Shimmer Stix Eyeshadow Crayon, $9.99, gives eyelids a subtle gilded effect, with just the right amount of sparkle; (3) Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour, $50, comes in a range of velvety shades that can be used under the eye for a smoky effect too.
3 FRAME...
It really is amazing how a little extra definition can work wonders.
A softly-defined yet naturallooking brow is an instant youth booster and is really easy to achieve. Simply brush up your brows first with a spoolie and create tiny hairs with a fine pencil to fill in gaps, or brush through with a tinted brow gel or powder.
Eyeliner is worth mastering as it gives flattering definition and makes lashes look thicker. Practise drawing a line with a soft pencil as close as possible to your upper lashes and smudge it softly with your finger. Also, don’t underestimate the eyeopening effect of great lashes. Try using a compact mirror to apply mascara so you can get close to your eye and capture each little lash. If it smudges, opt for a waterproof version. The latest...
(1) Maybelline New York Snapscara Waterproof,
$19.99, isn’t difficult to remove. Just use a cotton pad and warm water; (2) L’Oréal Paris Signature Le Liner,
$23.99, glides on, blends easily and comes in soft shades;
(3) Revitalash Hi-Def
Brow Pencil, $ 49, is super-fine, comes in three shades and has a built-in spoolie.