YOURLIFE

THE dreaded make-up mishap, we’ve all been there. Foundation the wrong shade, blushers that make us look like Widow Twanky...

So to make things easier and to avoid mistakes, we consulted experts at Boots No7 and celebrity make-up artist Karen Alder for their top tips... One option is to try the Boots No7 Match Made skin-tone analysis device that reads your skin tone and matches it to foundations. The device is used on either side of the jawline where there is less likely to be pigmentation, sun damage or flushed skin.

Foundation is probably the hardest thing to get right. Karen says avoid testing it out on the neck or the back of the hand or cheeks. She also recommends checking it in natural daylight.

Another top tip is to have two or three shades of your favourite one as the skin changes colour through the seasons. Hormones can also affect it. Or you could invest in Sainsbury’s lightening and darkening drops to mix in with your foundation.

We recommend:

„ No7 Stay Perfect Foundation, £15, Boots, available in 20 shades

This comfortable, lightweight foundation will stay put for 24 hours and is weather- and transfer-proof.

„ Boutique Foundation Colour Adjusting drops, £4.50, Sainsbury’s Karen says: “I always do a swipe from under the cheekbone right below the jawline... but with lightening drops you can use them as a highlighter too.” There is no wrong or right where eye colour is concerned. Brown eyes: Don’t be afraid to experiment with colour and to use liner shades such as peacock green. To bring out eye clarity, try deep purple or bronze golds. To make them look lighter, a moss green shade looks stunning. For a sultry look, choose charcoal grey. Finally, add a touch of intensity to any look with black.

Blue eyes: Orange complements blue, so try warm undertones like rich browns and terracotta. Gold, bronze or champagne eyeshadows will bring out the intensity. To get a sultry look, try brown or bronze eyeliner. Green eyes: Green or hazel eyes suit darker red undertones such as rust, deep bronze and warm purple. Line the eyes in plum, violet or chocolate to bring out the intensity. Avoid cool tones such as silver or grey as these will dull the eyes.

We recommend:

■ NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Eyeshadow Palette in Warm Neutrals, £16, Boots NYX does a fantastic range that works for all eye colours. Again, there are no hard or fast rules. The basic guide for choosing the right lip colour is: Fair or light skins suit light pink, coral, peach, nude, and dusty red colours.

As a general rule rose, berry, cherry red, and mauve lipsticks look gorgeous on girls with a medium skin tone. Tanned skin can rock coral, deep pink, bright red, and most other colours except brown and purple. Darker skin tones suit brown and purple shades like plum, caramel, wine, and bluey reds. Treat these as guidelines to help find some new colours for you.

And to find the best nude lipstick, Karen’s advice is to go for the tone of your gums. Strange but true!

We recommend: ■

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick, £7.49, Boots, available

in 35 shades Formulated with vitamin E and avocado oil, these lipsticks have a lustrous finish. Thanks to micro pigments, the high-impact colour just glides on.

■ Boutique Lip Plumping Hydrating Gloss, £4, Sainsbury’s Formulated with vitamin E and shea butter, this gloss not only gives a gorgeous lustrous shine but is kind to lips too. Boots has developed a blusher and bronzer range based on its Match Made skin-tone analysis to make it easier to find flattering colours. Karen advises buying a blusher the same tone as your lipstick. This is a foolproof way of getting a truly expensive finish.

If you’re after a more dramatic fashion look, clashing colours will give you this – for instance, pale pink blush and red lips. Remember Amal Clooney at Harry and Meghan’s wedding? This is a brilliant example of not sticking to the rules but creating a beautiful, dramatic effect.

We recommend:

■ Collection #BlushAndGlow Blush Palette, £4.99, Boots This contains everything you need to light up your face. Choose from a matte bronzer, matte or shimmering pink blusher and a neutral highlighter.

■ Boutique Velvet Blusher, £3 Sainsbury’s This cream-to-powder formula gives a natural healthy look. Simply apply a tiny pearl-size amount and blend with your finger or a brush. Karen says remember that darkening your eyebrows strengthens the structure of your face, whereas lighter shades give a lifting effect. Darker is not always better.