Make-up anti-ageing tricks

Make-up, if applied adeptly, instantly gives you a lift and is far cheaper than fillers or Botox.

When you are in your late teens and early 20s you can have a late night and it doesn’t show on your face the next morning. But, from 25 onwards, your face starts to reflect the life you lead.

Applying a moisturiser will help plump up the skin and smooth out fine lines, especially after the morning after the night before. Clarins HydraQuench Rich Cream (£34) is the perfect drink for dry skin.

Don’t make the mistake of piling on the make-up to cover up the first signs of ageing or tiredness. If you wear a base, you want it to look as natural as possible. To avoid making your complexion look older and drier, always ensure you have the right shade. You should colour match your foundation to the skin on your décolletage.

Try Bobbi Brown Luminous Moisturizing Treatment Foundation (£32). It has a great texture and will even out your skin tone as well as giving you a youthful glow. Use your fingers to apply as the warmth will make blending the cream easier. It comes in 20 shades, so you should find one to suit you.  

Bobbi Brown

After 35, less is more. Use concealer sparingly as it can accentuate lines and dark circles.

A tip from make-up guru Bobbi Brown is to lighten the under-eye area with her pink-toned corrective Tinted Eye Brightener (£23.50). People will focus on your eyes, not what is underneath.

 “The shades of the brightener will totally counteract dark shadows under the eye making the eye look more lifted and tight,” she says. “Be sure to apply close to the lashes and to the inner corner of the eye as well.”  

According to Bobbi, the brow bone should always be the lightest part of the make-up. She suggests applying a white or ivory highlighter such as her Eye Shadow in Navajo (£16.50) to this part of the eyelid for an instant lift.

“When lining the eyes, extend the liner ever so slightly at the outer corner of the eye. Make sure the liner is thick enough and visible enough when your eyes open,” says Bobbi. Try Bobbi Brown Long wear Gel Liner in Caviar (£17).

Well-groomed eyebrows make your face look instantly lifted. Use an eyebrow pencil such as YSL Eye Brow Pencil (£19, comes in four shades) to fill in any sparse areas in your brows and to cover up the odd stray white hair.

Don’t apply mascara on the lower lashes as this can also make you look darker under the eyes. Always comb it through with an old mascara brush after applying as you get a more natural effect. A good one is Lancôme Définicils Mascara in Noir infini (£22). 

To make your complexion pop, take Bobbi’s advice and sweep blush high on the apples of your cheeks. “Choose a shade of blush that looks like the colour of your cheeks when you blush,” she says. “Pinks and corals are great colour choices to give an uplifting youthful appearance to the skin. Try my Pale Pink Powder Blush (£18).”

If this colour is a bit too bright for you try Desert Rose, a muted pink with a hint of brown. For evening you could add a light dusting of a brighter one on top. Just make sure that it is blended well into the skin, so it looks like it belongs there.

Another subtle shade is Clarins Blush Prodige Illuminating Cheek Colour in Rose Wood (£26). As the name suggests it is a soft rose.  

Lipstick can age you, so stick to colours in soft, neutral shades. During the day ensure that your lippy contains an SPF. Clinique High Impact Lip Colour SPF 15 (£16.50) comes in a wide range of colours and is lovely and moisturising. Dot some Vaseline in the centre of your bottom lip to add fullness.

If you need to brush up on your application techniques, head to your nearest Bobbi Brown counter for a complimentary Make-up Face Lift lesson. 

By Daralyn Danns