FANCY A FEW tips and tricks? The end of this month may be more about uniforms, school bags and books, but don’t get left behind while looking after everyone else. Yes, money is tight, but the best things in life are free, and this applies to beauty as much as anything else. Most of what follows costs little or nothing, just a bit of time and effort.
1 Here’s a brilliant trick for eyebrows that lifts the entire face. Brush the centre of brow downwards. This leaves a gap, which you then fill with pencil or powder. Brush brow upwards again and voila – instant arch. Still on brows, a highlighting pencil is invaluable for lifting the eye area and defining brow line. Benefit’s High Brow (€21) is excellent, as is YSL’s Touche Eclat (€35), which can also be used to soften wrinkles along “marionette lines” (between nose and sides of mouth).
2 Simply changing the order in which you apply colour can make a big difference. For instance, if you blush cheeks and groom eyebrows before doing your eyes, you may find you need far less eye make-up. This neatly avoids the overdone look.
3 Learn to use eyeliner. It’s really worth the effort, as liner subtly or dramatically defines the eyes, depending on the strength of application. Bobbi Brown’s Gel Liner (€22) is very easy to apply, and doesn’t budge.
4 Don’t hold back on mascara. Whether you go for lengthening, curling or volumising, it’s an instant eye-opener. By the way, black suits everyone.
5 A fully powdered face is ageing and old-fashioned. Try powdering just the T-zone (forehead, then down nose, around mouth and chin area). This leaves cheeks fresh and youthful. On powders, if using a loose one, make sure you tap brush sharply to get rid of excess product. Mineral powders are a good choice – they look very natural because of their lustre, so you will never end up with the flour-bag look. A pressed powder is more portable – MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Naturals (€26.50) gives a lovely finish and comes in a range of shades.
6 Lipgloss is great, but leave full-on smackers to the younger set. Apply your favourite lip colour (with a brush, blot back and apply again) then apply a dab of pale or clear gloss in the centre of your bottom lip for a gorgeous highlight.
7 Sometimes feet and ankles disappoint when you want to wear sandals. It’s not easy to get an good result with self-tan, but there is an easy solution. Powder bronzer will even up the situation or add a sweep of colour to pale skin. Also good for shoulders and decolette.
8 Use your lipstick as a blusher. Not only does this ensure the perfect match, it saves a few bob, too. Your perfect lip shade is about two shades down from your natural lip colour (bite down on your lips to get the idea). To apply, smile and tap lipstick onto apple of cheek and blend.
9 Stand up straight. It costs nothing, and can take years off. Shoulders back and pull tummy muscles in, then imagine a cord running up your spine and pulling up through the top of your head. You’ll look taller and younger.
10 Lastly, don’t forget the the holy trinity of must-dos. Wear SPF every day, get your beauty sleep, and no smoking. pclarke@irishtimes.com