by I’ve been wearing no make-up for so long that a glamorous party look puts me off. My default evening make-up is usually exactly the same as my daytime make-up with a bit more eyeliner and an extra layer of mascara if there’s time. But I’m not sure if that’s smooth on my 50 plus skin.
Since most of us have less than 10 minutes to put on our face, I wanted a tutorial on how to do an easy evening make-up that will make me look a little more glam than usual and I will get out the door soon. my husband loses the plot while waiting in the car.
I called on the skills of British make-up artist and author Wendy Rowe who has made up everyone from Helen Mirren to Priyanka Chopra and is on speed dial for Victoria Beckham and Sienna Miller when trying to look stunning on a magazine cover or red carpet . .
“There are two really easy party looks,” Rowe tells me, “that are ageless, quick to pull off and suit most faces. The first is red lips with lots of lash and the second is a relaxed, smoky eye.
“The key to both looks is getting the skin right,” says Rowe. “When people ask me for my tip if you are short on time, the one thing I say is to redo the skin (complexity) even if you don’t have time to redo your eye. Great skin will make ordinary make-up look great.”
How to make your skin look free
“You probably don’t have time for a long massage, but even a quick two-minute de-puffing massage while cleansing or applying moisturizer (focusing on the jawline) can make a difference,” says Rowe (yes she has some good videos to follow on her wendyrowe website).
“If you have time, stick with a sheet mask. The 111 De-Puffing Skin Cryo Facial Masks work wonders and I always use them on people before a big event or shoot. They really make the skin look better. They are also great if you have redness, as they are cooling. You can always use mascara while you wait for the mask to work,” says Rowe.
111 Cryo De Puffing Skin Face Mask, £20, Self-identifiers; Charlotte Tilbury Matte Beauty Blush Wand Pillow Talk, £30, Space NK
Another Rowe trick is to apply contour and blusher to damp skin before applying foundation. “I think this gives the skin a nicer, more luminous finish. It feels weird at first but it makes the skin look more polished,” says Rowe.
“When it comes to blusher, apply it a little higher than you normally would, so almost on the cheeks. As you age, the cheeks tend to droop a little, so this is a good way to gently lift the face.” Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand is good.
“Then blend the contour stick (applied on the apple of the cheek and under the jawline) and blusher into the skin with a large brush before applying your foundation and concealer directly to the areas you want. One of Rowe’s favorite foundations is Mac Studio Face and Body Foundation because it’s not too heavy and won’t emphasize any lines or wrinkles like most other foundations.
“Finish with a matte bronzer and a dab of highlight but don’t be tempted to use anything glittery, as it will settle into lines and make you look older,” says Rowe. She loves the Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Bronze Glow Cream and the Westman Atelier Lit Up Highlight Stick which gives the cheekbones just the right clarity for the skin.
Westman Atelier Lit Up Highlighter Stick, £44, Beauty Culture; Face and Body Foundation £38, Studio Mac; Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzer Cream, £46, John Lewis
Three rules for the perfect red lipstick
“Finding your perfect shade of red is a bit of trial and error. A matte red looks a bit more chic than a glossy red and it’s not as high maintenance because you don’t have to keep doing touch ups,” says Rowe. She has created a red lipstick that suits “almost everyone” for refillable lipstick brand La Bouche Rouge, Makeup by Mario and Armani Beauty also reds are really good.
“Use a lip liner before applying and remember that the bottom lip is much fuller than the top. The key to a great lip line is to smile to elongate your mouth. Don’t try to do it with your mouth normally as it will feather. I don’t think overlining is a good idea. Work with what you have, don’t try to make yourself something else – it will look wrong.
“If you’re going to wear a red lip, you have to own it,” says Rowe. “You can’t put it on and hope no one notices. You have to be like, I’m wearing it and I feel great about it. Consider the Robert Palmer Addicted to Love video.”
La Bouche Rouge, £36, beauty of culture; Makeup by Mario, £30, sephora; Giorgio Armani Lip Power in 400, £35, Boots
How to make an easy smoky eye
Rowe applies mascara first. “You can go down to the lash line, and if you’re a bit messy with the application, it doesn’t matter when you’re putting shadow over. As you age, use a lighter mascara to keep the eye as wide as possible. Volume building mascaras can make the eyes look smaller which is the opposite of what we want.” Max Factor 2000 Calorie Waterproof Mascara is amazing.
“After a certain age, use a cream eyeshadow because it won’t settle into the lines. Victoria Beckham has some good taupe. Simply apply it around the eye socket and eyelid. So easy. Then finish with a powder eye shadow in a deeper chocolate color just on the outer corners to give a bigger eye. Chanel Les Beiges eyeshadow palettes are my favorite and they have a great chocolate brown. You can blend with a small brush to give a glossy finish, but remember to blend up from the corner of the eye without dragging the eyes down.
Max Factor 200 Calorie Waterproof Mascara, £9.99, Super drugs; Les Beiges eyeshadow palettes, £53, Chanel
“As you get older, be careful with eyeliner because it can be too hard. You want to keep everything looking soft with no harsh lines,” says Rowe, who decided not to use any eyeliner on me at all.
“Most importantly, don’t be tempted to wear any glitter on the eyes (or anywhere on your face). It will fall into creases and it will add for a few years. Another great option is a wet look, glossy eye shadow. Surratt Lid Lacquers are amazing and super easy to apply.
“And try not to make your brows look too black like we did in the 1980s. Use an eyebrow pencil to make them look a little more straight. He will look younger.” Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Pencil has a very good color selection.
Anastasia Beverley Hills Wiz brow pencil in Carmel, £18.40, Look Amazing; Surratt Lid Lacquer in Hadaka, £35, Space NK
Three tips for party hair
Hairstylist Neil Moodie, who works a lot with Rowe on celebrity shoots as well as in her salon in east London, says that if your hair is long enough, a high ponytail with a bit of volume towards the back of the crown is quick and easy. style to go with a red lip. “Put hairspray directly on your hairbrush as you brush the hair into the pony. And follow the line of your cheekbones to where you make the ponytail sit on the back of your head. It can also create a bit of a lift for the person.
“Depending on your style, it can be younger than looking too polished if the hair is a little ‘undone’. French women are good at this style, and it can work well with a smoky eye because you don’t want everything to look too perfect.”
If you don’t have time for a blow-dry, spritz a blow-dry spray on the roots (try Sundaze Sea Salt Spray for a relaxed, relaxed look or Save the Do for a more polished finish, both at Hair by Sam. McKnight, and blow-dry with a round brush or fingers for a quick volume boost with thinning hair.
Sam McKnight Save the Do Blow Dry Style, £26, Sephora; Sundaze Sea Salt Spray, £26, Sephora
