Spots, wrinkles and broken veins fairly easily disguised

Press, 8 January 1983, Page 10

Spots, wrinkles and broken veins fairly easily disguised

In vogue

Paula Ryan

Learning the latest makeup technique is useful, but it is the little tricks that can make all the difference to a new look. All of us at some time or another (especially at this time of social engagements) get the odd unwanted spot, wake up with dark shadows around the eyes, or simply notice our crows' feet and frown lines more than before. It is natural that we all want to look our best. Spots, wrinkles, broken veins and shadows are fairly easily disguised. For special occasions a little extra effort is well worthwhile, not forgetting the boost in confidence which is gained. Crows’ feet and frown lines: Before starting, make sure you are in a good light. You will need a pony hair (or preferably a sable) artist's paint brush, size 2. and a stick of pale-coloured spoterasing cream or cake makeup.

Using the brush, paint the cream along your wrinkle lines. You may end up looking a little like a Red Indian squaw, but that does not matter. Now smooth the cream into your wrinkles and the skin immediately around them, using your fingertips and working gently and evenly. Do not rub so hard that you remove the colour. Now apply your normal foundation over the top and you will find that your wrinkles are far less noticeable.

High colouring: If you are prone to maidenly blushes when you get hot, or suffer from broken veins, you have probably found this colouring rather difficult to cover up.

Do not make the age-old mistake of putting on thick layers of foundation: it will clog and end up looking blotchy. Invest in a tube or stick of green foundation. Dot it all over the area that you want to tone down and blend it with your natural skin tones, using a cosmetic sponge. You will not need a thick layer. Green, being the colour opposite to red on the colour wheel, will cancel out the pink in your skin. Finish by applying your normal foundation on top and add a light dusting of powder. Spots: Ideally, spots should be left untouched by makeup and allowed to dry out naturally. For a special occasion, however, it is perfectly understandable to want to cover them. First threat the spotted area with a little diluted antiseptic to make sure that the area is clean. Do not put on moisturiser. Choose a flesh-col-oured spot cream and dab it on your spots with a paint

brush. Using the brush, smooth the cream on the spots and on the area surrounding them. Do not use your fingers. Then apply your foundation. Take care not to put it right on the spots, and blend it in with the cream in the surrounding area. However, if you have quite a few spots this method will not be practical. Dark shadows: Everyone suffers from black rings under their eyes from time to time — all you need is a few late nights and fatigue quickly shows in your face. Unsightly shadows are very quickly dealth with, using the technique used for wrinkles. Using a paint brush and paler foundation, paint the dark area. Smooth the cream into your shadows with your fingers. Take care not to drag the skin or apply the cream too thickly. Put on only a light covering of your normal foundation and finish with a dusting of powder. Staying power: Often women find that their makeup is not lasting as long as they w’ould wish. If you have this problem you could be applying your cosmetics incorrectly or applying too much, and your natural oils along with perspiration are creating an imbalance. You may even need to change to less oiled products. A shiny nose, chin or forehead. indicates that your natural grease is breaking through so try using an all-in-one matt foundation. Apply only translucent powder when retouching. The pressed varieties may be too heavy and will create a blotchy effect. If after a couple of hours

your eye shadow forms obvious lines on your lids one of two things could be wrong. You may have applied the shadow to lids that had a little grease on them. Always remove cleanser with a damp cotton-wool ball and try applying a little dusting of loose powder first. The other cause of creasing is using a cream shadow when you have skin that is prone to oiliness. Try using a powder shadow' or an eye gloss. Avoid using kohl or soft pencils too because these will become greasy on oily skins. Instead use a paint-on-liner carefully smudged with the tip of your finger to prevent harsh lines. Flaking mascara is often caused by applying mascara when there is some lingering grease on your lashes, flakey or smudgy- mascara can be avoided by dipping a cottontipped applicator in powder and powering your lashes before applying mascara. Portable make-up: In theory, your make-up should need very little attention during the day, but it is always a good idea to be prepared for emergencies by carrying a few basics, especially during the holiday season when you could be out all day and go on to an evening barbeque. The items you will need are: 1. Compact with either loose or pressed powder. 2. Eye shadow, or kohl, in the same colours you applied in the morning. 3. Mascara. 4. Blusher. 5. Lipstick or lipgloss. 6. Comb. 7 Mirror.