Make-up masterclass: application tips, coverup ideas, miracle products from a make-up pro

We met make-up artist to the stars Cher Webb for a make-over for our podcast. She gave us the low down on a miracle foundation, a new primer, lip line corrector & an eye brightener we now use daily

A few of the products we used

Lorraine writes:

Me and Trish worked alongside the beauty industry for almost 30 years as glossy mag editors. We’ve been back stage at all the catwalk shows, we’ve seen make-up maestros from Charlotte Tillbury to Pat McGrath at work, attended gazillions of new product launches and also had our own make-up done for every event imaginable so we know a thing or to about what works and what doesn’t. But despite our breadth of experiences we learnt some new tips from the wonderful Cher Webb a make-up artist with two decades experience working with models back stage at fashion shows and getting celebrities red-carpet ready. Cher collaborates with a variety of global skin and make-up brands and is contributing beauty editor at Liberty London but is an expert at making everyone look good from models to midlife mums; she’s down to earth and a whizz at a beauty tutorial. Check out her Instagram here.

This is what we learnt from Cher when she did our make-up for our podcast Postcards From Midlife. I’ll do tips first then we will list all the products she used, and those she recommended for more mature skin. This is a short shopping list for anyone in a make-up rut but we always recommend popping into a department store and testing them out first too: don’t be shy and be prepared to invest in yourself.

1. It is all about the base: for more mature skin Cher recommended going for glow rather than using foundation or powders to cover up those niggly bits we worry about. Your skin needs to feel and look hydrated. As we age we lose collagen (elasticity) in our skin, develop fine lines and our skin can get much drier. So get your base hydrated with a good SPF (Aussie brands are best) moisturiser, followed by a primer, light tint or light foundation, then apply concealer (which you test on your jawline not the back of the hand before you buy) by dabbing with a small brush. Cher is a fan of a brush not a sponge for application as sponges take up so much of the product. Go for a less is more approach in midlife with a glow-up not cover-up mantra, she says. Keep those freckles on view.

2. Apply concealer over the shadow in the snug of the eye at the top of the nose: this opens the eye up and covers dark areas you probably don’t notice. Remember sun spots some times appear under your brow too so always pop sun cream there and then apply concealer.

3. Start your eye brow definition by holding a pencil straight up alongside the nose and where the line is nearest to your nose at the top that is where you brow should start. Then brush eyebrows back against themselves with your coloured eyebrow tint and flatten out with a clear gloss. Use a fine brow pencil to fill in gaps with small light movements.

4. Forget powder eyeshadows as you age and go for creamy pencils as they stay on the lid for longer. You can pop or smudge powder over the top of them or from the corner but these are great everyday products that last. With any definition work don’t attempt the flick up at the outer edge of the eye, instead aim for the top of your ear before blending with a brush.

5. Highlight the waterline under the eye with a white pencil - Cher loves the new Victoria Beckham Instant Brightening waterline pencil.

6. Hooded eyes do cause concern for some of us in midlife: minimising the hood is about recreating a fake socket line because with eye pencils and creams we are defining the socket and that gets covered by the hood. So you pull up the skin gently cover your socket and then put shadow on up to your brow bone, it seems high but once the hood is back it looks like a socket line if all of the eye is covered in colour. Highlighting inside the corner of your eye helps with a lighter colour and whitening the waterline too.

7. Liquid blushes are your friend in midlife but don’t get frightened of the colours! Pop a little on your fingers and dab on gently building colour on the apple of your cheeks.

   Next up are the new products Cher recommends for mature skin, including the foundation that covers my rosacea without any need for concealer, and our ‘after’ pictures ….