Your beauty questions answered

Thursday 12th June 2008

We're naturally supposing that those of you who came to our terrific make-up sessions with Clinique at John Lewis Oxford Street and Cheadle in Cheshire are looking more than usually fabulous right now!

No matter how confident you are with make-up there's nothing like an expert to give you some tips and tricks

On the Clinique stage, celebrity make-up artist Karen Mason (pictured) showed us that a really professional finish isn't beyond us.

Here are our favourite Q&As from the events:
My foundation is ageing me – it just seems to sit there.
Try a foundation with a little gleam in it. Don't worry that it will look too shiny, it won't if you use a little translucent powder pressed over the top with a large brush. This 'sets' the make-up and gives you enough 'grip' to hang onto other colour.

I need concealer but it seems to look dry and cakey after I've applied it.
I prefer to apply concealer before foundation. After you've prepped skin, brush concealer wherever you have darkness or discolouration. Then add your foundation and blend the two using a foundation brush. Concentrate most of the colour in the centre of the face and fade out towards the sides. This will give you a seamless finish that looks more natural.

I seem to have lost a lot of warmth in my face. I can't keep adding more blusher – any ideas?
Yes! Add a little bronzing gel to your skin, right across your cheeks and nose (just where the sun would naturally catch you) and work it right across that area, blending it with your foundation brush. This will give you an amazing glow and warm your face right up. Choose a light one and it will feel and look weightless.
Clinique True Bronze Bronzing Gel, £15 for 100ml is Karen's bronzer of choice.

My eye make-up always ends up in creases. I'd like to try the new cream shadows but know where they'd end up!
I guarantee that any of the colour you apply in the morning will last all day if you prep your skin properly with foundation and powder, then apply eyeshadow and blush. Make-up needs something to hang onto and foundation plus powder is the key!

Just where should we be applying blusher now? I'm a little confused
When our faces are naturally starting to head south, blusher can make it look as though it's still going north! Apply right up on the high point of your cheeks about level with the centre of your eye and blend up and out. Wear it lower than that top-most part and it ages you instantly. A bright pink will lift skin and give it a fresh from the outdoors glow.

I'd love to wear eyeliner but I can't manage a pencil or a liquid without lots of mess and wobbles. Where am I going wrong?
Don't stress over liquids, they're really good if you're Amy Winehouse but the rest of us are better off with pencils. The trick is how you hold it. Don't aim the pencil point at your eye. Use it 'sideways', parallel to the eye and run it close to the lashes from inner corner to the outer, widening it slightly as you go. You should almost be able to do this without looking, if you really feel the pencil right up against the base of those lashes.

My eyebrows have faded but when I use a brow pencil it looks too hard.
Whatever your colouring (except if you're naturally very dark), always use a brow pencil that's blonde or fair – it gives you a softer, more natural look. Trust me it works!

What's the best way to apply lip pencil to prevent lipstick 'bleed'.
I'm not really a fan of lip liners. If you've prepped your face properly with foundation and powder, lip colour will hold without bleeding.

Check out the new colours from Clinique and get even more advice on the Clinique website

If you missed the sessions watch out for more. With Karen's advice, some champagne, nibbles and a fab goodie bag – a good time was definitely had by all.

Find more make-up tips and recommendations from our Beauty experts