How to adjust your make-up as you go grey
When deciding to fully embrace grey hair, your choice of make-up can help amplify your new look. For London-based make-up artist Lan Nguyen-Grealis, whose approach to beauty is always about enhancing what you have, “Less is most definitely more.”
“Whether you concentrate on the eyes, lips or skin, focusing on light-reflecting formulas will help keep your new look fresh and modern,’’ she says.
Lan Nguyen-Grealis' Golden Rules
Define your brows
As we get older, the eyebrows can often lose thickness, texture and colour, leaving you with a sparse frame to play with. But instead of filling in the brows with peppery tones to match your hair, Nguyen-Grealis suggests going one or two shades lighter than your former colouring, which will help avoid a stark contrast between your eyes and your hairline. If you’re using a pencil, try gentle, short strokes. Or try the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo, available from Look Fantastic.
Use cool-toned eyeshadows
The aim is to brighten the eye-socket area with washes of colour, rather than a block of matte pigment, which can drain your natural colouring. Cool tones such as aubergine or lilac can offer definition without overpowering, advises Nguyen-Grealis. “Avoid any warm, yellow tones, as these shades will fight with your new hair colour,” she says. Be careful with eyeliner, too – swapping black for chestnut or grey can amplify the eye shape just as effectively. Try Chanel’s Multi-effect Quadra palette.
…and lipsticks, too
“A good lipstick should make your skin look even better,” says Nguyen-Grealis. To perk up the skin instantly, a cool-toned pinky rose shade is universally flattering. But if there’s any rule you should follow to style your new grey look, it should be to begin with working on the lips or the eyes, depending on what you want to focus on, then continuing with the rest of your make-up.
Bronzer is a must
To add warmth to the skin, bronzer can be the ideal solution – but watch out for orange and red overtones, and crucially, shimmer. A flat, neutral sweep of sun- kissed powder on top of the cheekbones, nose and forehead is best. For blush, it’s all about placement. “As a rule, blush has always sat on the apples of the cheeks, but I like to aim a little higher along the cheekbone for an instant lift,” recommends Nguyen-Grealis.
Your new favourites
From left: Multi-effect Quadra Eyeshadow in Tissé Rivoli, £48; Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo, £24; Autograph Powder Matte Bronzer, £12.50
From left: Trish McEvoy Correct & Brighten Concealer, £27; Flush Blush in Wiggs – Fresh Posey pink, £20; L’Oréal Paris Color Riche Matte Addiction Lipstick in 640 Erotique, £8.99
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