How to Create Beautiful Eyes

I am never 100% sure before I write such a soul-baring piece whether it is appropriate to do so, but I just hope that it will resonate with at least some of you. Last week there was so much empathy, sympathy and so many compelling stories that it would appear that very many of you found the blog and the resulting conversation both helpful and insightful. It appears that this one really did ring true for a considerable number of older women who, like me, find their lives overwhelming at times. I wish you all well and hope that you are able to ask for and access the right kind of support.

And so to eye makeup! We made a decision at LFF that we wouldn’t keep building out the range until it became ever more confusing and difficult to choose between lots of different options in each product category (for example to offer a huge range of different types of foundation). However we have decided that we will add colours to our range whenever we see a gap and also when we think you might like something new. So we are pleased to announce 4 delightful new No Shimmer Eye Shade colours which we think you are really going to love. We have called them Rose Gold, Bluebell, Midnight Blue and Chocolate. Hopefully the names tell you all you need to know, however this is how I would describe them:

Rose Gold is a flattering and pretty pinky-beige colour mostly for use on the lids and can be worn by both cool and warm tones. Beautiful when used with Cocoa, Chocolate, Taupe or Aubergine in the socket line.

Bluebell is a grey-blue, and could be used on both the socket line or lid and looks wonderful when used with Soft Grey on the lid or with Aubergine in the socket line and Midnight Blue along the lash line. I’d say it is most suitable if you are cool toned.

Chocolate is a very dark brown, more densely pigmented than Cocoa, so can best be used on the lash line when Cream, Taupe or Cocoa are used on the lids and socket line. I think that this looks beautiful if you are warm toned and especially lovely with brown eyes.

Midnight Blue is a dark navy blue and looks wonderful along the lash line when Cream or Soft Grey is used on the lids, maybe with Aubergine or Bluebell in the socket line. Again you might find this particularly pretty if you have blue eyes and are cool toned.

The best way to make your eyes look bigger and altogether more beautiful is to use a subtly blended mix of different eye shadows.

You will find our Eye Shades add gentle colour and shading - they are not bright, highly coloured or shimmery. This is a choice I made when I had them developed because I wanted them to add definition without garishness. Older eyelids tend to be crepey, so it’s best not to accentuate this fact. Using matte shadows like ours is the best way to create shaping without drawing attention to the fact that your eyelids are no longer perfectly smooth.

Our new Eye Shade colours used in the photograph on Hilary:

Lid: Rose Gold

Eye Socket: Bluebell

Lash line: Midnight Blue

1. First create as much space as possible by tidying your eyebrows.

It never ceases to amaze me how many untidy straggly eyebrows I see. So please get busy with your tweezers and pluck out those little hairs on the brow bone, reshape your brows (or have them done professionally) and then add a touch of Instant Bright Highlight to the brow bone once you have added shape and definition with the Bring Back Brow Shape.

2. Start with your lids, which is the bit where your eyeball is!

To make your eyes look bigger, accentuate this area. The best way to do this is to add a pale Eye Shade with Shadow Blending Brush 7 once you have applied the Smooth Out Eye Prime. Ensure that the eye primer is fully absorbed (use Concealer Brush 4 to position the Eye Prime and finish the application by smoothing with your fingers). Our best paler eyelid shades are: Cream, Soft Grey, Soft Olive, Rose Gold.

3. Now think about the socket line.

This is the area immediately above your eyeball and below your brow bone. If you have hooded eyes then you may not have a socket line - so you will need to create one to give the illusion of a socket line. Use a ‘mid’ colour Shade here using Brush 7 and creating an arc of slightly darker colour. Now take a clean eye shadow brush and blend thoroughly. Our best socket line Shades are: Taupe, Aubergine, Bluebell, Cocoa.

4. Next you need to add definition to your lash line.

This is where you apply the darkest colour by using Wedge Brush 8. To do this push the colour into the roots of your lashes, not worrying too much about precision as it can look fine if it’s a bit smudgy. I also like to pull the line beyond the outer edge and, using the flat surface of the wedge brush, create a small triangle of colour so that my eyes look less round and more almond shaped. Our best lash line Shades are: Midnight Blue, Aubergine, Charcoal, Chocolate and Forest.

Finish the whole look with Fabulous Lash on the top and bottom lashes.

And a final word - do experiment and have fun with this! These are guidelines NOT rules! I try all sorts of different techniques on my eyes and use different colour combinations. Speaking of which, next month, we will be introducing a couple of  ‘trios’ - three Eye Shade colours (light, medium and dark) in one compact, so look out for those. Sally Deung, who is a makeup artist, also asked me to tell you not to be scared that your eye makeup may look too heavy. Just sit back when you have also applied your blush and lipstick and appraise the overall effect.

As long as the eye makeup is balanced by your face and lip makeup you will look - well - just fabulous!