Advertisement

Three make-up party looks every 40-plus woman should know

party make-up looks for midlife and beyond - Andrew Crowley for the Telegraph
party make-up looks for midlife and beyond - Andrew Crowley for the Telegraph

In an era of supposed inclusivity, it should go without saying that anyone, regardless of age, can enhance her eyes with any hue she desires without recrimination. And yet, as a beauty editor with more insight than most, I wrestle between the impulse to express myself freely and society’s expectation of a woman nearing 50 who, let’s be honest, is encouraged to stay firmly within the neutral end of the colour spectrum.

Admittedly my own prejudices have prevented me from taking make-up risks. As a GenXer who first experimented with colour in arguably the most tasteless decade of all time, the 1980s, I can’t quite erase the insipid frosty lipstick and crudely applied blue eyeshadow I wore from memory. Alas, with Alexis Colby and Boy George as references, my naiveté and tight, fourteen-year-old face couldn’t compensate for the garish way I painted my features, even in retrospect.

Despite my formative make-up experiences being tainted by unrefined textures and limited pre-YouTube know-how, I’m in no doubt that make-up is one of the cheapest ways to elevate an otherwise ordinary frock while giving the wearer an armour of social confidence akin to a stiff drink. Let’s not forget that whenever times get tough we all reach for the lipstick and glamour. And since I’m currently abstaining from alcohol too, I’ll take all the chutzpah I can get.

Keen to bend the ageing norms and expand my expertise beyond a cosy repertoire of failsafe nudes, I’ve sought out the help of Nikki Wolff, the make-up Impresario who’s accrued 2 million Instagram followers due to her addictive weekly make-up tutorials, resulting in an enviable celebrity client list including Salma Hayek and Demi Moore. Her Instagram account @nikki_makeup is a meditative feed of transformative makeover videos that leave you wanting to know more.

If Wolff’s social media is a snapshot into the magic of makeup, her new Make-up Masterclass Experience slows the whole process down, revealing in hyper-focussed detail how to recreate her most requested looks at home. Launching with three party looks: Wearable glamour, The Perfect Smoked Out Liner and, my personal favourite, A Modern Take on Colourful Eyes, the course is available to purchase at nikkimakeup.com from £39.99. Alternatively, follow the steps from my own party make-up makeover with @nikki_makeup, below/opposite.

annabel nikkimakeup make up party looks
annabel nikkimakeup make up party looks

Dinner in

If your calendar is littered with endless after-office drinks, then this upscale take on nude will transition seamlessly from day to night with the least amount of effort. Begin by applying a primer that suits your skin type, which Wolff says is one of the secrets to making it last well into the evening, followed by your favourite foundation.

Next, rim eyes with a soft kohl pencil in a greyish brown tone – here Nikki used Giorgio Armani’s Smooth Silk Kohl Pencil in shade 11, £17.20 (boots.com) – and blend with an eyeshadow brush in small circular movements (MAC Eye Shader Brush 239S £16.80, boots.com, is the perfect size - neither too fluffy nor too small). “If you blend too vigorously, you’ll remove pigment. All you want to do is move the shadow around to diffuse the edges,” explains Wolff.

party make-up look - Andrew Crowley for the Telegraph; Getty; Getty
party make-up look - Andrew Crowley for the Telegraph; Getty; Getty

Next, press a similar shade of eyeshadow (matte is the most flattering) over the top which will help to set the liner in place and create definition. Focus on the outer corners and the top of the lash line. For evening, add a pop of shimmer to the centre of each eyelid. Finish with mascara, or if you’re brave, false eyelashes.

Using a cream blush such as Westman Atelier’s Baby Cheeks Blush Stick £44 (selfridges.com), which Wolff insists enlivens the complexion in a way that powders can’t, apply it onto the padded part of your cheeks, blending upwards and outwards. If you have oily skin or are concerned about open pores, a powder blush is preferable and be careful not to apply it too high on the cheeks which can “flatten the face.” she explains. Lips should remain matte - it’s more chic, says Wolff.

Try a liquid lipstick like By Terry’s in Vintage Nude £29 (lookfantastic.com) which stays put without drying out the lips.

Going out

For the perfect smoked out winged liner look (Wolff’s most requested make-up) repeat the above but with a deep brown liner. MAC’s Eye Kohl in Costa Riche, £17 (johnlewis.com), suits everyone. With practice, the idea is to emphasise the outer corners by winging the pencil out and blending upwards. You should now have a soft brown base covering the eyelid over which you can layer colour. Using the shade Smoke from Natasha Denona’s Glam Palette, £51.2 (lookfantastic.com) press the pigment gently over the top. Blend with a clean fluffy brush before applying a touch (less is more) of black eyeshadow close to the lash line and outer corners for intensity. Softly blend before finishing with a final flourish of shimmer on the inner corner and centre of the eyelid.

party make up - Andrew Crowley for the Telegraph; Getty; Getty
party make up - Andrew Crowley for the Telegraph; Getty; Getty

Add mascara, then apply concealer underneath the eyes. To avoid it settling in creases, Wolff suggests applying a couple of dots on the inner groove only, blending outwards and being mindful to leave a gap of a couple of millimetres under the eyes for a flattering natural look. If you have dark under-eye circles, depending on your skin tone, choose a shade with a hint of pink which will neutralise any blue. For me, Wolff used Dior’s Backstage Flash Perfector in 2N, £23 (sephora.co.uk).

The eyes are the main focus so stick to nude lipstick such as Vieve’s Modern Matte Lipstick in Comin’ In Haute, £21 (cultbeauty.co.uk). If you’re likely to be photographed with flash, it’s important to take down shine around the nose, forehead and under eyes with a translucent setting powder (different to finishing powders) using a small brush to avoid over-powdering - tops of cheeks, cupid’s bow and even the tip of your nose should glow to reflect light.

Going out-out

If you go straight in with a colourful powder shadow, says Wolff, it can appear patchy and colour can smudge underneath the eyes, which tends to put people off experimenting with brights, so start with pencil colour. Using a chunky pencil like the Nude Stixx Cream Long-wearing Eyeshadow Pencils, £22.03, (gb-nudestix.glopalstore.com) which comes in a range of shades from nude to vivid blue, draw directly onto the eyelids and into the crease.

On me, Wolff applied a pale lilac to the inner corner of my eyes and a darker purple hue on the crease and outer corners, very softly merging the two shades together with a blending brush. Using a finger or flat brush, then pat in a lilac shimmering eyeshadow in the centre to lift the eyes and add the party. “There’s this misconception that mature women shouldn’t wear sparkles on their eyes - that’s just not true,” says Wolff. The only caveat? Keep glitter particles to the inner corners and the middle of the eyelids, steering clear of crows feet if they bother you. Purple suits my green eyes, but, says Wolff, any colour goes at any age as long as you rim the top lash line with a black gel or liquid eyeliner. “Without it you’ll lose definition, especially if you have dark eyes,” she reveals.

colour make up party - Andrew Crowley for the Telegraph; Getty; Getty
colour make up party - Andrew Crowley for the Telegraph; Getty; Getty

If using purple on eyes, stick to a glossy lipstick which will lend a youthfulness to the overall look. I’m wearing Uoma Beauty’s Salute to The Sun Black Magic Hypnotic High Shine Lipstick in shade Cleopatra £16.12 (boots.com).

Out Out make-up definitely requires the hair to look more glossy and polished than the undone, effortless look I usually opt for. Zoe Irwin, hairstylist at Mayfair’s John Frieda salon, says, ‘This is Upper East Side 90’s glam meets Hollywood starlet. Think Adele in Vogue or Carolyn Bessette Kennedy,’ They’ve recently introduced a ‘Glow to Go’ service - which is a hair glossing treatment. To create the look at home, it’s all about getting the hair in the best condition possible so it reflects the light well.

Zoe loves Sam McKnight’s new hydrating hair mask which makes a difference even on blonde hair, which is harder to make shine than brunette. Zoe also recommends using a hair oil on wet hair before you blow-dry, such as Living Proof Vanishing Oil or Virtue’s Hair Oil. And a really easy cheat is the Babyliss 9000 Cordless Hot Brush which helps smooth the hair while adding Veronica Lake waves and va-va-voom.


Do you have a go-to party make-up look? Share your tips in the comments section below