Beauty

PROBLEM FEATURES

It's a rare individual who can claim to have perfect symmetrical features. Cover girls and billboard beauties seem to have doe-eyes, cheekbones that could cut glass and perfect pouts - although more often than not it's down to airbrushing and clever lighting. But don't despair: even the most beautiful have oversized features that make them who they are - think Christy Turlington's nose, Claudia Schiffer's teeth and Julia Roberts' wide lips. There are ways to remedy your tiny eyes, pointy chin and winter complexion with minimal effort and maximum results.

Small Eyes

Deep-set or tiny eyes need not take a back seat if you balance the right shades of eye shadow with some perfectly placed shine and shimmer. A nude shade of eye shadow to even out your lids should be swept across the centre with a sparkly shadow, one shade lighter, dabbed on the inners of your eye and outer corners.

No matter what colour you have on, a tiny layer of Vaseline lightly spread just above your lashes adds a healthy sheen that makes your eyes look wide and alert. Don't ever circle your eyes with black eye liner as it makes them look smaller. Starting in the middle of your eye, dip a damp slanted brush in a brown or grey eye shadow, line your upper lids right out to the sides and wing them up very slightly. Dot the same liner outside your lower lashes halfway along your eye and smudge it gently for a smoky wide-eyed look.

If your lashes are really fine you could try semi-permanent lash extensions that last up to three months. Individual lashes are bonded one by one to your own lashes, resulting in a fuller, natural-looking set. The process takes over an hour - depending on how many you want attached - and costs between £75-150, but it's worth the time and effort.

If you can't afford to go for extreme measures, you should invest in a really good lash lengthening mascara. The brushes are shorter and have fewer bristles, which enables you to coat each lash completely. Stretch mascaras are designed to elongate and thicken your lashes, so you win on both counts.

With concealer and a powerful gloss, you can make give your lips a beestung boost without botox and the risk of a Lesley Ash trout pout. To start, rub a light layer of concealer along your natural lip line, which gives you freedom to create the shape you want. Using a blunt lip liner, draw a parallel line just above your natural line, but make sure there is a slight gap over your cupid's bow - where your lip goes up in the centre - and another gap in the middle of your bottom lip.

Dab a spot of concealer on both areas - this makes your lips look fuller - and fill in your lips with a colour one shade darker than your natural colour. Finally slick on a thick, clear gloss, which will make your lips swell twofold. Alternatively, for rosebud lips, put a blob of gloss in the middle of your lips and nowhere else. As a golden rule darker colours make your lips look thinner, while paler shades make your lips look fuller and your face more youthful.

Blush and bronzer can give a great glow to your face and can be worn at the same time if applied correctly. There are four key areas that need a very light dusting of bronzer to make you look like you've got a natural, healthy glow: your temples; down the bridge of your nose; across the tops of your cheeks and the tip of your chin. They tan first and the slightest bronzing effect sharpens your features.

To find the right blush, pinch your cheeks and see what colour they turn. Smile and see where the rounds in your cheek appear - this is where your blush should go. A quick swipe with the same blush across your brow bone and eyelids can even out the warmth and give your face a nude-but-fresh look.

Once again, a light and very natural bronzer can reduce the appearance of a prominent nose. With a small and very clean blush brush, sweep some bronzer down either side of your nose just by your cheek, which contours your face and makes your nose appear narrower. Add a sheer stroke of bronzer high up on your cheekbones which deepens your features and makes your nose sink back further. Make sure you avoid bronzer on the bridge of your nose as this just accentuates it.

Words: Monisha Rajesh

Sunless glow | Pillar box pout | Necks | Surgery | Teeth | Make-up | Facelift alternatives | Problem features

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