How to apply subtle makeup in eight easy steps

Yes, your features will lose a little definition with the passage of time, but by following this simple make‐up routine, your radiance will live on and on!

In a matter of minutes, you can even out skin tone, play up best features and get your glow back. Call it cheating if you like, but when you look good, you feel good too - so why the heck not!

Step 1 - Prepare your skin

Apply a day cream with SPF to clean skin. Allow it to be absorbed before putting on a primer, which will help your make-up last all day.Tip Use an exfoliant once or twice a week to remove surface dryness and improve skin texture.

Try: Blur Primer, $14.99, Designer Brands; Foundation Primer – Radiance, $45, Laura Mercier.

Step 2 - Conceal imperfections

Camouflage flaws with concealer. Using the applicator, deposit a dot of product on flaws and deep creases, then dab and blend with your fingertip. Build up coverage in layers. For under-eye dark circles, apply concealer to the circle line, starting from the inner corner, and blend up and out under your peepers.

Tip: Use as little as possible so problems are not accentuated.

Try: Wake Me Up Anti-Fatigue Skin Brightening Concealer, $14.95, Rimmel London; Healthy Mix Concealer, $20, Bourjois.

Step 3 - Even out your skin tone

Use a BB cream to smooth skin tone. It’s a sheer product so you won’t have to match it to your colouring. If you want more coverage, use a brightening foundation to suit your skin tone.

Tip: Go slightly deeper with a BB cream to brighten up your complexion.

Try: Luxurious Youth Boost BB, $16.99, Models Prefer; Power Fabric Foundation, $99, Giorgio Armani; Miracle Match Foundation, $31.95, Max Factor.

Step 4 - Mattify your T-zone

If your skin develops a shine during the day, powder your forehead, nose and chin. It will absorb the oil and help hold foundation or BB cream in place. Pick a translucent powder or mineral powder.

Tip: Carry pressed powder for handy touch-ups.

Try: Stay Matte Pressed Powder, $11.95, Rimmel London. Rose Silk Finishing Powder, $45, Jurlique; Firming Age Revive Pressed Powder, $12.99, Designer Brands.

Step 5 - Brighten your cheeks

Give cheeks the glowing-from-within-effect with a cream blusher in a warm peach or pink tone. Start with a small amount in the middle of the apples of your cheeks and blend out and up towards your temples.

Tip: Keep it subtle and blend well.

Try: Cheeky Tint Cream Blush, $18.95, Australis; Rouge Cream Blush, $11.95, NYX.

Step 6 - Define your brows

You’ll look refreshed with defined eyebrows. Even if you only have the sparse remains of what you once had, it’s still possible to have shapely brows. Use an eyebrow pencil, wand, powder or a combination to add thickness, fill in gaps, colour and shape.

Tip: If you’re not sure how to do it, go to a Benefit Brow Bar in Myer or search for online tutorials.

Try: Goof Proof Brow Pencil, $42, Benefit; Brow This Way Brow Styling Gel, $12.95, Rimmel London.

Step 7 - Emphasise your eyes

It's easy to enhance eyes with soft neutral or brown shadows. If you have trouble with redness on your lids or your eye shadow doesn’t last, apply a lid primer before you start. For an easy look, choose a slightly darker shade than your skin and brush it over your lids and up under the brow, blending well to soften edges.

Tip: For greater definition, blend a darker shade over the outer corner of your lid.

Try: Contouring Eyeshadow Set, $5.10, Essence; Satin Eyelid Powder, $24.95, Mavala.

Step 8 - Amp your lips

With age, lips lose their rosy hue and the natural lip line fades. But lip liner and lipstick can turn back the clock! First outline your pout with a lip pencil close to your natural lip colour, then fill them in using the same pencil. Follow with lipstick.

Tip: If you’re not wearing lippy, apply a glossy balm with SPF.

Try: Velvet Matte Lipstick, $5, MUD; Color Sensational Shaping Lip Liner, $13.95, Maybelline.