There are no set rules in the world of beauty, as celebrity makeup artist Val Garland told me; in other words, you don't need to follow trends, and you should wear makeup you feel most comfortable. Over the years, the legendary artist has painted countless famous faces, including Kate Moss, Judi Dench and Helen Mirren, and they looked effortlessly elegant. If you think that she was using expensive products to achieve the looks, think again. In a masterclass with Primark PS Pro Beauty, she showed us how to create a "satin glow from within skin" that people with mature skin can achieve daily - trust me, it's easier than you think.
Sharing her tips, she said: "What I would tend to do is, I take the focus away from underneath the eyes, and I do the concealer lower. I look in the mirror, and I see where the dark circle or the bag is, and it's lower. So, I'm not putting too much product close to, or match the eyeliner.
"When it comes to powdering, I would just powder in the middle with a very translucent, light powder. And then stay away from the eyes, use the setting spray. Setting spray is your friend."
Putting too much powder or foundation on mature skin will make it appear "cakey" as the product slips into skin crevices. Social media ads and TV commercials might trick us into thinking the more expensive product, the better the results - and Val disagreed.
"I mean, I never spend money on mascara," she admitted. "Because I think, on the high street, the mascaras are just so good. It's all about the brush for me when it comes to mascara, because if you've got a scratchy brush, and if you are a mature lady, chances are you haven't got as many eyelashes as you used to have.
"So a scrubby brush isn't gonna feature." She also stayed away from using blush, but for those who want to add a pop of colour, she suggested using bronze.
And for those who love an eyeliner, always start drawing on your "bad eye" first. Val explained: "If you're right-handed, do the left eye first, and vice versa. You'll get a much more balanced line."
After all, age is just a number, and Val encouraged us to have fun and be bold. There is no right or wrong when it comes to expressing yourself through makeup.
