Beauty at any age

Jody-Anne Lawrence, Lifestyle Reporter

The young want to grow up and the young at heart want to look how they feel. While being in your 30s or 40s is by no means old, we yearn for our faces to remain the same way as glorious 20s.

According to make-up artist Casandra Smith, a little make-up can go a far way in making us look the way we feel.

Women in their 40s

1 The first sign of ageing usually occurs around our eyes, so the first thing we need to do is to apply an eye cream. This helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

2 It is also important to use a primer because as we get older, our skin loses moisture. So, applying a primer after moisturising gives the skin the necessary moisture preparing it for foundation.

3 Groom your brows. "Your brows can take 10 years off your age," said Smith. But she cautions that the less you take off the better - no needle thin brows. Women in their 40s should avoid thin and arched brows and follow and maintain their natural growth pattern as much as possible.

4 To get a youthful fresh look, fill in the brows with a pencil using short strokes that mimic the brow hair. Never press and draw on the eyebrow. It will harden instead of soften your look, and never use a black pencil. Use one that is the same colour as your hair - dark brown. Never use black unless the hair is black.

5 Stick to soft natural colours for a fresh look. There is nothing wrong with a pop of colour, but avoid dark colours as these highlight fine lines and wrinkles. Less is always more.

6 Make sure eyeshadow is properly blended and when applying mascara, curl the lashes first. This will open the eyes and works wonders for women of any age.

7 Liquid foundation is perfect for mature skin. Apply in small quantities to eliminate a caked-on appearance.

8 A concealer, a shade or two lighter than your natural skin tone, under the eyes at the tear duct, reduces the appearance of fine lines.

9 Use a pencil eyeliner instead of liquid as it gives you a softer look. Also, do not line the lower lids as it will reverse the effects of the concealer.

Women in their 30s

While women in their 30s tend to get away with more than women in their 40s, the basics are the same when it comes to make-up application. Therefore, women in their 30s should follow the same make-up application, with a few exceptions.

1 Shimmer is allowed, but women of colour should avoid silver as this is not a flattering colour on.

2 Foundation can be cream instead of liquid.

3 You can line your lower lids, but set them with powder so that if you happen to sweat they do not smudge.

4 You can play around with bright colours. While a woman in her 30s can pull off the strong eyes. She should still try to avoid very dark eyeshadows. Try to be as close to the middle ground as possible.