For women who wear glasses

There’s never been a greater range of specs to choose from. In fact, there are so many glorious frames on the market, some women are wearing them as style statements even if they don’t need to correct their vision. But sporting such a face-changing accessory can bring beauty challenges. Here’s what you need to keep in mind if you’re in the frame…

Facing facts

Not all specs suit everyone, so before choosing your frames, you need to consider your face shape…

Round: ‘Both wide and narrow angular frames help the face look longer,’ says style expert Nicky Hambleton-Jones.

Square:  Wearing rounded or oval-shaped glasses helps to balance out a wide jaw line and forehead.

Oval: Oval faces suit most frame shapes, especially if you have higher cheekbones.

Heat-shaped: ‘Avoid choosing glasses that are narrower at the bottom,’ says Nicky.

Whichever shape is best for you, make sure that the bridge of the glasses sits comfortably on your nose and doesn’t wobble. ‘Lift your head up and down to test if they slide down your nose – they shouldn’t move at all,’ advises Nicky. ‘It’s also important that the arms of the glasses aren’t too tight, as over time, this can cause pain.’

Fringe benefits

‘A soft, sweeping side fringe looks great with narrow, rectangular frames and really helps to soften angular faces,’ says Jonathan Long of Lockonego. ‘Thin, light-coloured frames tend to suit blunt, sharp fringes best. But if you have a blunt fringe, be sure it stays above the top of your frames, as long, overgrown fringes will look messy.’

Eye make-up tips

Heavily made-up, sultry eyes are a fantastic look, but if you have specs already focusing attention on the eye area, the effect can be over the top. ‘Avoid going for a dark, smoky eye, which can be overpowering,’ advises Nicky. ‘Instead, try applying a dark grey or navy kohl pencil into the outer corner of your upper and lower lash line and smudge for a smoky effect.’

Be highbrow

‘Never underestimate the power of perfectly groomed eyebrows,’ says Nicky. ‘Emphasising the brows is a great way to get a preened and glamorous finish without much effort and can really help to set off your glasses. Fill in thinning areas and shape the arch using a waxy eyebrow pencil, then finish the look with a lick of black mascara to widen your eyes.’

Tip: Always take your glasses along when you’re having your hair cut or coloured.

Finding the right pair

Do you struggle finding glasses to suit you? Let us know below

You might also like...

How to apply eye cream

5 knockout knits