Creating the illusion of perfect skin can be harder as we get older as we have to battle with changing hormones that makes our skin swing from very dry to greasy. One way to maintain a healthy-looking complexion is to use illuminating foundations. “A light-reflecting foundation is a must for women over 40,” says top make-up artist Sherrie Warwick. “If you don’t want to use an illuminating foundation then mix a little shimmer powder to your usual foundation and apply to your face but avoid the T-zone. This will give your skin a more youthful appearance and help to hide fine lines.”

Metallic eye shadow has been in fashion for years and is unlikely to go away anytime soon. You should be aware however that metallic colours can highlight crêpey eyelids, so professional application is key. Top Sherrie Warwick says, “Use a flat colour all over your eyelid, then a metallic eye shadow in the middle of the lid. Or try applying a metallic shade in the inner corner to really open your eyes up.”

Clarins Colour Quartet and Liner Palette, £30

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Hair with body and volume is instantly anti-ageing, so if you have naturally curly or wavy hair, you’re very lucky! If not, then fake it with volumising hair styling products and curling tongs. If you don’t have curing tongs try this tip from Guy Cammarano, Creative Director for Regis Salons, “After blow-drying take a section of hair and place it between your straightening irons, then turn them 180 degrees to wrap the hair around the bottom plate. Slowly pull the straightening irons through to the ends of the hair to create curls, and then brush out and finish with a spritz of hairspray.”

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Lips can become thinner over time (why is it never our thighs that become thinner?!). So not only are lip-plumping lipsticks and lip glosses a godsend but lip liner will also give the illusion of a plumper pout. “Signs of ageing start to show in your 40s as less collagen is produced and skin losses is volume and elasticity,” says Jemma Kidd founder of Jemma Kidd Make Up School. “So always use a lip liner to define your lips.”

Max Factor Gold Lip Liner, £4.99, available in seven shades

The best way to ensure your hair colour doesn’t become ageing is to gradually adjust the colour and work with the grey. “It’s important to remember that when dying your hair, the more grey coverage you have the lighter your overall shade will appear. So be careful when choosing a colour not to jump straight back to your old colour,” says Nice n Easy Colour Advisor Jonathan Long. “Embrace golden, sandy, warm colours and be careful not to go more than one to three shades lighter or darker than your natural colour,” he advises.
Hair condition is always a big giveaway when it comes to ageing so always use a conditioner and treat your hair to an intensive mask once in a while.

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There’s nothing like a splash of nail colour to make us feel a little more groomed but, as we get older, there are some colours that could make our hands look older than they are. Emma Cox, Jessica nail expert says, “Pinks and reds are always easy to wear, as are pastel and nude shades, but avoid grey, blue and green as they can highlight veins.
"Nails can become ridged as we age," says Emma, "so always apply a ridge filling base coat under your poiish for a perfectly smooth surface. And don't forget to moisturise your hands regularly because, as they say, it's a lady's hands that give away her true age."

Jessica Custom Nail Colour, £9.75 

Once we hit our 30s it’s easy to feel that bright, bold make-up is no longer for us, but nothing could be further from the truth. A pop of bright lippy can do wonders for the complexion and knock years off our looks. One of London’s top make-up artists, Sherrie Warwick, says “A bight lipstick really lifts the face and boosts the complexion.”

Illamasqua Lipstick in Eurydice, £16

“Bold eyebrows for ladies in their 40s are a must because they lift and frame the face,” says Sherrie. Here's her top tip for making eyebrows appear thicker and bolder. “Use an eyebrow shadow rather than a pencil to define your brows because shadow is easier to blend than pencil; pencil can make brows look a little too harsh.” 

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“If eyeliner is well blended it can work wonders on ladies in their 40s,” says Sherrie. “Use eyeliner on the outer corners of the eye and blend so you get a soft line, or use eyeliner in the socket line, which will open your eyes, and blend to soften.”

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