Jane Cunningham aka BritishBeautyBlogger Q&A

naninahat

What an exciting job! Do you have any advice about lipstick and whether there are better kinds of lipstick for older skin? There's so many types and brands to choose from now and I always go for a nice old fashioned twisty one but keep wondering if I should be being more adventurous. Also, do you have any tips on thinning hair

These days, lipstick is an adventure! There are lipsticks with so called anti-ageing ingredients in them but in truth, I don’t think that’s really necessary. Keeping your lips hydrated and smooth is key to wearing any lipstick, so you’ve already done the skin-care bit. In my answer to Bohemian, I recommend Lanolips Lemonaide at night for smooth lips. Twisty lipsticks are ideal, nothing wrong with them at all, but you might like to try some of the newer ‘liquid lipsticks’ to ring the changes, such as Shiseido Lacquer Rouge Lipsticks (£23.50, spacenk.co.uk) that over time helps to smooth and condition the lips. Thinning hair is a tricky one, but one of the most effective ranges is Swell (www.swell.co.uk) that puts body back into the hair that you do have. Thinning hair products usually are all about the illusion of more hair, but check with your doctor as well because there are several causes of thinning hair. I think a hair supplement never does any harm, either.

lucid

Can you tell me the difference between BB and CC creams please, and which would be the best brand to buy? I don't like wearing make-up but I've got some broken veins in my cheeks and I want to be able to cover them, ordinary foundation doesn't do the job. Thank you

BB Creams are multi-functional products that include skin-care ingredients, colour and usually SPF. They’re like tinted moisturisers really, whereas a CC Cream focusses more on camouflage with all of the BB elements as well, so sound more suitable for covering your broken veins. They even out the skin-tone so your colouring looks more uniform. However, while I find BB’s quite dewy, I have found most CC’s quite dry in formula and it’s a difficult balance between good coverage, SPF and hydration. Personally, I’d use a concealer such as Clinique Redness Solutions Corrector (£18 at Boots) on your broken veins, hydrate well before using a CC cream if you decide to go for it and my recommendation for a good CC would be Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream Hydrating Colour Corrector Broad Spectrum SPF30 (£28 at Boots).

creative

Do you recommend mineral cosmetics over the other types available nowadays? Also which concealers would be better for older skin types?

Personally, I don’t particularly like Mineral Cosmetics. They tend to come in powder formulas that are difficult to apply and powder on older skin is one of the most ageing looks I know, no matter how glowy and youthful they promise to make you look. I like Dior concealers because they tend not to cake as much as others and don’t seep into lines. I strongly advise that you don’t powder over concealer because it will end up caking. Dior Diorskin Nude Skin-Perfecting Hydrating Concealer (£22) is fairly liquid – apply with a flat brush or finger tips in a patting motion.

boheminan

My lips have disappeared…is there anyway I can persuade them to come back?

I honestly think that lip size doesn’t really matter very much.. the key is to keep them as smooth and hydrated as you possibly can. I use Lanolips Lemonaide (£9.19, Boots) that contains mild fruit acids for an overnight exfoliation. I also use Lanolips tinted balm (£8.16, Boots) for daily, glossy hydration. If you use a gloss, rather than a lipstick, you’ll find that you get a slight illusion of fuller (and smoother) lips anyway. Barring dermal fillers, you can’t do much about lips that have lost volume: if you want to know about that, please do let me know. Otherwise, if you want to splash out, Dior Lip Maximizer (£23) gives a little lip tingle that temporarily smoothes out creases and plumps but it’s a transitory effect. One products that outshines the rest is Strivectin Clinical Corrector Anti-Aging Lip Tint, SPF20 (£19, www.harveynichols.com) which is as rare as hen’s teeth to find in the UK but I finally sourced it at Harvey Nichols. Gloss is always more forgiving on ‘thinner’ lips purely because it’s light reflective and softens the look of lips.

ffinnochio

I've never worn much make up. I didn't like the heaviness of it on my face. I stuck to mascara and a bit of lip gloss. I've now done away with those. Lip salve is all I use. My face is quite wind-blown and slightly tanned from all the walking I do, even though I slap factor 50 on it. I do use a good thick face cream which is slightly scented, and although it works well, my skin is now sensitive to it. Suggestions please.

With sensitive skin, it’s best to stick to products that are designed to calm and soothe, so I’d recommend Avene Eau Thermale Avene Hydrance Optimale UV Rich (£14.50) from Boots. It’s indicated for dry to very dry dehydrated, sensitive skin and has SPF25. At night, I’d opt for a lovely facial oil, such as Trilogy Organic Rosehip Oil (£16.50) which contains 80% essential fatty acids that will feel softening and nourishing on the skin. Both are available at Boots. You don’t mention whether you wear a hat, but it would be a good idea to shield your face a bit while walking.

annodomini

Apart from the fact that my lashes are much shorter than they once were and rather sparse, how could I cope with mascara when I can't see to put it on with my glasses off and can't put it on with my glasses in the way? The answer is that I don't.

Have you tried using stick eye-shadows instead of powder and brush? You can slide your glasses forward a little bit and literally just crayon your lid – it’s the easiest eye shadow ever! Clinique Chubby Sticks for Eyes are great. As far as mascara goes – impossible if your eyesight is poor – if you’re feeling adventurous opt for a professional eyelash dye; it will make an unbelievable difference.

Grannyknot

My one question would be related to mascara. I wear it less often these days, but one thing I hate is what husband calls "spider eyes" where mascara is caked on so thickly that it looks out of whack with the rest of the aged face. What is a good, non-waterproof mascara that removes easily and is contact lens friendly please?

As you get older, you can lose colour in your skin tone which then makes black mascara look rather harsh. So, the first thing I would do is swap to brown mascara for a gentler look. However, if you’re welded to black, then Kevin Aucoin Mascara has a slender wand that grabs every single lash but doesn’t over-coat them. It gets rave reviews and is a make-up artist favourite, and while it’s pricy at £22, it’s definitely a worthwhile investment for the issues you raise. Try a cheap and cheerful mascara in brown to see if you like the look and if you do, try Boots No.7 Lash Adapt Mascara in Brown/Black. You can do the lightest of coats and take it up with more coats if you need to. Basically, avoid all the ‘fat lash’ brushes and look for more slender brushes so you don’t over-load your lashes in one go.