The fountain of youth has captivated humankind for as far back as we can recall – particularly with women. There have been mythical tales told, an entire industry built and many savings accounts diminished because of our fascination to maintain our youthful selves.

There have been medical papyrus discovered that date back to as early as 1700BC; these state how particular fermented fruit juices and frankincense could clear away dark age-spots and fine-lines. Ancient Egyptian queens, like Cleopatra and Nefertiti, were said to use aloe vera regularly to ward off wrinkles and maintain a moisture-rich, plump complexion.

Today’s scientific support on these early observations make it easier for us to understand why these tricks worked before – and improve upon them. For example, we now understand that contents like Vitamins C and E, which were present in these old-school fixes, are rich in antioxidants and promote collagen formation and cell regeneration as noted here by WebMD. Good observation Cleo!

While we know an active lifestyle, sun protection, diet, quality of sleep and plenty of water are all crucial to looking our youngest, it’s undeniable that science can seriously lend a hand or quick fix. So what are some key ingredients to look for when shopping for the best in anti-ageing?

• Vitamin A (aka Retinol) – Antioxidant commonly used in wrinkle eliminating creams. Retinol gets down below the skin’s surface to nip wrinkles in the bud.
• Hydroxy Acids – Prefixed with alpha, beta or poly: these are all synthetic forms of fructose (the sugar in fruit). They work on a more surface level to exfoliate away any dead skin and encourage even skin tone with a smooth finish.
• Soy Protein Extracts – Contain a substance akin to estrogen called isoflavones. These are said to reduce fine lines and wrinkles the way hormone therapy would.
• Tea Extracts – Tea isn’t only good for your insides! Green and black tealeaves are known to have anti-inflammatory properties, and even repair minor sun damage.
• Coenzyme Q-10 – This little powerhouse can regulate energy in cell production, which in turn helps the skin to ward off wrinkles.

There are a couple of brands that in my opinion are satisfying those requirements, one is the line from Julie Mack Lowe called Vbeauté while the other one is Nuxe Paris

So take a peek at the packaging before you buy. These additions can make a huge difference as the ladies before us can attest to – and the doctors around us have proven!

Makeup is every girl’s best friend. It can help completely transform your look to hide any imperfections, enhance your natural beauty and make you look younger, which in turn helps to boost your confidence. You can use makeup to create various looks from glamorous to natural, making sure you either accentuate your eyes or your lips keeping the other nude using natural shades.

The first thing we notice when we see someone is their eyes, so especially for an evening look you want to draw attention to this particular feature. Most women stay clear of using liquid liners or bold colours on the eyes in fear of looking like a panda but here is a simple step by step guide to creating beautiful looking eyes.

Prepping the eye area

Firstly it’s important to prep the eye area so making sure you use a good cleanser to get rid of any oils or makeup residues. Next use an eye primer all over the eyelids to even out any creases and using a sponge or your fourth finger dab on some foundation or concealer to gently cover the eyelid and any dark circles under the eyes. This not only evens out the skin tone but makes blending the eye shadows together much easier, prevents the colours from  fading and keeps the makeup in place.

Applying eye shadow

The first step is to experiment with different colours and find the right shades to compliment your eye colour. Here’s a quick guide to finding the right colour for you:

• Blue eyes: warm earth tones work best, so use rich browns, taupes, gold, greys and soft peaches. Contrasting colours such as pinks or lilacs work perfectly to bring out the blue. Try to avoid wearing blue as it can make your eyes look washed out.
• Green and Hazel eyes: Golden browns, warm taupes and soft peaches. Contrasting shades such as purple work brilliantly to give you a more dramatic look. Warmer chocolate browns with slight orange undertones give blue eyes a more natural look but still bring out your eyes.
• Grey eyes: Charcoal, cool brown and purple make grey eyes stand out.
• Brown eyes: Almost every colour compliments brown eyes. Golden browns, blues, greens, greys, purples and burgundy work brilliantly. Also by using different shades with gold shimmer can help brighten your eyes. But avoid yellowish browns.

Always use two or three different shades of the same colour that blend well into each other. Use lighter pastel shades for a daytime natural look and darker vibrant shades for a glamorous evening look. When you’re using three shades, lightly apply the lightest shade using an eye shadow brush or sponge applicator from the lash line to the brow. Keep the brush strokes circular and upward movements will help keep the colour even.

Next apply the medium shade over the eyelid all the way to the crease and blend into the lighter shade. You can also line the bottom lashes with the same colour. Next add the darkest shade into the crease and the outer corner of the eye using a small angled makeup brush to create a wing shape.

Finally apply a small amount of the lightest shade to the inner corner of the eye just at the tear duct. This acts as a highlighter to help open up your eyes. It’s important to spend time blending all the shades towards the brow bone to soften the lines. Do each step to both eyes to create equal looks.

Eyeliner

Eyeliners help to create the illusion of fuller lashes and emphasise the shape of your eyes. To create a more dramatic look, use liquid eyeliner to create a smooth line along your lash line. To do this use one finger to gently pull the skin taught keeping your eye closed, with your other hand draw a fine line close to the lash line from the inner corner of the upper lash line to the outer corner. Resting your wrist against your face may help steady your hand and give you more control.

You can also thicken and extend the line diagonally beyond the outer corner in line with your eye shadow to create a cat eye look. Or for a softer look use a dark eye shadow or an eye pencil instead of liquid liner and blend to create a sexy smoky eye look. You can also do the same along the bottom lashes making sure they are lighter than the top line.

Mascara

To finish off the look curl your eyelashes using an eyelash curler, this will help to make your lashes look even longer and open up the eyes. To apply the mascara hold the wand as close as you can to the bottom of your top lashes and wiggle the wand from side to side as you sweep up towards the end of the lashes. This helps to keep the lashes separated and prevents clumping.

Repeat this step until you are happy with the thickness of your lashes and use the end of the wand to sweep over the ends of the lashes to lengthen. You can also apply a small amount to the bottom lashes using just a side to side movement.

These makeup tips can be used as guidelines, adapt the techniques and experiment with colours until you find what best suits you. Depending on the look you want, use the different techniques to mix and match. For example use natural shades of eye shadow and mascara for a daytime look, eyeliner and mascara to create definition or use for all three for an evening look. Remember practise makes perfect and if you make a mistake use a cotton swab dipped it in the eye makeup remover.