A makeup artist who shaved years off her 80-year-old aunt’s appearance with clever cosmetic tricks has revealed the techniques and products she uses to achieve flawless skin at every age – and some cost as little as $12.
Julia Stronach turned back time on her aunt Sandra’s face for her birthday party in April 2019 by applying thick primer, sheer foundation, a blend of matte and shimmered eyeshadow and orange concealer beneath her eyes to hide dark circles.
The 33-year-old from Aberdeen in northeast Scotland said the secret to perfecting a youthful complexion is avoiding heavy cosmetics and subtly filling only the top line of the eyebrows because heavy-handed drawing overpowers features and ages the face.
Ms Stronach told Daily Mail Australia that over-lining lips should only be done around the cupid’s bow and never along the edges, which makes the area around the mouth appear crooked and older.
She said poorly applied false eyelashes, jagged eyeliner and badly matched foundation shades are the most common mistakes she sees women make which instantly add years and ironically enhance the very features they are trying to hide.
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Julia Stronach’s aunt Sandra on her 80th birthday, before (left) and after (right) her incredible transformation that shaved years off her appearance
Scottish makeup artist Julia Stronach, 33, who is an expert in bridal cosmetics
FOR THE SKIN
Ms Stronach always takes a few minutes to analyse her clients’ facial features before applying products to determine what will suit them best.
For most customers including her aunt Sandra, she starts by dabbing $12.25 Makeup Obsession Pore Blurring Primer all over the face to ensure makeup stays in place all day long.
The affordable primer, which is available from Target, fills pores and covers fine lines for smooth and seamless application of foundation and concealer.
‘It has a soft, velvety touch and literally creates a ‘second skin’. It’s so affordable and great for scarring too,’ Ms Stronach said.
Once the primer has settled, she uses a damp egg shaped sponge to apply Charlotte Tilbury’s $65 Light Wonder foundation, a sheer base that makes skin glow and enhances its natural radiance without smothering it.
‘This is my holy grail. It’s also the perfect every day product if you don’t like anything too thick,’ she said.
Dampening the sponge encourages makeup to absorb deeper into the skin, helping it to stay on longer and creating a natural finish that makes it look like a ‘second skin’.
Although conventional teaching says contouring and shimmering pigments should be avoided on mature faces, Ms Stronach assesses each client individually and adds subtle contouring with cream and powder where she feels appropriate.
She uses Kevyn Aucoin’s $70 sculpting powder to contour the cheeks, jawline and nose, enhancing features to make the face appear younger and more defined.
‘It’s a great product because it has a realistic ‘ash’ tone as opposed to being too warm,’ she said.
Ms Stronach also swears by Mac’s $55 Whisper of Gilt highlighter to add radiance and make skin appear lightly sun-kissed. She applies this along the cheekbones, down the length of the nose and in the inner corner of the eyes.
She finishes by dusting a light $62 loose setting powder from Laura Mercier over the T-zone, covering the forehead, nose, chin and area circling the mouth which are prone to oiliness to prevent breakouts and shine from showing through.
Kevyn Aucoin and Laura Mercier products are available from Mecca online and in-store nationwide.
Makeup artist Julia Stronach working on a bride on May 28, 2019
