However, be cautious with the amount and texture used, as some treatments may cause oiliness around the eyelids, thus causing the eyeshadow to fade quickly. To make eyeshadow last longer, you can opt to apply a very thin layer of concealer on your eyelid before applying eyeshadow.

Then, you could try using either your index or third finger to apply the eyeshadow instead of a brush or sponge applicator. This gives you more control and precision. Eyeshadows like the L’Oreal Paris Colour Appeal Open Eyes Pro Grey Harmony gives a good indication of how you can shade the colours gradually for a more stunning effect.

Make sure you use very gentle pressure on the eyelids, rather than “sweeping” movements as this removes rather than fixes the eyeshadow. When you “press and roll” using finger application, the result will look fresh and brighter, and will last all day.

L’Oreal Paris will be giving Irene a L’Oreal Paris Revitalift Double Eye Lift, True Match Touche Magique Concealer and Colour Appeal Open Eyes Pro Grey Harmony, all together worth RM142.70.

MOST of the lip balms in the market claim they can reduce the appearance of dark-coloured lips caused by lipsticks with low quality ingredients. I’ve tried many types of lip balm in the market but it feels like my lips are getting drier and darker each day.

I don’t sleep in an air-con room and I only spend up to six hours in the office in an air-conditioned environment. I make sure I apply lip balm before putting on coloured lip gloss and before I sleep.

I also make a point to drink at least four litres of plain water every day. Due to the dryness, I don’t dare to use lipstick. It would be good if you could recommend an affordable method or products that can solve my problem. – Annie

Pascale Thouzery, marketing and product development manager for Aesop, advises Annie to take plenty of fluid intervals throughout the day, and regularly apply lip balm as we tend to unconsciously lick our dry lips very often. Sometimes, being in a smoky environment like an open-air restaurant or clubs/pubs for long periods at a time will irritate not only the skin but also the sensitive skin areas around the eyes and lips, too.

This will not only aggravate the dryness but cause chapped lips to become worse in the long run. Reducing alcohol intake and getting regular sleep will help one’s overall well-being, and not just heal the lips.

Thouzery recommends Aesop Tuberose Lip Heal, a sublime-smelling lip heal designed to hydrate and soften lips. This composition contains a floral tuberose top note, with an enriching macadamia nut and avocado base. If you are currently using a petroleum-based lip balm, this may be exacerbating the condition. Petroleum-based lip products are actually not absorbed by the skin, but instead, they form an occlusive barrier.

This helps in the short term but does not contribute to long term moisturisation. Tuberose Lip Heal will actually be absorbed easily and will moisturise, soften, hydrate and heal dry, chapped rough lips. It does not contain bees’ wax or lanolin. It’s also considered a lip therapy breakthrough for vegans.

The lip darkening issue is more complex but this could be related to the dry lips or caused by sun exposure. Tuberose Absolut is usually utilised in high-grade parfum concentrates and Aesop sources its Tuberose from the South of France.

This product should be utilised within three months of opening, due to its low preservative content.

Aesop will be giving Annie a Tuberose Lip Heal worth RM89.

HERE’S a chance to get your ‘always wanted to know but didn’t know who to ask’ beauty questions tackled. Send your queries to StarTwo to be answered fortnightly by beauty professionals from beauty or skincare houses. The queries should be beauty-specific and may be on skin or hair concerns, cosmetics or products, too.

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Beauty Q and send your beauty questions to startwo@thestar.com.my. Published letters will receive a gift. Please include your name,address and contact number. All the best to your beauty quest!