Pencil power

To be honest, the makeup artists I’ve worked with have tended not to use a lot of pencils. But that’s fine for them – they are artists after all! For the rest of us, pencils are a practical makeup solution. They’re easy to use, store and tote around with you. Plus, there’s a pencil for just about everything.

Lip pencils For a long-lasting look, fill in your lip area with a pencil that matches the natural colour of the lips prior to applying lipstick. Try using a pencil with a bit of gloss over the top. If feathering is a problem, outline the lips with pencil after you put on lippy to help seal it. To create your own lip stain, use pencil, then lipstick, and press the colour into your lips with your fingers.

**Eyebrow pencils

**oost people’s brows have sparse areas that could do with filling. Use a soft pencil the colour of your eyebrows and hair. Begin at the inner corner of the brow and, using light feathery strokes, follow the natural angle of the brow. Soften the look by layering powder shadow in the same shade over the top.

Eyeliner pencils To make eyes really stand out, you need to line them. Eye pencils are relatively mistake-proof but they can be prone to smearing, so layer a little powder shadow over the top for a longer-lasting look. Start at the outside corner of the eye and apply in smooth strokes towards the inner corner. Check to see if there are any gaps that need filling. If you also line the lower lash line, make sure the top and bottom lines meet at the outer corner of the eye and that the lower line is softer. oh, and line as close to the lashes as possible. You can blend gently using a finger or brush.