Problem: Droopy eyes
Surgical solution: Eye lift
How to fake it: Focus your makeover efforts on the eyebrows. Start with a professional waxing to create more of an arch, opening the eye area to create an instant eyelid lift. “Dying your eyebrows a shade or two lighter than their natural color can also make a person look years younger,” according to Susmita Patel, a New York City makeup artist of Studiosush.com. Lighter hair also diminishes the appearance of dark under eye circles and makes the eyes look more open and alert. Just be sure to see a professional colorist at a reputable salon who has experience tinting brows.
Problem: Wide nose
Surgical solution: Rhinoplasty
How to fake it: It’s easy to narrow a wide nose with a bit of bronzer. “By using a darker shade than your natural skin tone on each side of the nose, you can ‘reshape’ it,” Patel says. First, apply a highlighter or your normal shade of foundation down the center of the nose. Next, sweep bronzer in a straight line down the sides of the nose, from the eyes to the tip, and blend. By reflecting light on the bridge and absorbing it on the sides, you’re creating the illusion of a sleeker, trimmer nose.
Problem: Thin lips
Surgical solution: Injectable fillers
How to fake it: Gloss is the way to go if you want your mouth to look more youthful. “Lip gloss tends to reflect light and make the lips look plumper, versus lipstick, which tends to look heavy,” Patel says. And you don’t need injections for a fuller pout. First, choose a lip liner that is one shade darker than your lip gloss. Line the lips, going just outside of the lip line. Finally, apply lip gloss then blend the lip liner using the gloss tip or a Q-tip.
Problem: Sagging cheeks
Surgical solution: Implants
How to fake it: To “tighten” lax skin under the cheeks and “raise” the cheekbone, try applying bronzer in a diagonal line just under each cheekbone. Next, blend the line so the makeup isn’t so obvious. “Using bronzer under the cheek bone creates a natural shadow that makes the cheek bone look more lifted,” Patel says. Finish by applying a pop of bright blush to the apples of the cheeks.
Problem: Double chin
Surgical solution: Facial liposuction
How to fake it: Reducing a double chin or firming up sagging skin at the jaw is as simple as sweeping some bronzer under your jaw line. While light makeup colors highlight an area, darker shades create the illusion of a shadow, making the area—in this case a droopy or thick jaw—appear to recede or look smaller.