Lorraine Kelly's soft and flattering eye makeup is thanks to this £9 liner - in an unexpected colour
If you find black eyeliner too harsh, try this clever makeup artist's trick
Every year at woman&home, we herald the start of party season with the release of our bumper December issue, filled with festive inspiration and, this year, starring the iconic Lorraine Kelly.
As if an exclusive interview with TV royalty isn't enough of a treat, we've also got behind-the-scenes beauty intel from our cover photoshoot, including every product, tip and trick makeup artist Liz Beckett used to create Kelly's glamorous look.
One piece of advice, in particular, caught our attention. Not only does this makeup artist's trick create the most flattering, soft look on mature eyes, but the best eyeliner to achieve it with is brilliantly budget-friendly, costing just £8.99. Consider it our early Christmas gift to you.
With a creamy and transfer-proof formula, KIKO's clever liner pencil punches far above its price tag. It features a handy smudger brush on the end for blending and comes in nine shades, although it's this rich, olive-like green we're here to talk about today.
Speaking exclusively to w&h behind the scenes of our photoshoot, Beckett walked Kelly through her makeup look, revealing a clever colour-based eyeliner trick:
"To make sure it was soft around your eyes, I used a green pencil," she explains. "You've got these amazing hazel eyes, Beckett continues. "So the olive-y pencil brings them out, and it almost turns the olive pencil brown - but it's much softer than using a brown."
This method of using colourful shadow and liner to intensify your natural eye colour is a classic makeup artist's trick, one we've seen with Nicole Kidman's makeup for blue eyes, for example - while also providing a more flattering definition than more traditional dark shades.
"That's so clever, because normally we just go for black," Kelly responds. "Sometimes it can be, especially when you're a bit older, not as flattering," while Beckett agrees that black "can be really harsh."
Going on to demonstrate her product of choice, Beckett says, "I used an amazing one from Kiko, which is very soft and it's a bargain as well." And while there's nothing better than a beauty bargain, if you like to shop around or prefer a bit of luxury in your makeup bag, our beauty team rates these options, in particular for mature lids.
If you haven't read our Sarah Creal Beauty review, in a nutshell, this brand makes excellent, luxurious products for - and only for - 40+ women. This liner is a hero, with a beautiful non-dragging texture and impressive staying power - try this moody green shade for a flattering look like Lorraine's.
A little darker than the others with a metallic finish, this option from Chanel is the perfect brown alternative for anyone who feels a bit unsure about wearing green eyeliner. It glides on beautifully and is very blendable, plus the twist-up nib never needs to be sharpened, which is a bonus.
Kelly's beautifully soft and eye makeup was complemented by fresh and dewy skin, which Beckett achieved by using a lightweight foundation and "loads of highlighter," as well as a "lots of bronzer" to ensure the overall look was warm and flattering.
The cherry on top? A bold raspberry lipstick, which Beckett explained simply looks like a softer red on the lips - and, paired with the olive liner, led to the admission, "I know they say red and green should never be seen." Based on the stunning finished effect of this colour combination, we say it's definitely time to rethink that rule.
You can read Lorraine's full interview in the December Christmas issue of woman&home magazine - on sale Wednesday 21st October. Subscribe to the magazine for £6 for 6 issues.
