Easy makeovers for all ages: In her 20s

The fashion grand dame Coco Chanel once said: "You can be gorgeous at 30, charming at 40 and irresistible for the rest of your life."

In this first issue of Style, the team tapped seven experts to show you how to look your best, whether you are in your nubile 20s or golden 60s.

The experts are stylists Keith Png, Daniel Boey and Audrey Ong; make-up artists Clarence Lee and Dollei Seah; and hairstylists Eugene Ong and Ken Hong.

They performed their magic on five women in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s, who were keen to look better. So like Chanel said, you can look irresistible at any age.

In her 20s

Hannah Tiana, 21, student
Body shape: Short and curvy

"I'm only 1.51m tall. I want to learn how to look taller and slimmer. People have commented that I look older than I am." Outfit: Cruise jumper; Playhound clutch; Inuovo sandals; all from Robinsons The Heeren

The outfit

Stylist Audrey Ong: "When I first saw Hannah, I thought she looked 12 years older than her actual age. To make her look more her age, we put her in a romper that has a playful vibe. The dark colour helps elongate her body. She may be short, but her body is proportionate and she has nice curves.

To highlight her curves, we picked this romper that is cinched at the waist. She could try wearing high-waisted flared skirts that will help make her legs look longer and hide her hips and thighs."

Stylist Daniel Boey: "She needs to be selective about prints. The top she came in looked ageing.

Women who are short should avoid wearing very high heels as they highlight how short they are.

We put her in flatform sandals that give her height a little boost and also lend a young, fun vibe.

High-waisted pants would look good on Hannah, but she should not pair them with a baggy top. A figure-hugging one will help to elongate her silhouette. Colour blocking should be avoided as it would cut the body up."

The make-up

Make-up artist Dollei Seah: "The first thing I noticed about Hannah was her foundation. Like many young women, she wore a shade that didn't suit her. It made her complexion grey and dull.

It is fine to use a foundation that is lighter than one's skin tone, but use it to brighten only the T-zone and under-eye areas. Make sure the foundation's undertone matches your skin's. For her olive skin, I picked a shade with a brown undertone. I contoured the rest of her face with a bronzer to balance the light foundation.

I added a light coral blush on her cheeks to brighten her complexion for a more youthful look.

She usually wears heavy eye make-up with black eyeliner that goes all the way to her sockets. This makes her look older. To define her eyes without adding years, I smudged some liner close to her upper lash line and on the outer corners of her eyes."

The haircut

Hairstylist Ken Hong: "She has a high forehead and square jaw, which was highlighted by her long fringe. To make her look younger, I gave her bangs that taper from the brows to the cheekbones. This cut not only makes her look cute, but also adds character."

Hannah on her new look

"I definitely look and feel younger. This is a very fun outfit that I can see myself wearing to hang out with my friends. I've had a fringe before, but I've always found it uncomfortable when I perspire. I like how sweet and young I look with it, so I'm going to work hard at keeping it."

20s: Style tips

Stylist Keith Png: "Younger women shouldn't follow fashion bloggers or Instagram influencers blindly.

Whatever is on trend may not fit one's body shape, so if you are a 1.5m-tall girl, you shouldn't be dressing like a 1.8m-tall model."

Stylist Audrey Ong: "The 20s is when you should explore to find your style. Experiment to see what works, but to do so, you need to understand your body type."

Make-up artist Dollei Seah: "When you're in your 20s, you are tempted to experiment with make-up. That also means you have the tendency to apply too much of it.

If you have good skin, there is no need to put on too much foundation and concealer. And don't think that more colours on your face will make you look better. Just keep the bright colours either to your eyes or lips; not both at the same time.

Hairstylist Ken Hong: "This is the age where one should try different styles to find out what is suitable, as long as it goes with the professional environment."

stlife@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on July 02, 2015.
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