Accentuate the positive: If you need glasses, don’t settle for a mediocre style, in the hope that they won’t be noticed. Choose a pair that will make the most of your good features and play down your bad ones. If your eyes are your strong point, for instance, choose a large lens to accentuate them; if you have a well-shaped nose. Make sure the glasses do not detract from it.

Facing up: If you can’t decide on your face shape. Use a lipstick or soft eye pencil to draw around the outline of your face as you see it in your mirror. Then select a spectacle shape according to the guidelines which follow.

For a round face: Create an illusion of more length below the eyes with a horizontal frame. Fairly straight across the browline. Avoid styles that become narrower towards the temples.

For a square face: Avoid obvious horizontals and angular oblong frames. Go for rounded shapes. Choose a reasonably wide frame that is not too shallow.



For along face: Go for a deep frame with the nose bridge low- set but slender. Metal frames are a good idea.

For a heart-shaped face: Choose a shape that is angular but not too deep, with emphasis at the browline and temples. The frame shouldn’t be too heavy as well!

Colour co-ordination: If you choose a coloured frame if its possible aim for a tone that complements your hair colour and your choice of eyeshadows. For instance, a blue-green frame would team well with light brown hair and hazel eyeshadows.

A question of application: If you wear glasses, don’t look down or close your lids when applying eye colour. After all, you don’t normally go-round with your eyes closed. Instead, look straight ahead, into the mirror, and you’re much more likely to put all the shades in just the right places and with a lighter-touch.

If you wear bifocals: Applying fiddly products like eyeshadow may present problems if you wear bifocals. Go for a monochromatic effect by using different shades of one colour. Always put on your make-up under a bright light (the pupil of the eye becomes smaller under bright light, and this has the effect of increasing the range of focusing).

If you wear contact lenses: Lash building formulas with filaments can make your eyes water and smart if you wear contact lenses. So, to avoid these and restrict yourself to one light coat of the old-style block and brush type or learn to use eye pencils, rather than shadows containing fibres which can work loose on the lid. If you prefer to steer clear of mascara altogether, one possibility is to curl lashes with an eyelash curler.