Welcome to Polished with Elise Wilson, where Daily Mail’s qualified makeup artist and hair stylist answers your questions, shares advice and trials the up-and-coming beauty and skincare trends so you don’t have to.

I’ve truly loved makeup for as long as I can remember.

Some of my earliest memories are of sitting on the edge of mum’s dresser watching her get ready in the mirror. The way she’d sweep on blush, carefully apply lipstick, and suddenly look brighter, more confident, and even happier completely mesmerised me.

For her it was never about looking different, it was about the transformation from a mum-on-duty to a confident woman again with a bit of sparkle back in (and on) her face.

That fascination never left me. Over the years, it evolved from raiding her cosmetic bag to working professionally with faces of all ages and skin types. But one thing has never changed and that is my belief that makeup is powerful.

It can lift, revive, and empower like nothing else. And when applied well, it can take years off your face without a single jab of filler.

The key word there, though, is ‘well.’ Because I hate to break it to you, but it’s rarely your makeup that’s ageing you – it’s most certainly your technique.

Products, thankfully, have come such a long way since those early bathroom-mirror days. Formulas are smarter, textures are lighter, and brands have finally realised that real skin with lines, pores and freckles is all worth celebrating.

You no longer need to spend hundreds to look polished, and there are no excuses either because some of the best products are sitting right there in your local Woolies or Chemist Warehouse nowadays. From silky drugstore foundations to buttery cream blushes, the playing field has never been more level.

And as for information? Well, I think you’ll agree that we are utterly spoiled. Between TikTok tutorials, YouTube lessons, and professional artists sharing their secrets in real-time, we have an entire beauty education system at our fingertips. For free!

Even after 16 years in the beauty industry, I still find myself learning new tricks and techniques from others.

My own beauty idols, like Katie Jane Hughes, Lisa Eldridge and Erica Taylor, are all women close to my age who manage to look eternally luminous because they move with the times. They know how to use makeup to enhance, not try to erase what they have.

And then there’s the powerhouse that is Trinny Woodall – a woman who was so frustrated by not knowing what to use on her skin after 40 that she created her own brand, Trinny London, to fix it.

Her products are creamy, flattering on every skin tone, and designed to be used with your fingers for a no-fuss approach for women to play and have fun with colour and application again. She’s proof that beauty doesn’t fade with age, it actually just gets more intelligent.

When Trinny was in Australia recently, I leapt at the chance to sit down with her. One of her biggest bugbears? Women not matching their foundation shades properly.

I couldn’t help but laugh (and cringe) remembering my 2008 self with thick, caked-on base, shimmery bronzer stripes, and foundation-covered lips. We’ve all been there.

But that’s the thing, our makeup should evolve as we do. Our skin changes, our bone structure softens, and our features shift.

If you’re still applying your contour, blush, or concealer the same way you did in your twenties, it’s probably doing you zero favours now.

So, let’s fix that. Here are my five modern makeup technique updates to give your face a lifted, fresh, and more youthful look that literally everyone can master.

1. Contour higher, not deeper

Forget carving out shadows under your cheekbones, because that only drags your face down. Instead, apply your contour on top of the cheekbone, blending it slightly upward toward the temple.

This creates instant lift, subtle definition and a much more natural finish.

‘When you notice your makeup and skincare routine is no longer reacting the same way on your face, you gotta change it,’ my idol Erica Taylor told the Daily Mail recently.

Did I mention she’s also the IT Cosmetics’ Global Makeup Coach and L’Oréal Paris League of Experts member? She knows what she’s talking about. As our skin loses elasticity, the harsh contour lines of the past start to look muddy and ageing.

Switch to creamy, blendable contour sticks that move with your skin as they’re easier to manipulate and far more forgiving.

2. Blush goes up, not round

Remember when we were told to smile and dot blush on the apples of our cheeks? Cute in theory, but it actually makes the face appear lower and rounder.

Instead, place your blush on the tops of your cheekbones, sweeping it upward toward your temple. This creates the illusion of lift and youthfulness.

Always blend in an upward and outward direction, and remember Erica’s saying while you’re doing it.

‘The apple will fall from the tree if the blush is placed too low.’

Opt for cream formulas for a natural glow that mimics healthy skin. If you prefer extra pop, set lightly with powder blush, just don’t overdo it, or you’ll lose that dewiness.

3. Conceal selectively

Thick concealer under the eyes? It’s the fastest way to age yourself. The trick is strategic placement, not blanket coverage.

Apply small dots to the inner corner of your eye (where shadows gather), a little on the outer corner to lift, and a touch on your Cupid’s bow and nose tip for balance. Blend softly with your finger or a small fluffy brush.

Contrary to what we’ve been told for years, our concealer should only be one shade lighter than our foundation. Anything brighter risks creating that stark, stripey look we all sported circa 2017, and trust me, it’s not making a comeback.

4. Highlight with purpose

Highlighter should catch the light, not compete with it. Focus on the high points as always, like your cheekbones, bridge of the nose, brow bone, and Cupid’s bow, and use a cream or balm texture for a seamless, skin-like sheen.

Warm it between your fingers before applying so it melts naturally into the skin. You want to glow, not sparkle. Overly shimmery powders tend to exaggerate texture, and nobody needs that kind of nostalgia.

5. Extend your brows for balance

This trick was a game-changer for me. When I interviewed Anastasia Beverly Hills years ago, she taught me that extending the tails of your brows by even half a centimetre can completely lift and reshape your eyes.

My natural brows stop short, so I use a fine pencil to subtly draw them out. It elongates the eye, opens the face and makes me look more awake every time.

Erica Taylor also champions lifting the outer edges of the face, whether that’s through your brows, blush or eyeshadow, to create instant youth and symmetry.

‘If you have mature skin, look for brands that are made for mature skin,’ Erica also advised.

‘I love L’Oréal, especially for complexion… Kosas is my clean beauty option, and IT Cosmetics is geared for mature skin.’

And she’s spot on. You don’t need a luxury price tag to achieve great results, as affordable products are everywhere, but the real secret is knowing how to use them. So dust off your brushes!

Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely my own and do not reflect those of any brands or companies mentioned. This content is not sponsored or endorsed.