Beauty Clinic: Make-up for the partially-sighted

Q. My friend has partial sight and finds it difficult to apply make up. Have you any tips? A. Actually we included advice on this topic from make-up artist Jenny Jordan, a long time colleague and friend, in our very first book The Beauty Bible. Since then, companies have formulated products with sheer colour and soft textures - notably Clinique’s Chubby Stick range - that are pretty much mistake-proof to apply.

Here are Jenny’s updated suggestions for your friend:

• First, spend some time tracing the features with fingertips to become familiar with the outlines.

• Before you start making up, tie back your hair and make sure to have a facial wipe handy.

• Use tinted moisturiser rather than foundation, to give a gentle wash of colour rather than risking a mask-like look. Estée Lauder DayWear Sheer Tint SPF15 adapts its colour on contact with the skin, so it suits every skin tone and gives a customised shade year round.

•  Pop along to a Clinique counter and ask for help choosing the most complimentary shade of Chubby Stick for lips, cheeks and eyes. Because the formulas are so sheer and the shades so soft, they are perfect for daytime and can be built up for evening.

• For cheeks, Chubby Stick Cheek Colour Balm, comes in four shades. Jenny suggests choosing a peachy shade, eg Robust Rhubarb. To apply, first find your cheekbones by tracing from below the iris of your eye out to your ears, the area will be about an inch deep by three inches long. Then stroke the colour in from your ear so you have less colour under your eyes, which will look more natural. Then just smudge gently with your middle fingers.

• Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes, comes in 20 gorgeous shades, so your friend will need help to choose the most flattering one. Jenny advises swiping the tint once over each lid, then using ring fingers to smooth over the lids and into the sockets. Doing both at once helps to get them both even.

• The most practical way to define eyelashes is by having them tinted. Do choose an experienced beauty therapist to do this who will give you a patch test 24 hours before tinting.

• For lips, Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm, has been a runaway success with everyone who tries it (including us). In 17 shades, it’s a doddle to apply by stroking over your lips then smooshing them together. Try a soft rose, such as Curvy Candy or Mighty Mimosa. Alternatively a tinted lip balm such as Lanolips Lip Ointment (in five shades), is wonderful for conditioning and nourishing lips. Burt’s Bees also do a lovely range of Lip Shimmers, available at Boots.

• Finally Jenny Jordan recommends grooming your brows by brushing them up and then out with an old clean mascara brush. Then wet your finger and run over the top, from the inner end outwards, to make sure there are no stray hairs sticking up.

Find Jenny Jordan’s salon at 22 Englands Lane, London NW3 4TG/ tel: 020 7483 2222 www.jennyjordan.com.

• Clinique Chubby Stick Cheek Colour Balm/£19 at www.boots.com - buy here

• Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes/£17 at www.boots.com - buy here

• Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm/£17 at www.boots.com - buy here

• Lanolips Lip Ointment/£8.16 at www.victoriahealth.com - buy here

• Burt's Bees Lip Shimmers/£5.15 at www.boots.com - buy here

• Estée Lauder DayWear Sheer Tint SPF15/£38 for 50 ml at www.debenhams.com - buy here