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Swooping in: the updated 60s look.
Swooping in: the updated 60s look. Photograph: Andrea Adriani/Imaxtree.com
Swooping in: the updated 60s look. Photograph: Andrea Adriani/Imaxtree.com

How to wear a vintage look in a modern way

This article is more than 3 years old

Update the winged eye, plus a new way to get some vitamin C, and a perfume to go

I love the idea of a 60s beauty look but the reality doesn’t always translate – ageing and a bit fancy dress. I prefer a modern take, as per Veronica Beard’s SS20 show. Old-school winged eye is obligatory, so use an inky black liquid liner – denser, more precise and won’t budge. Matt skin is replaced with its contemporary cousin – dewy, highlighted and boosted by blush. Lip colour no longer looks flat, but is a fresher, pinker gloss. Infinitely, more wearable than Pepto-Bismol pink.

1. Chantecaille Radiance Chic Cheek and Highlighter Duo £79, spacenk.com
2. KVD Vegan Beauty Tattoo Liner £18, boots.com
3. Cle de Peau Lip Glorifier £40, harrods.com
4. Guerlain Mad Eyes Precise Eyeliner £31, selfridges.com
5. Givenchy Le Rose Perfecto Liquid Balm £32.50, feelunique.com

I can’t do without... A good dose of vitamin C to brighten and smooth skin

Lixirskin Vitamin C Paste

Vitamin C should be in every half-decent skincare regime. Your skin will look younger, brighter, firmer and nothing hits a dark spot quite like it. Admittedly, the plethora of vitamin C cleansers, serums, masks, et al, on the market is a minefield. So, to start: vitamin C is very sensitive to air and light so only buy something in an opaque, airtight container. Anything see-through lacks efficacy. Next, price: some vitamin C products are equivalent to the cost of a takeaway coffee. Others will buy you a pair of designer shoes. As always it comes down to formulation. Some brands use a derivative of vitamin C (cheaper but not as powerful) and others use the real deal, aka L-ascorbic acid (or ascorbic acid), a white powder that looks more suspect than it is. This ingredient – pure vitamin C – is inexpensive and easily obtained, but needs careful blending as it’s strong and can react negatively to other products. For a faff-free, foolproof option, try this multi-tasking cleanser-meets-mask. Using 10% L-ascorbic acid, it neutralises oxidised sebum (to stop skin looking dull and grey), regulates your melanin overproduction (combating dark spots) and brightens and smooths skin (which everyone wants).You’ll notice a difference straightaway and it gets better with time. So, if you’re interested in gently incorporating vitamin C into your beauty regime, this is a good place to start. Lixirskin Vitamin C Paste, £32, lixirskin.co.uk

On my radar… Masks you want to wear, plus scent on the go

All-round cleanser A cleanser that removes makeup and grime, works as a mask, exfoliates and brightens is a rare find. This butter-to-milk formulation – rich in AHAs and fatty acids – juggles it brilliantly. Elemis Superfood AHAGlow Cleansing Butter, £30, elemis.com

Portable perfume This bestselling fruity (nectarine, peach, cassis, honey) fragrance is cleverly packaged into a scent pen – making it easier to spritz on the go. Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey Cologne Pen, £26, jomalone.com

Must-wear mask One of the nicest clay masks I’ve used: rich in antioxidants; decongests and exfoliates; stays creamy; isn’t a nightmare to rinse off. Holy Grail Hibiscus & Pomegranate Detoxifying Kaolin Clay Mask, £16.99, holygrail-beauty.com

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