1- I have a wedding coming up for one of my best friends and I want to look fabulous because the guy I am walking up the aisle with as a bridesmaid is drop dead gorgeous. And before you say it, NO! He isn’t gay! I just want to make sure that I look perfect, but not too perfect because obviously I want the bride to be stunning, as she is! Have you any suggestions on what colours I should wear for make- up and what fragrance to wear so that I can seduce him? P.S. My dress is pale blue and my skin tone is light to medium with blonde hair and brown eyes. Marrissa M., Dublin, Ireland

Wow! How exciting! A wedding and a seduction all in one! I seriously hope that this guy is worth all the effort. Firstly, the colour choices sound acceptable for your skin tone and hair colour so making your face attract a little or a lot of attention should be easy! If you go with the blue and caramel colours of the season that you can see on page 28 this look should really make your eyes gorgeous and seductive in a subtle way, especially in a pale blue dress!

2- Could you tell me how to keep my eyebrows in shape all day… I heard you mention something about brow tamers, but don’t know where to find them. Thereasa K, Estepona, Spain

There is a great eyebrow fixing pencil that we just came across from Givenchy which is a thick waxy stick that you pencil into your eyebrows. After you shape them and colour them in this will keep the look and shape all day long!

3- I have very fine eye lashes even after wearing mascara, when I clean them at night I notice there is always the odd one falling out, do you have any suggestions on how to keep them or perhaps thicken them up a bit? Mary Anne T, Marbella, Spain

Eye lashes grow back every six weeks or so, I wouldn’t worry too much about the odd one or two lashes being lost from make- up removal. You might want to strengthen and condition them slightly by dabbing a little castor oil or Vaseline onto them at night to help.

4- I am experiencing itchy eyes lately, they’re not over itchy or swollen, but every time I go to rub them I get mascara and eye make up over my face making me look like a negative panda, is there a cream I can use? Sharon C, Marbella, Spain

Itchy eyes are usually a sign of allergy, so you should really get them checked out before purchasing anything. Pharmacists will generally prescribe an Antihistamine that will help you combat any environmental allergies, but this is why you should get expert advice first to make sure. If you have done this already, then maybe it’s your make-up, try using a different brand for a while, sometimes a product that we have been using for a long time can all of a sudden cause allergies which is why it’s hard to figure out what the problem is!

5- I am searching for something that will help make my lips look better. My lips are too thin and when I put lip liner around the edges I feel a bit like a clown, especially when the lip gloss or lip stick has worn off! I know I’m not doing it exactly right because I have friends that sometimes ask me about it. Do you have a book that has descriptions or could you please explain what I need to do? Sarah M. Selwo Hills

Don’t panic! There are so many options for available you won’t know which one to choose! Firstly, Living Beauty by Bobbi Brown is a great resource for any of your make up questions. Secondly, a good tip to remember is NEVER go outside of your actual lip line with a heavy or darker shade lip liner! People tend to apply a heavy line around the outside edge of the lip which causes the line to last longer than the actual lipstick or gloss. If you use a liner that is a neutral shade to your lips or perhaps just a shade darker than the lipstick or gloss you want to wear along the actual edge of your lip line––it will help accentuate a fuller lip. Always blend the lip liner with a brush and then fill in your entire lip; this will help your lips appear naturally fuller. With thin lips try to choose a colour that is close to your natural lip shade then you can avoid that clown look even if your lip liner does out last your lipstick or gloss. Thirdly, there is a fabulous new product from Benefit which simplifies everything for you in one fail swoop, it’s called Cupid's BowSet and it comes with all the tools you need to create the perfect pout!

6- Do you know of a way to avoid getting mascara on the eyelids? It doesn't matter how careful I am if my eyes are a little puffy in the morning I can't help but get that smudge of mascara on the eyelid. Jackie S. Nueva Andalucia

Actually, you are not alone. In fact almost of us have the same problem— the trick is to make sure you have a good supply of cotton buds close to hand. Remove some of the cotton and dip into an eye make-up remover after applying mascara and gently dab onto the spot you want to remove, don't wipe or rub as this will just smear it. By using a careful dabbing technique it will do the same job as soaking up a spill and you won't take off any eye shadow that you might have on.

7- I never know which type of powder to get and always end up with something that doesn't work for me... Is there a difference between pressed and loose powder anyway? I really want to find a powder that can give me a flawless finish? Samantha M. London

You would be surprised how many women don't know why there are these two types of powders available! The main difference between loose and pressed powder is that with pressed powder you can pop it in your bag and touch up your nose when you’re out and about, whereas with loose powder, it's almost impossible to do this without making a real mess! Pressed powders can give more coverage due to the emollient that keeps it compact and is usually best suited to dryer skin. Using a loose powder will give a sheerer but softer finish to the face, especially when using a big fluffy brush! I'm sure that the time will come when someone will think of way to make loose powder easier to go—personally, I prefer the finish of a loose powder to get that flawless look.

8- I am slightly concerned about thinning hair, do hair growth products work or do I need to consider something else?

There is no actual medical evidence that says that the products you buy over the counter work, although there have been many products like Minoxidil or Finastiride that have been approved by the F.D.A., but that is mostly to say that they don’t harm you. Many of the hair thickeners work on expanding the hair follicle but do not promote growth. Some people have stated their success in testimonials on certain products, but it could be due to the fact that you have to massage the head when applying the product which stimulates the hair follicles in your scalp. If you are thinking about purchasing any hair growth products, do some research on the brand and see if they have any medical evidence from a scientifi c board, otherwise, you can always give it a try - not everyone is the same and what works on one person may not have the same affect on someone else. Don’t forget if you have a balanced vitamin intake of your B complex and zinc this will help you maintain a healthy head of hair!

9- Why is it that women wear such heavy fragrances in public, don’t they know how strong it is?

Our sense of smell can quickly get used to the scent we are wearing and that goes for things we are eating, like garlic or body odours and so on. Unfortunately, for people around us the scent is still strong, so remember when you are thinking that your perfume has lost its scent, it probably hasn’t and though it may be more subtle - it is still there!

10- How do I know that my breath doesn’t smell when I am on a date?

That could be a difficult one! It is actually quite easy to test your own breath in the privacy of your own home, but out on a date could be tricky! If you are one of those people that try to breath into your hand, forget about it – you will not get a good breath test like that, unless it is really bad! Some dentists suggest that a good way to see if you have Halitosis is to lick the back of your hand, leave it for 5 minutes and then smell it. This is the smell that is given off from the front of your tongue. If you are looking for a more thorough test, try scraping a spoon upside down on the back of your tongue, you will usually see a white-ish residue that can also smell and this is how your breath smells to others. It’s a good idea to always carry mints or gum, or if you are really in a pickle snack on some parsley, but then you have to remember to check between the teeth afterwards!

11- I have been on the look- out for a good eye product and couldn’t get any help at the counter. Do you know what the difference is between eye gel and eye cream?

Eye gels are usually cooler and created to reduce dark circles, puffi ness and tiredness. They are refreshing and usually used in the morning to combat that sleepy look. Eye Creams provide more nourishment to eyes to moisturise and regenerate the eye area - these are best used in the evening. If you only want to use one or the other, they will both basically do the same job, it all depends on what skin issues concern you most and that will help direct you towards a certain product. If you can’t fi nd any advice from the beauty counter, don’t buy it, wait until you get a sample and always ask questions!