The Scalpel-Free Way To Lift Your Face!

by BR Tabatha

It was your standard BR gal chat: Nat and I talking about our hair length, our hair colour (or lack thereof), and the highs and lows of working with a long mane. The conversation flowed, as per usual, and ended with us further bonding over our inability to rock a low pony tail. The reason being that we both felt it made us look like old men who'd drunk too much beer and had a hard life... in other words, slack jowled and unkempt. We briefly pondered what it would be like to be naturally sharp of jawline and high of cheek bone in order to feel more comfortable going low when ponying it, but quickly moved on, knowing all the pondering in the world could not change the truth of our genetics.

However, the conversation got me thinking... what are the ways we can lift our looks, to create the illusion of said sharp jawline and high cheekbones without having to pay the big bucks to go under the knife? 

Interestingly enough, ponytail placement in the form of a high ponytail (or high bun) is one of the ways to lift your looks. That doesn't mean shoving it up and securing it at the highest point of your head. You want to follow the line of your cheekbones up on an angle. Not sure how? Simply trace the line of your cheekbones up on either side of your face with your index fingers, then continue up into the hair following that imaginary line until your fingertips touch - and that's where you want to have your ponytail sit.

Another trick I swear by when I wake up feeling super puffy and need a lift is facial massage. I have a few options for this - including a jade roller and a buzzy vibrating face stick, but my favourite tool for facial massage is my contour roller, which features twin balls that roll along with the contours of my skin. I use it on my cheeks, along the jaw line, over my forehead, between my brows, and very lightly around my eyes, and it lifts, firms and depuffs. It's my favourite beauty tool, and I wouldn't be without it.

Of course makeup is always going to help lift your look when applied correctly. You can create the illusion of a tighter jaw by dusting matte bronzer along the jawline, starting at your earlobes down through to your chin, then dusting your neck so you don't create a mask like effect. Blush can be applied on your cheeks and then angled up towards your ear. The key with blush, though, is to apply it higher than you usually would. You might need to experiment a little to find what works with your face shape and bone structure, but once you've found the right placement you can take years off with a simple sweep of colour. For those who aren't afraid of contour, you can also contour not in the hollows of your cheeks but slightly above them to make it look like your cheekbones are higher than they are. Eyeshadow can also work lifting wonders by creating a shadowy wing on your lids. If you find your eyeshadow migrates down, as I do, take the pointy end of a sponge and swipe it up on an angle to remove the product that's too low while sharpening up the shadow line in a way that still looks natural. Even something as simple as brushing brows upwards using a clear brow mascara can create the illusion of lift.

Who'd have thunk. it? Just a dab of colour here and there, a pony at the right height and a little facial massage and we're looking lifted, lush and full of life! No needles or scalpels necessary. Is there any wonder we're bonkers for beauty?

So, my lovelies, are you at the point where you're all about that lifted life? Will you be giving any of the above a go? Are there any tips we need to know about? Get chatting below!