Doting husband finally masters make-up skills to help partially blind wife
A DOTING 84-year-old has mastered how to perfect his wife’s make-up before she loses her sight.
Des Monahan was determined to ensure his wife, Mona, 83, always felt and looked her best — and he wasn’t going to let her deteriorating eye sight get in the way.
After meeting make-up artist, Rosie O’driscoll, 43, at their local Debenhams’s store, Des began practicing how to apply a full face of make-up for the first time in his life.
Their regular lessons have taken place since last October but it’s only now, eight months later, that Des has mastered his new skill and can apply Mona’s make-up from the comfort of their home.
In fact he’s so good at it Des has even joked that he’d be able to teach his own make-up masterclass.
Rosie is thrilled to have helped the couple and that Des can now confidently draw on eyebrows, apply bronzer and blusher as well as lipstick and mascara.
Des said: “We don’t know when Mona will lose her sight completely but we didn’t want to wait around for it to happen.
“After asking Rosie to do her make-up when we visited the Benefit counter I just picked up the brushes and started asking how to do it.
“Mona’s eye sight is deteriorating and she won’t be able to do her make-up in the future so I thought the quicker I learnt the better.
“Rosie has been a great friend to us and we go in daily to see her and so I can get more tips.
“It all started last October but I am now so confident with using make-up that I could even teach my own class.”
The couple — who are regular Debenhams’s shoppers — approached Rosie on the Benefit counter last year as they were going to a party.
And after being booked in for a make-up lesson, Des took the brushes from Rosie’s hand and that signalled the start of his make-up training.
She added: “Des took the brushes and said ‘that’s easy, I can to do that.’
“They are such a lovely couple and Des loved learning how to help Mona from the very beginning.
“It was obvious Mona was losing her sight and he wanted to help her in any way he could.
“I know from being in the make-up industry that applying make-up each morning helps people with their confidence as well as it being something they enjoy.
“I’m thrilled that Des now has the confidence to start trialing new looks.
“When we first started he had no idea what brushes to use for each part of the face but now he’s an expert.
“We have such a laugh when they come onto the counter at Benefit but we are friends outside of Debenhams too.
“I have been over to their house for a cup of tea and they come into the store most days for a catch up.
“Des and Mona’s story shows that no matter your age or gender there is always new skills that can be learnt.
“If Des doesn’t like a certain lipstick colour on Mona he’ll tell me straight away.
“He prefers using a pencil to draw in her brows and is very particular with the looks we try on his wife.
“Des had never picked up a make-up brush before but look at him now, I’m so proud of him.
“We’ve had so many older people come into see us at the Benefit counter since Des started.
“Benefit make-up is for people of any age, this story gets the message across that no matter your age it’s always important to look and feel nice.
“Des and Mona are madly in love with each other and it’s amazing to help share their story.”
Mona is very thankful to Des who is now very well trained to do her make-up every day.
She said: “Des uses eyeliners and lipsticks I wouldn’t be able to use myself.
“I struggle to see the colours of different shades now but thanks to Des I now know my make-up will always look great.”
