Solving the base case

Ever wondered why your make-up ends up halfway down your face by midday, or why your blush application looks more like a bad case of rosacea than perfectly rosey-ed apples?

Never fear, we’ve got the goss from Stephanie Foley from Polished Makeovers, who will help you to look preened as a princess in no time at all.

So Stephanie, any tips for setting make-up so it lasts all day?

To prevent your make-up from wearing off by lunchtime, there are some simple tricks to ensure its staying power.
Apply pressed or translucent powder after your foundation, as it sets the foundation, making it last longer. It also gives your face a matte, shine-free finish.

After coating your lips with a balm so that they’re soft and supple, apply lip liner and pencil in your lips. Apply a light coat of lipstick, blot with tissue and then re-apply. By using the two-step process, it seals the colour into your lips.

Before applying your eye shadow, use a base coat (a neutral colour) all over your lid. Base coats give the rest of your eye make-up something to hold onto, and stops it from disappearing.

Finally, try a make-up setting spray. Similar to hair spray, setting sprays set your make-up and keep it from moving.

By following these simple tips, by the end of the day your make-up will look as fresh as it did when you first applied it!

Any tips for applying blush and bronzer accurately?

Bronzer is used to give you a fresh, healthy, sun-kissed look. Therefore, it should be applied in areas on your face that get the most sunlight – that is your forehead, cheeks, nose and chin. Use a shade that is no more than two shades darker than your skin tone and apply lightly across these areas. Remember, you can always build on this colour if you think you need it.

Blush is perfect to complete your fresh, healthy look. Grab a blush brush, dab it into the blush and tap it to remove any excess. Then smile. Smiling pronounces the apples of your cheeks, and that is where you should apply the blush. Use a swirling movement and again start lightly. If you’ve gone a few swirls too many and look a bit too pink, simply go over your cheeks with a translucent powder to tone it down.