Sick of covering up behind layers of foundation – but too scared to reveal your skin any more? It’s not as hard as you think to ease up on foundation, and still look like a natural-born beauty.

First of All: Tinted moisturisers are wonderful for evening out skintone, while still letting the complexion show through. On the flipside, of course: this means your skin needs to be in great show-off shape. Ensure you’re cleansing and moisturising twice a day, exfoliating and treating skin with masks twice a week, and investing in regular deep-cleansing facials. If you’re doing all this but still have skin that’s plagued by acne or rosacea, you’re probably better off with mineral makeup. It still gives a natural-look finish, but its soothing formula and high-density coverage will be more suited to your current skin condition. One of the best brands around is i.d Bare Escentuals – click here for more details.
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To get the best results out of an anti-wrinkle eye cream, smile before applying. See where the skin crinkles up – usually from below the eye to right out towards the temples. This is exactly where you want to target your eye treatment. You won’t stop lines from forming – they’re expression ones, after all – but you will better manage them and delay them from becoming permanent wrinkles.

Dry skin and callus build-up on feet are actually the body’s way of protecting itself. Have you ever seen a dancer’s feet? Covered in the stuff. If you haven’t scrubbed your feet much in the past, and are now suddenly attacking them with pumices and exfoliants, it’s no wonder you’re poor vulnerable feet are shaking in their shoes.

What you need to know is that a little build-up is okay – especially on the ball of the foot, which helps to pad and protect your soles. So pay more attention to the dry rough skin around the feet’s edges – it’s not necessary, and nobody likes to look at scrappy heels.

I’d also recommend using only a foot file, lightly massaged in every day while you’re in the shower. Any more mechanical exfoliation that this, and you’re probably going too hard too fast. However, you could also add in some chemical exfoliation, via a body cream containing AHAs. The smoothing effect will be more gradual, but it will also be more gentle. Try M.D Formulations Pedi-Crème, $79 (see True Solutions for details), which has 18% AHA content, and is great slathered on nightly, before slipping into bed socks. (more…)

The fabulous follow-up to the best-selling Beach Tint in Watermelon. As its name suggests, this liquid blush makes you look like you’ve been sipping peach cocktails by the beach all day. It blends in seamlessly to make the apples of cheeks look, well, peachy. The warm glow suits all skintones, while the smooth consistency means it’s easy to layer up for punchier intensity. It’s gorgeous for lips too. Another plus: it’s water-resistant. So it really will hold up through a day of sipping cocktails by the beach.

$35 from Becca and selected Myer stores

You probably really shouldn’t be staying out all night. But if you insist on it, at least do it in style…

Face First: Even the longest-lasting foundation begins to fade well before five, so it’s worth taking the time to re-boot your base. You’re going straight from office to out? Then make sure to have some cleansing wipes stashed in your desk drawer. Next, mist skin with a refresher spray, then smooth on a tinted moisturiser – your best bet for night-time as the mood-lighting means less coverage is necessary, while the dewiness makes skin looks rested and radiant, like it hasn’t been labouring at the office all day. A lighter base also means you can go heavier with your eye makeup …

Party Peepers: To brighten up tired eyes for night, apply some anti-redness drops – there’s nothing like it for instant sparkle. Next, two coats of waterproof mascara to upper lashes, and one coat to lower lashes. Already lashed up? Head straight to the black eyeliner – sexy smudgy eyes are a no-fail night-time look. Choose a stay-fast variety, line the inner rims, then etch along the lashlines and use your pinkie to soften it out a little. Dark eye makeup can bring out any dark circle tendencies, so dab on concealer, then sprinkle a little shimmer dust in the inner corners.

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