Workspace: Where do you apply your make-up - Perhaps in a badly lit bedroom or in a steamy bathroom mirror?

You will never enjoy applying your make-up in such conditions.  Before you go out and purchase the correct make-up and start practicing your new found knowledge.  Create an area for make-up.  If your home is too small for a dressing table and mirror, make do by creating a small area close to natural day light.  In many apartments where I have stayed, I stuck up a small mirror with double sided tape, on the inside of a cupboard door.  Use a section of the shelf for all your skin care and make-up products.  If there is no natural light source near by.  Use a small mirror to walk over to the day light and check your application is blended and applied correctly.  Buying a tube light that has a day light bulb fitted (not a yellow shade, but rather a white/blue tint) will be money well spent.  You will be amazed at how well you can see what you are doing, not missing even the smallest eyebrow hair out of place.

This is an example of my bathroom – I have a source of natural day light, as well as lights for applications in the evening. All my make-up is ready to use – so I can work quickly and enjoy the experience without having to dig through my make-up bag for each item.

Hygiene: When it comes to make-up, I think most women are a culprit of dirty make-up sponges and old bacteria filled mascara. We are so particular about our skin care routine yet we use make-up sponges that are not clean to apply our make-up over a lovely fresh skin. Cleaning your entire kit twice a month is recommended.

Keep a small bottle of surgical spirits near your make-up, use it to clean the tips of your tweezers and anything else metal that needs cleaning. I usually dip a cotton bud into the spirits and then use that to clean the necessary items.

If you can get a small bottle of alcohol from your pharmacist – it is great for disinfecting your lipsticks. Wind your lipstick up and out of the tube and dip it into the liquid in the neck of the alcohol bottle. Gently pat the lipstick onto a tissue, the alcohol will disinfect the lipstick without ‘eating’ away at it or drying it out. The solution won’t affect the colour of the lipstick and it dries really quickly. If you develop a cold sore on your lips, disinfect your lipstick and the brush you use everytime you use them, thus avoiding re infection.

Powder puffs and latex sponges are usually the most neglected part of your kit and they are in fact the most important to keep clean. Powder puffs usually last a year or more where as latex wedges usually last about 3/5 washes. Wet your puffs and sponges under the tap and use regular soap to wash, then rinse well and let dry in the sun.

Mascara holds bacteria and should be replaced every 3 months or so. I always have an extra mascara in stock, to avoid the temptation of using the one I have for too long.

Give the out side of your products a wipe down with a damp cloth from time to time.

Wash your make-up bag when necessary.