Beard Cover

As you may have guessed the reason for applying this is to cover the beard area. Not something that most women have to bother about of course, but the most important part of a man’s make-up routine. It is very simple to get right, and it will make all the difference to your look.

To apply the beard cover always use a damp cosmetic sponge. It is vital that damp doesn’t mean wet, as this will make the foundation weak and streaky. To make sure you’ve got it right, wrap the soaked sponge in a dry cloth and squeeze out the excess water, and it should be just right. Dab or pat the beard cover onto your beard area, and don’t forget your neck! Cover one section at a time and blend the cover in, keep on adding it until all the dark shadow has disappeared.

Foundation.

Once you have mastered the beard cover with confidence you can go on to the foundation, and here we are moving into the realms of women’s proper make-up. Most women need a foundation, it’s just a question of how much. There are two types you can use. Pan-stick is solid and comes in a container that looks like a fat lipstick, while the liquid foundation comes in tubes. Try both and stick with the one you like best. Pan-stick is perhaps the easiest to use for the novice, and it can be applied straight onto the face from the stick, and then blended in using a cosmetic sponge until your whole face and neck are covered.

The liquid foundation is also blended in, but this is best first poured onto the back of the hand and then dabbed with a sponge. Make sure you use enough to cover and camouflage but not too much that your skin begins to crack. It is a delicate balance that practice makes perfect.

Concealer

Unfortunately at this late stage there may still be some blemishes and dark shadows around your eyes. Most men are prone to these, and unless you are very lucky, you will well be one of them. The Concealer is a small make-up stick that you dab on in much the same way as the pan-stick foundation. Just put it on where it is needed, and blend in with the sponge for a perfect cover effect.

Powder

Start by tipping some powder in the palm of your hand and then collect it with a powder puff. Apply it with a dabbing movement all over your face and neck. Avoid using to much powder around any creases or wrinkles as this can accentuate them, but do apply some lightly on the eyelids to help your eye-shadow stay in place. If in doubt, use LESS not more. Once you have finished dabbing it on, brush away any excess with a large brush using soft, downward and outward strokes. Remember not to brush up from the chin, as the powder will collect under your bristles there and make your hairs stand on end.

Lips:

1. Turn lipstick into lip-gloss with a coat of lip balm after applying the colour

2. Put your lipsticks and eye pencils in the refrigerator before sharpening. They’re less likely to break - and you don’t waste so much

3. Double up your lip-liner to fill in your lips as well as outlining them.

4. To prevent lipstick getting on your teeth, after putting your lipstick on, put your finger in your mouth, purse your lips and pull it out.

5. Dusting a little loose powder over you lipstick, through a thin piece of tissue, will help it stay put for longer.

Eyes:

1. Eye shadow doubles up as eyeliner, if applied with cotton bud. Dampen the end of the bud for a more dramatic effect.

2. Use a little green eye shadow on red eyelids to mask the ruddiness.

3. Turn ordinary mascara into the lash lengthening variety by dusting your eyelashes with a little translucent powder first.

4. Stand dried up mascara in a glass of warm water to bring it back to life.

5. If mascara tends to clog on your lower eyelashes, try using a small thin brush to paint colour onto individual eyelashes.

Nails:

1. Dried up nail-polish can be revived by stirring in a few drops of polish remover before using.

2. Bubbles of air in the polish ruin its finish. To prevent this roll the bottle in the palms of your hands to mix it up before using it, rather than shaking it vigorously.

3. Make cheap nail polish last longer by sealing it with a clear top coat.

4. Rub a dab of petroleum jelly around the neck of a new bottle of nail polish, and it should be easy to open for the rest of its life.

5. You can dry nail polish very quickly by blasting nails with a cold jet of air from your hair dryer.

Eyebrows:

1. When plucking your eyebrows, coat the hairs you want to remove with concealer - it will help you visualise exactly the shape of the brow you are after.

2. Use an old clean toothbrush to slick unruly eyebrows into shape.

3. If you find eyebrow tweezing painful, hold an ice cube over the area first to numb the nerve endings, before you start.

4. A little foundation light rubbed through your eyebrows and brushed through with an old toothbrush will instantly lighten them.

5. If you don’t dare shape your eyebrows into a feminine style, at least get rid of the long hairs over the bridge of your nose. That’s just good male grooming!!

Complexion:

1. If you run out of blusher dot a little pink lipstick on your cheeks and blend well with your fingertips.

2. Sweep a little loose powder under your eyes when applying dark shades of eye shadow to catch any falling specks and stop them staining your foundation.

3. Always use a cosmetic sponge to apply foundation - using your fingertips can result in an uneven, greasy finish.p 4. If you’ve put on to much blusher, tone it down with a little loose powder over the top until you’ve reached a shade you’re happy with.

5. Keep the plastic seals or paper discs that come with tubs of foundation and replace after each use. It helps to prevent air from distributing in the product and breeding bacteria - which means the foundation stays fresher far longer.