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…. for as long as possible:

1. Wash and dry your hands thoroughly before putting your fingers into your makeup products.
2. If you have an eye infection, stop using all your eye makeup products; if you have a cold sore or other oral infection, stop using your lip makeup products until it is fully cleared up.
3. Remember how your mascara smells right after you’ve bought it; that way you’ll know when it has gone bad, because expired mascara tends to have a funny, chemical odor.
4. Use a cotton-dipped swab or disposable sponge to apply makeup to your pimple. Avoid double-dipping (going back and forth from the product to the affected area), as this can lead to contamination.
5. Use dated stickers or small post-its so you know when you first used a particular makeup product; you could even use a little diary / log

Although your makeup may fade and appear to disappear as your day progresses, you must remove it thoroughly and completely at night before going to bed. This is especially true if the makeup is oil-based. If you don’t remove stale makeup, it could help to clog your pores, cause acne breakouts and have other negative effects on your skin.

How to remove your makeup? Water-based makeup products can typically be removed using the same cleanser that you use on your face in the mornings. Oil-based makeup however, need to be removed with a makeup removal product.

Makeup removal products are usually formulated for specific types of skin. Once you’ve selected the one that’s most suitable for your skin type, apply the product as per its instructions. You may need to leave it on your skin for several minutes in order to give it time to dissolve the cosmetics. Then, use tissue or cotton balls to gently wipe away the residue. Cotton swabs may be particularly useful for the sensitive eye areas, but you should avoid cotton if you wear contact lenses. Also, take care not to pull or tug at your skin.

If your makeup does not come off after you’ve done this, you may need to apply additional remover or switch to a more effective makeup removal product. It’s important to note as well that persons with sensitive skin should avoid any makeup products containing potential irritants such as alcohol and fragrance.

Foundation can be applied with a makeup sponge or with the fingers … or both.

If you’re using a liquid foundation, dot it on your “T-zone” and use your fingers or a makeup sponge to blend the makeup out toward the hair line, cheeks, and jawline. If using a wet-dry foundation or cream, glide a makeup-coated sponge along the T-zone and blend outward.

What to do if your foundation looks heavy or blotchy? Regardless of whether it was applied with a finger or a sponge, simply run a makeup sponge across the skin to soak up any excess product.

Concealer can also be dotted on skin that is either clean or foundation-prepped. Using your finger or a makeup brush, apply a generous coat of concealer to any dark spots, scars, pimples, broken blood vessels, under eye circles, dark eyelids, or other skin blemishes that you’d like to camouflage.

… to shower, get dressed, do your hair and makeup? Some women need lots of working time, say one to two hours. Others are somewhat average with 30 – 45 minutes. Some get everything done in a jiffy 15 minutes. What say you?

Applying makeup can be easy; pay attention to these makeup DOs, our quick tips on Applying Makeup For Dummies.

• If it’s cracked or broken, throw it out. The makeup has cracked because it’s so old or the lipstick has seen better days, simply throw it out!
• If its gone past its “use by” date, you should also throw it out. There should be a tiny logo or tag somewhere on the case with the “use by” or expiry date, follow it. Some typical estimated usage life for makeup – Mascara, 4-6 months; oil-based foundation, 18 months; water-based foundation, 12 months; blush power, 2-3 years; blush cream, 18 months; nail polish, 1 year; lipsticks and glosses, usually up to 2 years; pencils, 2-3 years; eye shadow and face powder, 2-3 years
• Clean your make-up brushes and sponges thoroughly. Don’t let bacteria breed and thrive on them, and get transferred to your face, keep your tools clean.
• If you’ve got an an eye infection or cold sore try not to use your makeup as normal. You could contaminate your brushes etc. If you have to, use a disposable item such as a piece of tissue as a quick fix.
• Clean your makeup bag regularly; lose the fluff, grime and dirt that can accumulate over time.
• View our HOW section for more in depth information about how to apply makeup.