Winter face

After getting into the habit of cycling to work - and showering there too - I've updated my make-up bag. I've narrowed it down to six things: a CC cream that's SPF 30+, an easy-to-use concealer stick, an eyebrow cream with an inbuilt brush, the lightest powder (for my shiny nose), a peachy cream blush and a magical eyelash curler. It feels good to be working with less.

I've also started stashing this hand cream in my bag to combat the cooler and drier days. Lipstick is still a date night/going-to-a-wedding occurrence, I'm working on that :)

P.S Here are two things I'm keen to try - Joni's go-to eyeshadow and mascara.

Lipstick for shy girls

Ages ago, my friend Angie came to brunch wearing a fun knitted jumper and bright pink lipstick. It was such a cute look and I made a mental note to give lipstick another go. I asked my friend Alison if she could help, she's make-up artist who makes everything beauty seem easy and fun. Here are her tips, just in time for the festive season :)

Do you wear lipstick every day? How do you get into the habit of putting it on?

Yes, I wear some form of lip product every day - I just don't feel complete or like I can tackle the day without it now!! I think it's such a fun way to introduce a pop of colour into your outfit. As a busy mum with two kids, wearing a bright lip colour means I don't have to spend as much time on my eyes and I can get out the door quicker (well I try to anyway!). 

Are there any tricks to wearing it with confidence? I'm constantly thinking - is it on my teeth? Is it still there? How often should I be touching it up?

If you are wearing lipstick for the first time, try a lighter colour as it can tend to end up in random places all over the face! Or otherwise there are some great products out there that are long lasting and stay, so they're also a good option to ease the nerves of wearing a bold colour. Touching up with lipstick needs to be done regularly - after you eat or drink is a good starting place.

I'd love to know how wearing lipstick changes your mood, outfit or look.

Lipstick is an amazing mood enhancer! I can't tell you how much a bright crazy colour can make you feel adventurous and it definitely brings a smile to everyone's face! Colour reflects emotion and so a lovely bright colour can help brighten, as much as a dark soulful colour can make you feel strong and courageous, or a light colour can make you feel romantic and flirty.

I'm starting from scratch - what can you recommend?

Mac's Vegas Volt is a great punchy coral, perfect for coming into the summer months! Younique's new matte liquid lipstick in Spontaneous is a gorgeous mulberry colour and feels so creamy on your lips. And if you're after a creamy lipstick that stays on then Lime Crime's Matte Velvetines in Red Velvet is a gorgeous statement red - every girl needs a classic red in their purse!

Thank you Ali! Alison is a mobile make-up artist who runs Gypsygirl Beauty. She travels around the Riverina region of NSW and to the ACT too. She also has her own studio in Temora, where she's based. When Ali did my wedding make up, I felt like myself just way more beautiful :) 

Illustration by Danielle Urdinlaiz. Photos by Alison Swanston and Killarney Photography.

A face sunscreen that's just right

I have lots of excuses for not wearing sunscreen - like being in the office all day or not wanting an extra layer of stuff on my face. But I persevere, especially when I'm riding my bike or spending a day working outside.

In summer I wear Invisible Zinc because it feels extra hardy against the harsh Australian sun but when that ran out, I decided to try this sunscreen from Mecca Cosmetica. It was recommended to me when I last had my brows done.

Turns out it's really good. It's the first face sunscreen that I've had that smells lovely and feels like a normal moisturiser so I'm extra motivated to put it on. A few things - it's expensive abut I've found that a tiny bit goes a long way. It also comes out looking tinted but it's actually not coloured at all.

I'm still on the hunt for a great sunscreen for my body - so if you know one, sing out. This summer I made do with a tube of Aldi sunscreen that was always in my handbag. After a few uses, I worked out that it made me smell like a swamp so it might not get another run next year.

P.S - Other everyday favourites include Go-To Skincare's Daily Essentials, Shu Uemera's eyelash curler (for looking just that little bit more awake) and Nivea's Soft Rose lip balm.

Alison's gorgeous family photos

My friend Alison has the most beautiful professional photos of her growing family. Today, the make-up artist and mother-of-two shares her tips for feeling confident and natural in front of a camera, even if you've just had a baby.

Happy hands

I treated myself to a birthday manicure last week and feeling a bit embarrassed about my dry winter hands, I asked the beautician how I might fix them. She suggested two simple things:

Exfoliate your hands twice a week

I am forever putting on hand cream and learnt that this only really works if you exfoliate regularly, otherwise you're just putting cream on top of dead skin cells (!). She recommended using a body scrub (rather than a face scrub) twice a week and taking special care to exfoliate your fingers and in between them too.

Choose an oil-based hand cream 

In the salon this was shea butter, which is meant to be great for cuticles too. I've started using this coconut balm, which is 100% coconut oil and not too expensive. It's really long lasting, even if I am constantly washing my hands. My beautician says regular coconut oil that you use for cooking is fine too and will save you from buying something extra.

Winter can be a bit of a tough season, I'd love to know if you have any of your own quick fixes of pick-me-ups. This homemade sugar scrub for night time baths sounds lovely.

Tiny hand cream

A few months ago, I stumbled across a tin of hand cream at the chemist that was smaller than a lip balm. I bought it out of curiosity and because the packaging was cute, and it turned out to be really good!

While I don't carry make up in my handbag, I always have hand cream and a lip balm on me. My beauty editor sister put me onto this lip balm, which she buys for me when she's in the US and the other day, I posted her a tiny tin of hand cream in return.

After carrying everything from bulky glass jars of fancy hand cream to lighter tubes, this one is extra light to carry, under five bucks and being semi-solid, is leak proof too :)