Tricky. There’s a general sense that you want to go home and do a Bridget Jones style overhaul but time is of the essence. If you’re stuck at work and have seven minutes before you absolutely-need-to-hop-in-a-cab for fear of being The Girl Who Stood Him Up, then you’re in the right place. Here’s what to do to your face . . .

Grab a face wipe; we’re going to start again. You don’t need to with Revlon PhotoReady Makeup ($36.95), it’s good enough to stay on all day, but this will just make you feel fresher. Now, you needn’t worry about looking cakey, this foundation features photochromatic pigments and a light diffusing formula which to you and me means ace, yet invisible coverage. He’ll be none the wiser.

Keep reading . . .

We all do it. Promise that we’re going to have a “quiet night,” only to promptly change our minds as soon as the clock strikes 5.01pm/the hot guy calls. If this scenario sounds familiar, you need a plan lady. Go from desk-bound to dinner-ready in five minutes flat.

Good foundation will take the hard work out of everything else. ‘Tis the most simple mantra to live by. Revlon PhotoReady Makeup ($36.95) has been generating all kinds of buzz OS thanks to its ability to turn gnarly skin into a poreless, flawless face that will even look good under hideous bathroom lighting. Uh huh. It’s that good.

Dinner is a simple one. Bold lips are too much hassle—reapplying and lipstick-on-teeth lark—so keep the rest of your makeup palette simple. A dusting of Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder ($65) on the areas that the sun catches, including your décolletage, plenty of mascara and a nice line of shimmering shadow should see you right for the whole night.

Stay tuned for our desk to date night and desk to dance floor tips.

Us Sugar girls have been fans of super-stylish Olivia Palermo ever since she graced our screens in The City, so we were green with envy to hear that FabUK ran in to her at London Fashion Week. Interestingly, she was really lovely and nothing like the character she's portrayed as on TV.

Olivia was in town to celebrate the launch of her new short film which is a showcase of Matches' in-house label, Freda, and features Liv dancing around a bedroom trying on clothes. At the movie launch, this is what she said of her beauty routine . . .

You always have flawless makeup; what are your favourite brands? I LOVE Guerlain makeup. I love that it's an old company. The makeup is super soft too and the shades they do are great.

Tell us about your beauty routine. Do you spend a lot of time getting ready? You know, it's really funny. I’m actually very easy-going. People assume I’m this super high-maintenance person but I’m not at all. I throw it on and I go out.

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You lapped up my advice about how to look good in your 40s last week (yes, Cougar Town has had an effect on us all) so now I thought I'd share some makeup tips for mature skin. Because, let's face it, even if you're in your 20s, you'll be displaying several signs of premature ageing thanks to some slightly aggressive wine inhalation on the weekend. Will we never learn.

Forgo the frosting: You can still have it on cupcakes, just not in your compact. Frosting and shimmer work their way into any and all minor creases that your skin has. Moral of the story: after your 20s, frosty makeup is not your friend.

Make the move to matte: It's not like you can't still enjoy yourself, there are heaps of matte shadows and lipsticks on the market. Try Revlon Matte Eyeshadows ($19.95 each) which are really wearable (Rich Sable is my favourite for everyday wear) or Clinique Colour Surge Eye Shadow Stay Matte ($33), both of which do an expert job of erasing lines and wrinkles. I swear by them.

Keep lips nude: A dark lipstick is a no no for lined mouths—it calls for all kinds of bad attention, so keep lips in the neutral colour family.

And you know by now that, when it comes to makeup application, the base is the most important thing. I don't need to remind you (again) that healthy, radiant skin is the key trend to come out of A/W 2010 so stick to your skincare regimen and most importantly, keep the hydration coming through regular moisturising.

The DSquared2 boys were bringing sexy back with WWD labelling their A/W 2010 beauty look "uptown dominatrix." Which, if you're interested and looking to repeat, consists of a matte base (powder over foundation was the go), heavily smoky eyes, extended out and up and an orange-red pout. The Sam McKnight-styled hair was wet-look and slicked back in a similar style to that of Miss Chloë Sevigny. Here is ze quick how-to if you're interested in the quirky, cool girl style. And check out the killer ruby red almond-shaped talons . . .

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Uh oh, we're in trouble. Well less us, more our friends in the UK, though I have a sneaky suspicion that our makeup bags may be past their prime, too. According to research revealed by UK retailer Debenhams, the average British woman's makeup bag is four years out of date. Jeez Louise, that's pretty generous with the ol' use-by dates.

Apparently 89 percent of women had no idea about European guidelines for use-by dates and 68 percent of women said they only replaced makeup when it had run out, regardless of its age. Gross. According to Nigel Stanislaus, Maybelline New York Makeup Artist, "Liquids and creams have a shorter shelf life (approx. one year  but you can preserve them by keeping the formula cool); powders have a longer shelf life but mascaras are strictly three months." A good rule of thumb according to Nigel is "If a product starts to smell off or the consistency has changed, it's time to go."

How about you ladies, how often do you replace your makeup?

Now, you might be nowhere near your 40s just yet, or you might be out the other side and having a whale of a time, either way this post is dedicated to anyone and everyone (pass it onto your mum or file it away for future use) who wants to grow old gracefully and still be able to turn heads. Because that's what beauty's all about. Making you look and feel gorgeous. Inside and out. Beauty knows no age limits.

Sadly, more and more nowadays, if a woman in her 40s looks great, everyone starts to whisper about the surgeon's knife. Not nice. And certainly not necessary, when you live by these tips :

Employ a good skincare routine: As most experts will remind you, your skin is the biggest organ that you have and certainly the most aesthetically-obvious one, which means it's crazy to neglect it. Cleansing, moisturising and protecting are key to good skin. Dipping in and out of a routine won't keep the wrinkles at bay so find a simple skincare routine that you know you'll be able to stick to. And remember that SPF is vital.

Go green: Both in food and activities. Stress is a massive ager. HUGE. Eating good, healthy food (nothing fast foodie, processed or fried) will instantly reflect in your face, as will spending time outdoors. Naturally relieving yourself of stress will take a lot of the hard work out of the war against wrinkles. Keep reading . . .

Helena Christensen is quite possibly the most gorgeous woman to have graced this planet. Now, I'll admit that I'm no Helena, but I'll be damned if I'm not going to steal, perfect, and maybe even trump Ms. C's metallic rose-gold eye makeup. I'll do it. I will. Now, being a front-rower-from-the-comfort-of-your-own-home thanks to Fab's (and OK, mine, if you insist) awesome NYFW coverage, you should've picked up on one thing along the way. Well more than one thing, but, most importantly, you should realise that even if a makeup look is mega, mega simple, it's probably taken four different eyeshadows to get there. Whenever you get disappointed that you can't find the perfect match to a celeb shade—don't be afraid to mix. 'Tis what the experts do. So, after you've prepped and primed eyes, coat the lid in MAC Eye Shadow in Brown Down ($32), then apply Napoleon Perdis Light Patrol Palette ($72) in the metallic bronze hue over the top. Voila! Now Helena called, she wants her look back . . .

Poppy King is the go-to girl for any lipstick advice. She has a range of lipsticks, glosses, liners and treatments called Lipstick Queen. Because she is the Queen of Lipstick. She's jetting in from NYC to promote her latest release next month and you can catch her at:

Kit Cosmetics, Myer Melbourne:

Thursday, March 4 and Friday, March 5, 1-3pm and 4-6pm

Kit Cosmetics, Westfield Doncaster

Saturday, March 6, 1-3pm

Kit Cosmetics, Myer Sydney:

Thursday, March 11 and Friday, March 12, 1-3pm and 4-6pm

Kit Cosmetics, Myer Chatswood:

Saturday, March 13, 1-3pm

There is no fee to attend but booking is recommended. Kit Cosmetics, Myer Melbourne (03 9661 3792), Kit Cosmetics, Westfield Doncaster (03 9840 7624), Kit Cosmetics, Myer Sydney (02 9238 9861), Kit Cosmetics, Myer Chatswood (02 9412 0463).

Thakoon's Fall 2010 look is “fresh, beautiful, luminous and quite confident,” said its creator, lead NARS artist, Diane Kendal. A strong brow and highlighted eyes helped to convey “depth and boldness in a way that wouldn’t fight with the various textures, layers and colours of the collection,” according to Kendal. Key products are: NARS Blush in Madly ($62), NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Belle De Jour ($50) and NARS Eyeshadow in Bali ($48). I'm besotted with the whole 'otherworldly beauty' look; how about you? Is it a look that you love to love too?

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Additional images courtesy of NARS