Powder -V- liquid make-up

I must admit, I'm not good at applying make-up. I'm that woman you see in the pub with the orange face from too much bronzer and white neck due to sheer uselessness when it comes to cosmetics. I also have the added problem of combination skin. With a dry forehead, cheeks and neck versus a greasy, red nose and chin, finding suitable make-up is a major difficulty.

My endeavours with make-up began at the relatively advanced age of 16. I have to say, at the risk of sounding incredibly arrogant and self-confident, aside from my minor problems, my skin is quite good and was so even in my teens and I would easily have never gone near the stuff. I always thought it ridiculous seeing teenage girls barely hit puberty wearing a face of make-up to school. However, when the time came to go to discos I realised that the boys don't really go for the 'natural' look and therefore agreed maybe it was time the face got painted.

From the start make-up and I had a tumultuous relationship. Firstly there was the drama of buying the stuff. On a part-time job wage that was half minimum wage at the time, I was reduced to buying the one for all colour palette in the local discount store which sold dog food, rat poison, children's dolls, washing powder and cosmetics on the same shelf.

From my first attempt at application, I could tell this would not be my forte. There was a brush to apply the blush powder that scratched the face off me meaning I was applying with one sheet of loo roll and removing with another. My stumpy fingers were the accessory of choice when applying the eyeshadow. With my fair lashes, glasses and no mascara, the look was incomplete adolescent to say the least. After nearly two years I expanded my collection to incorporate foundations, mascara and a concealer. Foundation proved a minefield for me as I struggled week on week to save myself the mortification of the legendary 'line' around the jawbone. The overall look was improving but still had a lot of cracks to plaster over.

Over the years, I changed my tack. I worked in a large corporate law firm and learned to apply a basic face of make-up in approximately 12 minutes. As more money lined my pocket I was able to move up along the ranks in terms of brands. I started small, using the No7 stuff from Boots. I then progressed to Max Factor and eventually to Yves St Laurent. Similarly my eye-shadows and powders went from Avon's bargain book to Mac and Bobbi Brown. While my application techniques improved, despite the quality of the make-up I ran into the same problems time on time. Despite exfoliation and intense moisturising, my forehead repeatedly fell apart in a crumbly mess after a few hours wear. My nose wasn't taking anything correctly. I tried applying with sponges, foundation brushes, my fingertips even but nothing worked. Constantly my redness would shine through and the cover wouldn't suffice or match the rest of my face. It was proving a big problem made no easier by the fact that I was in an office with no windows and unnatural air conditioning controlling my environment. The lack of sun in the Irish sky proved another problem for my skin wasn't getting enough Vitamin K causing more problems.

A month ago I was returning some shoes to a high-end store in Dublin. I was offered store credit to the value of the shoes (€59). Being a pretty high-end store there wasn't much available in the budget so after a few minutes wandering around was drawn to the Bare Minerals counter. I don't usually have the patience for those women to sell me something I'm not all that interested in but her concept intrigued me. She began by applying a primer (a product which I already owned thanks to the snookering of a woman at a YSL counter only weeks previous). She then opened the jars of all natural, mineral powder and tipped the tiniest amount into the lid. She worked the foundation brush through the powder and applied it to my face. For powder, the coverage really impressed me. She then applied some concealer to my big problem area- the nose. Not only did it stick perfectly but it toned the redness right down. She applied a tiniest amount of bronzer and managed something never before achieved on my face; I got colour without looking orange or brown and no lines! She did some finishing touches then, eyeshadow, mascara, mineral veil etc. and I bought from her the Bare Minerals starter kit for €65 (note: the same kit is available on Aer Lingus flights for €40).

I made a point to note the change or fading of the make-up throughout the day- it never happened. Even after a shower of rain and murderous winds, my face stayed intact. It never crumbled, the redness never won out and most importantly, there was no line where make-up ended and my real complexion started.

Aware that I'm not the best at applying make-up, I was sceptical when it was my turn- I had no need. The product went on as evenly and easily for me as it did for the make-up artist. There are hundreds of thousands of cosmetics products on the market and for my sins I've tried roughly half of them! Well, that's how it feels anyway. I have so far converted my mam, sister, best friend, colleagues, two other friends and three cousins to the Bare Minerals philosophy. Anyone out there who is tired of their face falling off by lunchtime, their nose or cheeks shining through like they were highlighted or their necks and faces falling out somewhere along the jawline then I urge you to give the Bare Minerals method a go, it really is worth it.