Princess Eugenie's Makeup Artist Watched Me Put on My Makeup, and Boy, Did I Learn a Lot

Every good makeup look needs a good base. If your skin isn't prepped properly, nothing you put on top of it will look how you want it to — no matter how expensive the product is. Martin took a long, hard look at my prep process, which included a thick cream that didn't soak in very well, followed by a primer that didn't add any moisture to my dry skin. The combination was definitely not a recipe for dewy makeup success.

Martin suggested I try a hydrating primer (I have very dehydrated skin), such as Ciaté Watermelon Burst Hydrating Primer (£24). She also recommended Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum (£44) "if the skin needs a moisture surge," Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Moisturising Balm (£68), to be used as a spot treatment just for the really dry patches on my face, and Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream (£70), which, in my opinion, really is magic.

Of course, her suggestions are not to be used all at once but rather mixed and matched depending on what I feel like my skin needs in the morning. Since taking her advice, my skin looks — and most importantly to me — feels more hydrated throughout the entire day without my makeup just slipping right off.

Now, I hate face powder. Even if my base is done correctly, I'd rather walk around like a shining disco ball than dust powder on my face. However, Martin may have talked me into coming round to the occasional dusting of the stuff to set my makeup.

Martin suggested I was going wrong by using a shimmery loose setting powder all over my face, which was not only a messy to use but also made me look even more like a disco ball. Following her advice, I now use a pressed powder like Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder(£20) or Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish (£34) and press it over my nose area and lightly on my forehead. And here's the thing: if you follow tip 1, then your powder will never look heavy.

When Martin asked me about blush, I blushed at my response. I told her that I dusted on the tiniest amount of pink-hued powder on my cheeks because I knew that I was (according to most makeup artists) supposed to. I was particularly scared of it after my dramatic hair colour change. However, after some gentle convincing, Martin showed me that it's all in choosing the correct shade. I needed a very light pink, preferably two-toned rather than one stark, bright pink colour.

Her suggestion was Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Blush (£30), which is a dual-toned blush. Both the shade First Love (a two-toned peach colour) and The Climax (a two-toned red-brown colour) complemented my hair colour and skin tone, and since I started using it, I've never looked back. Now, I can't imagine not having blush in my routine.