In a decade of playing with products, testing tools, and following countless makeup artists, hair colourists, hairstylists, nail artists, dermatologists, and estheticians, I've seen many a beauty trend come and go. But I've also amassed a goldmine of expert tips and tricks that stand the test of time and have forever altered the way I care for my hair and skin. I could seriously go on forever, but these are, without a doubt, the 10 best pieces of beauty wisdom I have learned in my years. 

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1. Keep your eye cream and nail polish in the fridge.

The reason some eye creams are sold in tubes with metal tips is that the metal helps deflate puffy areas by cooling the skin, which theoretically constricts blood vessels. But you can get the same effect by just stashing any old eye cream in the refrigerator. The fridge is also a great place to stash nail polish, as it keeps it from thickening over time.

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2. Always layer your skin-care products from thinnest to thickest texture.

Think of your skin as if it were a sponge, you want it to soak up all the good stuff you're applying to your face and body. Therefore, it's important to layer correctly. Use the thinner, more watery products first in your skin routine and finish with the heavier creams or oils. Oils help seal in any products applied prior. So if you're starting with oil and then adding a lighter hyaluronic acid serum on top, you're not going to see these fantastic benefits.‍

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3. Never underestimate the power of bold lipstick.

I can't tell you how many makeup artists have told me lipstick would be their "desert island" beauty product pick. Before I began my career, I was a mascara diehard. Now, not so much. It turns out, lipstick, especially something bold (I love a hot magenta or coral in the summer; a classic red in the winter) can also be dotted onto the apples of cheeks and the lids of eyes for a monochromatic look you can pull together in two seconds flat. I regularly do this with whatever lipstick I have on hand. (If you're a bit gun-shy at the idea of a one-colour-fits-all look, try a lipstick close to your lip colour for a neutral effect.) My go-to is Shero Ching’s Lip Stain  (available for $22 at Collate Beauty)

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4. Don't touch your face unless you have to. Your hands are FILTHY.

And hand sanitiser doesn't count at all. As someone who is oddly scared of others touching my face, perhaps I take this tip a bit too seriously. But your hands are filthy. Anytime you're just cradling your chin in thought, putting your hand to your cheek or the like, you're leaving germs behind, and creating a potential zit minefield. 

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5. The best defence against oily skin is an offence of face oils.

Oily skin isn't something you can fix—it's just something you have to manage. And rather than stripping oily skin entirely or using a super-lightweight lotion, turns out the best way to moisturise oily skin is with face oil. The key is to find the oil that suits your skin type or complexion issues. For example, grapeseed oil is lightweight and full of antioxidants, making it ideal for pre-sunscreen hydration. Other oils, like tea tree, can fight sebum buildup, bacteria, and inflammation. 

6. Wiggle your mascara wand horizontally through your lashes to create definition and separation.

While this may seem counterintuitive if you're looking to lengthen your lashes, the only way you're going to get clump-free coatings is with this badass makeup-artist trick. I'm pretty sure I learned this in one of my very first interviews, but it's the only way I'll actually wear mascara now. By simply wiggling the wand back and forth, slowly working your way up, your eyelashes get coated with just enough formula to define, lengthen, and volumise without it looking like you're trying too hard.

Pro tip: Use Cavilla’ Lash Essence, available at $56, to get naturally thicker, longer, stronger and healthier eyelashes. Get it now!

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7. Go for a microfiber hair towel—and never flip your head over post-shower.

Guilty as charged. For most of my life, after showering, I'd flip my head over, shake out some excess water, and tie it up with a terry cloth towel. This routine, no doubt, contributed to all the aforementioned hair damage. But once I discovered the slew of towels designed for hair specifically, I realised how much LESS damage I would cause if I didn't flip or overly twist fragile, wet strands. Instead, these towels gently sop up excess moisture after I carefully blot a freshly washed head of hair before applying a styling product.

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8. Don't ever skip that post-workout shower.

Body acne is real. The easiest way to wind up with a few whiteheads on your chest or a cystic zit on your upper back is to not shower after a workout. One dermatologist swore to me that using body-cleansing wipes is a great stop-gap, but if you've still got your sweaty clothes on it's kind of a moot move. The best thing you can do is a shower, obviously, but if not, grab a cleansing wipe or two plus a fresh set of dry clothes to keep skin blemish-free.

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9. Love dry shampoo? You'll love it even more if you use it before you hit the pillow.

A good spritz of dry shampoo can work wonders to help you stretch out your last hair washing, but I've found a genius way to do more than your average emergency oil mop-up before heading to work. I've found it to be FAR more effective if I work in some dry shampoo, and tie my hair up in a loose bun before hitting the sack. It gives the dry shampoo time to work its magic—absorbing the oils in my scalp, giving my thin hair a bit of volume—and also avoids the dreaded powdered part that's the dead giveaway you haven't washed your hair in a while.

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10. Setting spray is life.

Makeup primer is the natural go-to product to prep your skin for long-wearing makeup application, while also helping seal in your skin-care routine. But what's even better is setting spray. After you finish your makeup, just a few sprays will keep everything in place. ‍

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Get all you need now from Collate Beauty