Tricks of the trade: The world's best make-up artists reveal their secrets

From primer to eyeshadow, these are the products we use every day - but do we know how to use them? We asked international make-up artists Laura Mercier, Jackie Tyson and Gucci Westman to give us their inside tips.

Laura is known for her successful make-up range - her primer is a beauty icon. Gucci is a New York-based celebrity make-up artist who works with all the stars, including Demi Moore and Jennifer Garner. And Jackie is the make-up artist on The X Factor and Britain's Got Talent.

Here, they select the products we really need and give their differing views on how to use them...

Debating the truth: Make-up artists Laura Mercier (left), Gucci Westman (centre), and Jackie Tyson (right)

Should you apply primer on top of freshly cleansed skin or on top of moisturiser?

LAURA: Primer is a protective layer that seals in moisturiser and provides a smooth surface for foundation.

If you have an oily complexion, you may feel that the primer without moisturiser is enough.

GUCCI: My routine is more about colour- correcting, treating and highlighting the skin. A product that gives you an immaculate canvas is a pore minimiser, which would be my equivalent to a primer.

I use it only around the T-zone, where pores need to be made to look smooth and match the rest of the skin. Apply after moisturiser, and before you apply your foundation.

JACKIE: A primer provides a base for your foundation, which will ensure it will stay put longer, but will also help give the illusion of flawless, radiant skin.

Try Avon MagiX Face Perfector, £7 (avonshop. co.uk) or Beauty Flash Balm by Clarins, £26.50 (from Boots), which is a cult classic.

The X Factor: Jackie Tyson cannot live without her eyelash curlers and disposable mascara wands

Which make-up tools can’t you live without?

LAURA: My camouflage brush to apply concealer - it allows me to pinpoint areas where I need more coverage.

GUCCI: My sponges - they are amazingly soft.

JACKIE: My Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers, £19.50 (020 240 7635). I also get through lots of disposable mascara wands - £6.25 for a set of nine (thepromakeupshop.com).

Professional tools: Invest in a set of brushes to get that flawless finish

What’s the best way to apply foundation to get a smooth, even coverage?

LAURA: Fingers for a cream foundation, a sponge for liquids and a brush for mineral powder.

GUCCI: Using a brush, start from under the eyes working out and up. Then apply highlighter to cheekbones, bridge of the nose and cupid's bow, pat it in with your fingers, and smooth out with a brush. Revlon brushes from £6.99 (Superdrug).

JACKIE: Use foundation only where you need it: around the eyes, nose and mouth. Blend well with a brush or fingers.

How can you get a lovely, healthy glow using bronzer without looking unnatural?

LAURA: Never overload your brush, and match texture to texture. A cream or gel is perfect over liquid foundation, for example.

If you don't want a powdery look, use a blusher with a hint of pearl to lift the texture and add a glow.

GUCCI: For mature skin, the more cream textures you can use, the better. Avoid powders as much as possible. It's easy to get a natural look with blusher - it's all in the blending.

After applying cream or powder blush, simply dust over the area with a clean powder brush.

JACKIE: Avoid powder bronzers for a more mature skin. POP Beauty has a fabulously easy-to-apply cheek stain called Apples Of The Cheeks, £12 (popbeauty.co.uk), that looks great on any skin tone and can be applied with fingertips.

Break out of your eyeshadow rut: Bellapierre has a good range of shimmer powders

How can you break out of a colour rut with eye shadow?

LAURA: Seek the advice of an in-store make-up artist - they'll give an objective opinion. When applying eye shadow, use a little at a time; it's easier to add more than take some off.

GUCCI: Go for a eye make-up palette that combines a few of your safer, familiar tones with a range of new colours.

JACKIE: Try to complement your outfit with make-up rather than match it. Bella Pierre has a good range of shimmer powders - individual pots cost £12.99 or a stack of nine is £59.99 (bellapierre.co.uk).

Can you define your mouth and get long-lasting colour that doesn't look too fake?

LAURA: Apply lipstick by dabbing with your finger to create the shape. The colour will look far more natural, and the pressing action will grind its pigment onto your lips.

GUCCI: Apply lip colour using your fingers, pat it on and clean up the edges with a small concealer brush. Revlon's new Colorburst lipstick, £7.99 (Superdrug and Boots) has a great lip balm feeling and provides a huge amount of colour.

JACKIE: Colour is best applied sparingly over the top of a good lip primer to fill in fine lines around the lip line. Blend gently with the ring finger. When buying lipstick, get exactly the same colour lip liner.

After applying a primer, such as Elizabeth Arden Advanced Lip-Fix Cream, £18 (Boots and department stores; 020 7574 2714 for stockists), apply the liner all over the lips to provide a colour base and give the lipstick something to cling to. Blot with a tissue and repeat two to three times for extralasting power.

Bobbi Brown's Lip Liner pencils, £14 (bobbibrown. co.uk), are long-lasting and the shades are all wearable. After applying, blend gently with the fingertips to remove any excess colour.

Nearly here: Yes To Tomatoes Totally Tranquil Facial Hydrating Lotion, £11.99, victoriahealth.com COMING SOON… Tomatoes in your face cream The Yes To Tomatoes range is rich in vitamin C and lypocene.

Totally Tranquil Facial Hydrating Lotion, £11.99 (victoriahealth.com) combines 26 minerals from the Dead Sea with tomatoes, rosemary and red pepper.

Nivea's Protect & Bronze, £12.55 (nivea.co.uk) is a dual-purpose suncream that protects the skin and enhances tanning.

It uses a plant extract called GA that helps increase the skin's melanin production.

Benefit Confessions Of A Concealaholic, £28.50 (benefitcosmetics. co.uk) has everything to hide blemishes in one handy kit, including eyelid brightener, primer and concealer brushes.

WE LOVE... For anyone who's ever had a disastrous home hair colour, Colour B4, £9.99, Boots, is a must.

Britain's first home hair colour remover erases blunders with one application. Launched in association with hair, image and style expert Scott Cornwall, Colour B4 is available in regular (to reverse an undesirable hair colour) and extra strength (for hair with multiple colour applications).

Pedicure perfect: Comfys have been designed to stretch, flex and rejuvenate your feet

HEAD TO THE BEECH!

These sandals may look scary, but are as comfy as slippers. There are four toe separators that flex and rejuvenate your feet.

Beauty addicts have discovered that they're the perfect footwear for polished toes after pedicures. Available in leather or velour.

Beech Sandals, £29 (victoriahealth.com).

WHERE CAN I FIND... ULTRAGLOW?

Created in the Seventies, Ultraglow was a must-have, along with shaggy perms and Sun-In hair lightener.

But the product was wise before its time because it contained minerals long before the rest of the cosmetics world had realised their benefits.

Wise before its time: Ultraglow Mineral Shimmer Powders, £4.21 (ultraglowshop.co.uk)

The original formula hasn't changed, but it now comes with a Kabuki brush for application, and is available in loose or pressed textured.

Complexsun is a matte version with a four-star UV rating.

The famous Ultraglow Magic Lips, £20.42, are also still around (remember the lip stains that came in black, red and green and changed to your personal shade of pink when applied?) and sell like hot cakes on the internet.

And there's also a great range of Ultraglow Mineral Shimmer Powders, £4.21, and a Magic Mascara, £9.95, which gives impressive coverage.

Ultraglow Original Pressed Bronzing Powder, £15.99 (ultra glowshop.co.uk).