Its 6pm, you are sitting in your office – drenched in sweat with your face glistening with oil. You have a very important dinner at 6:30pm; a once in a lifetime opportunity but your make-up is all over the place and you don’t have enough products in your bag to save you. What do you do?

I don’t know about you but I can definitely feel the hair on my neck rising thinking about being in a situation like that. It is a dilemma to me how people’s make up stays fresh throughout the day and how they look perfect when walking in the office at 8:30am and walking out at 6:30am. How?

Upon massive research and experiments, I have found the answer that will be your saving grace from this day onwards. Read ahead to find six (Yes! Only six. Remember, less is good) easy steps to touch up your make-up anywhere at anytime.

1. Blotting Sheets

If you haven’t used blotting sheets yet, you are depriving your make-up life of a blessing.

Blotting sheets are created to absorb all the oil gathered on your face. This can be done any time of the day whenever you feel your face is a little greasy or if generally have a very oily skin.

These sheets do not cause any smudges so can be easily used over make-up. It is important to focus on the T-zone of your face as that’s the area where most of the oil gathers.

Try: Beautyblender – blotterazzi

The benefit of using blotting sheets is that it doesn’t require you to cake yourself with powder afterwards in order to look fresh. It keeps your makeup intact allowing you to touch up rather than starting from a clean slate.

If you are not a big fan of blotting sheets, then you can use an oil control fix at the beginning of the day before putting on make-up.

2. Beauty Sponge

This may sound gross but keeping the sponge you used to blend your day’s make up is actually going to help you a lot with your touch-ups.

Since the sponge will already have the mixture of the foundation, powder, concealer, bronzer, primer or anything else you have applied on your face, it will allow you to fill all those spots where your make-up might have come off, or you feel a particular area is a bit smudgy – smoothing everything out just like putting back all the pieces of a puzzle.

The sponge will help your make-up settle down and bring back together all the untidy pieces. It is basically a way to tidy up your face by blending seamlessly in the crevices of your skin.

Try: Beautyblender – Pink Blender

Moreover, you can also use the sponge to blend anything new you use. For instance, if you want to apply a little powder or concealer and don’t have a brush on you, a sponge will be a great alternative.

A beauty sponge is also a magic eraser – you can easily erase all the places where the make-up has gone wrong throughout the day.

3. Blotting powder

By now you might have gathered that I love anything ‘blotting’. Being someone who has an oily skin, my main goal when doing or touching up make-up is to make sure the oil doesn’t get in my way.

A blotting powder is an oil absorbing powder with matte capabilities that sets your skin for a long-lasting spell of make-up and gives a soft and smooth focus.

Try: Dermablend – Solid Setting Powder

To heighten things up and give your look an added value, use a crease brush (Tip: It is a good practise to keep a separate crease brush for this so that you don’t have any eyeshadow on it). A big giant brush for this  purpose is a big no, since you are already wearing make-up and this will just add up to the layers.

Apply this powder everywhere your skin gets oily, including the T-zone, smile lines and even near your nostrils, if they get oily. The powder can also be used to add a matte finish to any of your lipsticks, or eyeshadows. Just apply it anywhere you feel there is a need to touch up.

4. Highlighter

We all have infinite love for highlighters and if you are one of those people who walks out of their house without a highlighter, then oh boy, you need to sit down and think how serious you are about your appearance.

Since their inventions, highlighters have never disappointed us. A perfect touch to give our face a lasting shine, highlighters can be used as a great touch up product. If you are preparing yourself for a night out, just add a little extra highlighter than you would for a daytime outing.

Try: Antonym – Certified Organic Baked Highlighter Endless Summer

Use a normal brush to just highlight your cheekbones and the amount of coverage you want from that highlighter is entirely dependent on you. Don’t overdo it just because you think your make up needs a lot of touch up. Dab it on the corners of your forehead, and on top of your upper lip to give a full glow.

5. Mascara

A mascara will bring out your eyes, giving a refreshing look at the end of a busy day. It is the best way to touch up your eyes if you are not using fake lashes.

You can lengthen your lashes depending on the time of day or the event you are going to and usually, mascaras are so light-weight and smudge proof that it gives a relaxed yet a finished look to your eyes.

Try: Jane Iredale – Longest Lash Thickening and Lengthening Mascara Black Ice

Applying a mascara is a quick and easy way to redo your look and an alternative to a mascara would be lash curler. If you want to keep your natural look and just want to lengthen your lashes, a lash curler is a good option but a mascara does wonders to one’s eyes.

If you wear contact lenses or glasses, pick out a formula which is safe to be worn with them and you are good to go.

6. Lipstick

We all have that one favourite colour which looks absolutely gorgeous on us and goes with every piece of clothing and every type of make-up. If you have found your soul lipstick then I suggest you buy at least two of them – one of your home and one of your touch up bag.

Carry a perfect lip colour with you; one that does not look like you are overdoing yourself nor does it look like you just don’t care about your look.

Try: bareMinerals – GEN NUDE Patent Lip Lacquer Can`t Even

Nudes are a great pick for touching up your make up because of the subtle and natural look they give. However, if you are not a nude person then go for a slightly darker shade. All it has to be is perfect on your lips.