After long weeks spent indoors, the gentle loosening of restrictions means we're now able to interact with friends and loved ones - socially distanced of course - out in the world.
But emerging from our homes for park picnics, socially distanced walks and - if you're like me - very exciting shopping trips to Chemist Warehouse, bring with it the slightly terrifying prospect of exposing our faces to the world again.
I turned to Mecca education expert Lauren Hegley for advice on how to look fresh and glowy at this weekend's park picnic, as if I hadn’t spent two months eating an entirely beige diet.
Hegley is the regional training manager for the beauty giant, so came chock full of wisdom to impart.
For socialising with friends or perhaps for a distant first date, Helgey says she would "focus on the eye area and keep the skin fresh" as your lower face will be covered by a mask.
"For eyes, I like to add my powder bronzer and/or blush through the crease for a little hint of colour, and to tie the look together. For brows, Kosas has an incredible range of products! If you're wanting a natural look, try either the clear brow gel, or the coloured brow gel for more depth," she told Newshub.
"If you want a more defined brow, try the brow pencil to add more shape and definition, the triangle tip adds hair-like fullness and delivers rich colour payoff.
"When it comes to blush and bronzer, I'd stick to powder formulations as cream can easily move under a mask."
Keep it simple
Hegley also shared her super simple but super effective, 'spot concealing technique', which she says is perfect for leaving you looking fresh faced.
"If you are having a great skin moment after letting your skin breathe during lockdown, you can try the spot-concealing technique by concealing just the areas of concern and leaving the rest of the skin fresh and able to breathe," she says.
"To achieve this look, prep the skin with your usual skincare followed by SPF. I'd then recommend using an illuminating primer to achieve a glowy base, while also helping with the makeup's longevity.
"Then take a small amount of concealer and blend with a small blending brush, this is going to diffuse any redness or discoloration, while keeping your skin looking fresh. To balance out the face, I would usually then buff the excess concealer under the eyes and through the T-zone.
“My top pick for concealers to achieve this look is a matte formulation with a wide shade range to give you the most natural look - the NARS Soft Matte concealer is great for this!
"Alternatively, if you're after a little more coverage, bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturiser is a great alternative. It is a lightweight, gel tinted moisturiser with SPF30 that you can apply with fingers for a more even looking complexion.
Mask-ne 101
But with masks being the new normal, Hegley says mask-ne is a "super common problem" customers are coming to her with.
Mask-ne is that collection of pimples many are seeing spring up around the mouth and chin, thanks to a buildup of bacteria and dead skin cells (divine!) trapped under a mask.
She recommends a hydrating/detoxifying toner to purify and detox your complexion while reducing inflammation.
"You can even spritz your mask with this product, but of course it's just as important to wash your mask regularly!" she advised,
"Another product I love to treat mask-ne, is the Herbario Skin Rescue Paint, [a] healing, anti-bacterial treatment, is formulated to heal blemishes, remedy acneic lesions and reduce scar tissue.
"And finally, I can't go past the Mecca Max 'Spot Dots' for treating mask-ne. These clear individual stickers are infused with skin-protecting ingredients to easily and comfortably keep pimples at bay.
"By protecting skin and absorbing excess moisture, they help blemishes recover quickly with minimal scarring for party-perfect skin."
