Everyone knows Irish make-up-artist-to-the-stars Paula Callan, who has painted the faces of many celebrities from Scarlett Johansson and Amy Huberman to Heidi Klum and Elle Macpherson. Paula has only gone and designed an app that delivers online courses to enable anyone with very little knowledge of make-up to be highly competent within a very short period. There’s an optional community element and new classes with elite-level beauty artists are forthcoming. Check out the Artistry Academy app (courses from €297, available on Google Play and the App Store, or see artistryacademy.ie).

Now that you’re practically an expert MUA, keeping the make-up on your face is the next challenge. I’m a fan of the Nimya Blow Before You Go Fan (€14.99, nimya.com), which dries make-up quickly and helps to keep it in place. It’s conveniently sized and portable for on-the-go freshness.

If you can’t decide which shade of lippy to purchase, why not have them all? YSL Beauty Rouge Sur Mesure (€281, brownthomas.com) is a personalised lip colour creator that allows you to create up to 4,000 lipstick shades in an instant. There are four colour cartridge sets — nude, red, orange and pink — and you can try on any shade virtually in an app before you dispense it. You can even scan in an item — like a dress or handbag — and the app will find the closest match or generate shade recommendations.

I love having clean make-up brushes but cleaning them is a tedious task that I dread. Make-up artist Ciara Malone has made it a whole lot easier with her cleaning device Brushdoc (€65, cleansing oil €20, brushdoc.com), which takes the hassle out of cleaning make-up brushes and sponges. You just add water and a small amount of the oil to the brushes, place them into the Brushdoc and, hey presto, they’ll be sparkling in seconds.

I love facials but often haven’t got the time to spend on them between work and children, which is why I love the Facialift (€47, brownthomas.com). The facial massager was created by Sarah Chapman, the innovator behind the cosmeceutical Skinesis skincare brand. It mimics the fast tapping, pinching and knuckling of the Skinesis signature massage technique to brighten, lift, drain toxins and reduce puffiness in your face, giving you the immediate glow of a Skinesis facial. With regular use, your skin will soon be shining like the top of the Chrysler Building.

Happy gadget-ing!

Three of the best… beauty sets

1 Westman Atelier Clean Glow Trio I & II, €77.97, cultbeauty.com Celebrity make-up artist Gucci Westman has launched two fab contour, highlight and blush stick sets in a mini, travel-ready size. They’ll give you the tools to achieve her signature glow at a great price.

2 Ayu Brighten & Glow Set, €25 (worth €54), ayu.ie This ensemble works together to illuminate and even out your skin tone. It contains Instant Under Eye Concealer, Tinted Illuminating Face Cream and a concealer brush to make the magic happen.

3 Dermalogica Expertise Kit, €339, (worth €487) dermalogica.ie McLovin’ this set by skin experts Dermologica. It has six full-size products, a headband and two face tools — a fan brush and stainless steel gua sha — to achieve bright, smooth and firm skin.