Most of what makes makeup look good is the tool you put it on with. These are the pairings worth having, and none of them is expensive.

If you wear the Double Effect Mascara. The Eyelash Curler at $24 is the one to add. Curl first, then mascara, never the other way round, because curling lashes that already have product on them is how lashes break. The curl is also what makes the difference between lashes that look long and lashes that look lifted.

If you wear the Magnetic Lashes. The Lash Applicator at $15 does the job your fingers are bad at. Magnetic lashes need to land in one go, close to the lash line, and an applicator holds them steady while you place them. It is the difference between a pair that lasts the evening and a pair you keep pressing back down.

If you wear Powder Blush, Bronzing Powder or the Illuminating Highlighter. The powder goes on the way the brush tells it to. The 03 Blush Brush and the 02 Powder Brush are the two that matter for the face. A brush also picks up less product than your fingers, which is what stops powder going on heavier than you wanted.

If you wear anything liquid or cream. The Makeup Sponge at $20 presses product into the skin rather than dragging it across. Damp it first and squeeze the water out. A dry sponge drinks your product; a damp one puts it on your face.

At the end of the day. The Cotton Magic pads at $18 are reusable and activate with water, so there is nothing to keep rebuying. Worth knowing if you wear the mascara often, because taking eye makeup off gently is most of what keeps lashes intact.

The one rule for all of them. Wash your brushes and sponge. Once a week for anything used on the face, and let them dry flat rather than standing up, so water does not sit in the handle. A clean brush applies better than a new one that is dirty.