We've chosen Olivia Munn to illustrate this story because she's a technowiz. Seriously - google it, she knows technology.
Moving on from the sea of amateur makeup tutorials on Youtube, beauty apps have officially taken over as the ultimate go-to for up-to-the-minute makeup advice. With a few scrolls and clicks, you can now catch up on the latest hair and makeup looks, seek out solutions to your biggest beauty conundrums and read all about the latest product reviews and deals. Here’s our pick of the top five.
1. SunSmart (Free)
Designed to help Aussies increase their sun protection IQ, it’s a one-stop shop for all things temperature and UV-related. You can kick things off with the seven-day weather forecast, before setting alerts for key sun protection times based on the UV information released by the Bureau of Meteorology. There’s also a sunscreen calculator that helps estimate how much SPF to apply, but the real hook is the Vitamin D tracker which takes the guesswork out of deciding on what qualifies as ‘safe’ UV exposure.
You can download the app here.
2. Makeup Tips & Tricks ($0.99)
The beginners guide to all-things makeup-related, it’s got everything from nails, to eye shadow, lips and skin, in the bag. Not only is it filled to the brim with straightforward product, trend and style pointers, but unlike other makeup apps which tend to boast bland, textbook looking templates, this one deserves extra points for its colour-packed layouts and illustrations.
You can download the app here
3. Beauty Heaven (Free)
Looking for a new magic wand? Still trying to wrap your head around BB creams? Boasting around 10,000 product listings and over 50,000 customer reviews, the Beauty Heaven app was invented to help save time, money and confusion at the cosmetics counter. Aside from the handy store locator function, it also features a wish list tool that allows you to share your favourite beauty buys via Twitter, email and Facebook.
You can download the app here.
4. OPI (Free)
The most interactive of the pack, the OPI Try-It-On Studio, allows you to road-test the latest colours by virtually painting your nails. Plus, you can also tweak the nail length and skin tone options to create a more realistic finish. There’s also a search function that lets you build a list of your favourite shades which is handy for calling on the next time you’re at the nail bar and feeling undecided on a colour, or looking to invest in a new bottle.
You can download the app here.
5. Kevin Murphy (Free)
His brand is famous for its hard-working hair potions and modern packaging, so naturally, it was only a matter of time before KM rolled his 20-plus years of hair know-how into an app. You can expect easy to follow styling tips and tricks, along with the latest hair trends, products and promotions, as well as links to his ‘How-To’ podcasts. Oh, and make sure you check out the brands latest environmental initiative, The Green Salon Project, while you’re at it.
You can download the app here.
