The rest of the About-Face range is where the fun really lives. Light Lock is one of the original franchises, and Light Lock Lip Gloss is the piece that gives it away: a glassy gloss meant to be worn alone or layered over the lip butter from the first grid. I press it on the center of the lower lip and leave the edges bare, which makes lips look fuller without any liner.

THE ILLUSIONIST Skin-Focused Concealer is the quiet one here. Use it the way you would use any concealer, in small dots under the eyes and around the nose, then blend with a damp sponge. It sits well beside THE PERFORMER foundation, and it also works alone on days when a full base feels like too much.

Volumizing Mascara is a plain, useful job. I put it on after the eye paint has set, so nothing smudges, and I brush through the lashes a second time only at the outer corners. It makes the paint look more finished without making it look heavier.

Then there is Fractal Glitter Eye Paint, the most playful product in the set. It is a pigmented glitter you can wear over a matte wash of color, or alone on the center of the lid for a night out. A small amount goes a long way, so tap it on with a fingertip and skip the brush. If a piece lands on your cheek, lift it off with a piece of tape rather than a wipe.

Wear glitter with a matte lip and a clean face, and it looks intentional every time.

Cream eyeshadow sticks and liquid shadows are the easiest way to wear color when you are running late, and there are lovely versions from other brands that sit happily beside the About-Face eye paints. All of them share one rule: they need something underneath and a little patience before you touch them.

Laura Mercier's Caviar Stick Cream Eyeshadow is the classic stick, a twist-up that you swipe across the lid and blend with a fingertip. Merit's Solo Shadow Cream Eyeshadow is the quiet, wearable one, a cream that gives a wash of color without any fuss. Makeup by Mario's Long-Wear Cream Eyeshadow is another easy one to carry in a bag, and Charlotte Tilbury's Eyes To Mesmerise Cream Eyeshadow is the pot I reach for when I want a glow with a bit of depth, applied with a fingertip and pressed on.

Armani Beauty's Eye Tint Long-Lasting Liquid Eyeshadow is the liquid, a wand-on color that comes in several finishes and is easy to layer. NARS's Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base is the primer in this group, and it is a good idea before any cream color, because a base gives creams something to hold onto.

What I would skip: layering a cream shadow over a lid that is still oily or wet from eye cream. It will crease within the hour, whatever the formula. Wipe the lid clean, let it dry for a minute, add primer, then color. And do not blend until the product has had a moment to set, or you will lift it right back off.

Here is how I would build a look with all of this. Prime the lid first, then paint on one shade of eye paint and let it dry for a minute. Add a second cream shadow only at the center of the lid, where it will catch the light.

Then move to the face. Dab the liquid blush on with your fingers, blend the balm over it if you want a stronger flush, and finish with the lip butter or gloss. If you are wearing glitter, keep everything else matte, and if you are wearing a bold eye, keep the cheeks soft.

A good test is to look at yourself from an arm's length away in daylight. If the color looks blended and your eyes are still the first thing people see, you are done. About-Face is meant to be played with, so keep changing the order until you find the one that feels like you.