This week I headed south for the L'Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival - a week of fabulous events, clothes, hair and, of course, make-up. On Thursday, I took to the stage with L'Oréal Paris make-up director, and make-up director of the Festival, Rae Morris, for the annual Beauty Workshop. For a little over an hour, we talked all things beauty with over 600 marie claire readers, and used models to demonstrate the latest make-up trends and how to get them. Couldn't be there? Here's a few snippets of what we covered:

Perfect Your Complexion

• Always remember to cleanse your skin (only 54% of women do this!), tone to remove excess grime and cleanser, and moisturise well before starting your make-up
• Use a high SPF product every day - either built in to your moisturiser if you're mostly indoors, or a separate product if you're spending time outside - to protect against premature aging
• Choose a foundation to suit your skin type. This season, the matt look is a big trend, so select a product to help you create this look. Mineral foundations are great as they leave skin shine-free and provide good coverage for acne or scarring, sensitive skin and uneven tone. Rae Morris reccommends L'Oréal Paris True Match Minerals Foundation for a perfect finish every time
• If you prefer a liquid formulation to a mineral powder, Rae suggests a long-lasting formula that will keep your complexion looking matt for hours. She uses L'Oréal Paris Infallible Foundation
• If your skin is dry, use your regular liquid foundation and use just a touch of translucent powder dusted on with a large brush across your nose, chin and forehead, leaving cheeks powder-free
• When choosing your concealer, it's a good idea to match like with like when it comes to texture. So, if you use a mineral make-up, consider a similar concealer, such as L'Oréal Paris Concealer Minerals. However, if you're using a liquid foundation, pair with a liquid concealer for a smooth result. Rae likes L'Oréal Paris Touche Magique for covering under-eye circles due to it's light-reflecting, yellow-based formula.

Accentuate Your Eyes

• Try metallics. They're a huge trend for the season and are much more flattering and easy to wear than you may expect. We demonstrated the look on model Leanne using the new L'Oréal Paris Color Appeal Chrome Shine Eyeshadow and limited edition Chrome Eyeliner.
• Eyeliner is big for winter and Rae used the limited edition L'Oréal Paris Kohl Mineral Eyeliner backstage at lots to the runway shows this week for a glamorous look. But this doesn't mean you necessarily have to resort to black or dark brown. Coloured eyeliners add interest to any eye make-up without overpowering your look, especially if you just use a hint in the lower inner rim of each eye. Or, create a softer eye line by applying eyeshadow with a fine brush for a more smoky look that's so easy to achieve. Rae demonstrated this look on model Georgie using L'Oréal Paris Color Minerals Eyeshadow and superfine eyeshadow brush.
• Your brows are the most important part of your look as they add structure to your face and frame your eyes. The modern shape is full, soft and groomed (no super-thin or tadpole shapes please!). Use an eyebrow pencil such as L'Oréal Paris Brow Styliste to add a hint of colour, then work through with a brow brush or old toothbrush to blend the product for a natural result.
• Select a mascara to get the look you want from your lashes - they come in different formulas for precisely this reason. If your lashes are sparse or fine, consider a volumising product such as the new L'Oréal Paris Extra Volume Collagen Mascara, for thickness. If you want to visually extend short lashes, try a lengthening choice like L'Oréal Paris Telescopic Carbon Black Mascara. Or, if dark circles under your eyes are a problem thanks to falling mascara, select a formula that can only be removed by adding water - L'Oréal Paris Double Extension Beauty Tubes will do the trick.

Love Your Lips

• Lipstick is back this winter. From tomato red and fuchsia to deep plum, bold colours were huge on the runways and are a great choice for grey winter days. If you love a bright lip but find the colour wears off too quickly, look for a long-lasting option that will stay in place for hours such as L'Oréal Paris Infallible 16 Hour Lip Duo Compact
• If your lips are thin, bright lipstick can accentuate the issue, however a bold gloss means you can wear a vivid shade and add fullness, thanks to the product's light-reflecting properties. Rae reccommends L'Oréal Paris Glam Shine 6 Hour Lipgloss - the Sparkling Ruby shade suits all skin types
• A hint of creamy-gold eyeshadow or highlighter blended over your Cupid's Bow will visually volumise your lips in an instant
• Bright shades not for you? Don't simply skip lipstick. A touch of colour will add polish to any look and remember: your most flattering lipstick ever is the approximate shade of your natural lip tone, only a little glossier and more intense. Find the perfect shade for your lips with L'Oréal Paris Color Riche Made For Me Naturals