Do you get out of bed in the mornings feeling naturally gorgeous and glamorous? No? Me neither and it gives me great pleasure to know that Cindy Crawford once said, "Even I don’t wake up looking like Cindy Crawford!" As a woman, I thoroughly enjoy make-up. I love the way it hides the dark circles when I haven’t had enough sleep, makes my eyes look much bigger than they are, my cheekbones more defined and my lips full and glossy. It turns the wreck that got out of bed into a much more professional and elegant looking woman.

So why is it that so many women never touch the stuff and prefer to go bare-faced? Before becoming a style consultant this was a complete mystery to me but during my time in this job I’ve heard the same reasons time and time again. Here they are: "Well, my mother never wore make-up and no-one ever showed me how and now I feel I’m too old to start." "I tried it once but it felt really uncomfortable. A lady in a department store did it for me and I couldn’t wait to get it off!" "It’s far too time-consuming. I’d rather have an extra half an hour in bed in the mornings."

And here are my answers: Whatever your age, you are never too old to start wearing make-up. After all, when we’re young and wrinkle-free we get away with a lot more but as we get older make-up helps us maintain a youthful look. If you haven’t experimented in your youth it can be daunting to know which products to choose and how to apply them but a make-up lesson with a good style consultant will show you all you need to know. We understand that women aren’t born with make-up skills and that step-by-step guidance is needed.

When I first started doing this job, I came across many ladies who were very reluctant to let me show them how to wear make-up. They imagined that they would enter my studio bare-faced and go away looking like Liza Minelli! Many of them had had the department store treatment and it had put them off. Sometimes their "make-over" had occurred many years previously and whoever had made them up had not taken into account the fact that they didn’t usually wear much make-up. They had gone straight for the "Joan Collins every product I can think of" look which had been far too harsh for their more natural personalities. In the old days make-up was much more heavy and mask-like, but these days it’s a lot more sheer and subtle. If you haven’t tried it for a while, give it a go. Find a style consultant who will ease you in gently and not give you too many steps or products to cope with. They will be able to choose shades that look very natural with your own colouring and will give you a quick and easy routine. Your make-up should not only look very natural, enhancing your best features but should feel light and comfortable too.

It is a myth that wearing make-up will take you an extra half an hour in the mornings. The basic steps of tinted moisturiser or light foundation, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, a quick flick of the blusher brush and a dash of lipgloss can easily be perfected in around four minutes. The secret is to have a make-up look that works with all your clothes so that you don’t have to rummage through a huge make-up bag trying to match eyeshadows and lipsticks to outfits. A style consultant can show you how to achieve this.

Wearing make-up can make you look younger, more attractive and more professional. It disguises imperfections and enhances your natural beauty. Research has shown that women who wear make-up get paid more and promoted faster than their bare-faced colleagues with equal skills and qualifications.

So forget the diamonds girls! Make-up really is your best friend. If you’ve not discovered the joys of it yet, treat yourself to a make-up lesson with a good style consultant and start enjoying the benefits. Go on, you deserve it!