Once upon a time, the only way to shop for foundation was by waiting in line at a department store or getting grubby with testers in Boots, and booking a salon appointment meant risking an embarrassing eavesdrop moment from the guy who sits next to you at work – Hollywood wax, anyone?
But now you can colour-match yourself in minutes, sort your skin out in seconds and stock up on makeup, hair and body care essentials in the coffees shop queue, thanks to a new breed of seriously clever beauty apps.
Here are the downloads every beauty obsessive needs to know about.
We're pretty certain Slapp will make swatching makeup IRL a thing of the past.
Simply upload a selfie, tap on different areas of your face to find your accurate shade and you'll be presented with a long list of products like foundation, concealer, highlighter and powder to choose from. Once you've filtered what you need, it will lay out your closest colour matches, grabbing products from high end brands like Illamasqua, Too Faced and Estée Lauder, to name but a few. And here's how we know it works: it matched us to a shade of foundation and concealer we'd swatched and shopped just a few weeks before.
The best part, though? The app only features brands that cater to every skin tone – a huge win for all-inclusive beauty.
Slapp: The Foundation Matching App & Makeup Shop, free, available for iPhone and Android from the App Store and Google Play
If you're going to put your trust in any beauty app, make it specialist-approved. Developed with facialist Joanne Evans at the helm, Skin Matters decodes the complicated list of ingredients in your skincare products to make sure you are buying the right ones for your skin concerns.
It couldn't be easier to navigate. By setting up a profile and recognising your skin type, you can browse over 2,000 cosmetic ingredients. This allows you to decipher the benefits or to pinpoint them as elements to avoid on your next haul. It's a must-have app for those with sensitive or acne-prone skin.
Skin Matters, 99p, available from the App Store
One for lovers of all things luxe, the Net-A-Porter mobile app allows you to restock your beauty arsenal without having to give up your comfy spot on the sofa.
Sunday Riley, Byredo, Diptyque and Oribe are just a handful of the cult beauty brands vying for a space inside your virtual shopping basket, and the website and app is currently the only UK stockist of Instagram-famous brand Glossier. From makeup to skincare and everything in between, the savvy side filter will save you from shopping products you don't really need. Oh, and it's free.
Net-A-Porter, free, available for iPhone and Android from the App Store and Google Play
If you can't be bothered to trudge along to the salon, blow LTD will bring the salon to you, whether you're at home, away or even in the office. Work party = sorted.
Simply enter your address and you can choose from blow-dries, mani-pedis, makeup and lash extensions, plus many more treatments, which can be booked from as early as 7am until late. And if you're undecided on what look to go for, the app allows you to swipe through pics for the ultimate inspiration. Blow 'n' Braid? Yes, please!
blow LTD, free, available for iPhone and Android from the App Store and Google Play
From feline flicks to red lips, this app is the easiest way to experiment with different makeup looks without having to actually put anything on your face – because there's nothing worse than shelling out on a product only to come home and discover that it doesn't suit you. Just select your chosen product and shade and your front-facing camera will do all of the hard work for you.
The seriously fun part? There's also an option to nab looks from celebrities, beauty bloggers and, well, everyone else whose makeup you’re crushing over! Pick your favourite, try it on and shop the entire product list in a matter of minutes. Genius.
Get The Look – Rimmel London, free, available from the App Store
Treatwell is basically the Tinder of the beauty world – just without the awkward small talk and inevitable ghosting. Whether you need a wax, a manicure, a haircut or a spray tan, the discreet mobile app works by matching you to nearby beauty salons with available appointments so you don't have to inform the entire office that you're booking in for a Brazilian. (Come on, what else do you use your desk phone for?)
You can grab appointments in advance or at the very last minute, choose your own beauty therapist and pay quickly using your card. The reviews section is pretty handy for sorting the wheat from the chaff salon-wise, and there is also a fancy Spa option which links you to experienced facialists and masseurs – perfect if you're all knotted-up and stressed-out after a long day at work. And relax...
Treatwell, free, available for iPhone and Android from the App Store and Google Play
If you're the kinda girl that likes to do her makeup on the Tube but often forgets her compact, this app will come in very handy. It harnesses special lighting and a 4x zoom, turning your unflattering front-facing camera (which can so often make you look jowly and drawn) into a mirror you can actually trust. With only a few buttons, it is such a straightforward app – and it is totally free to download.
Mirror, free, available for iPhone and Android from the App Store and Google Play
Even if you consider yourself a makeup obsessive, everyone needs a little guidance sometimes – and that's where Wow How comes in. The easy-to-use app requires you to select the skin tone closest to yours as well as your face, eyebrow and eye shape, not to mention eye colour and lip size, to make trying on virtual beauty looks as convincing and true to life as if you were to give them a whirl in reality.
There is a virtual beautician on board to guide you along and an unprecedented number of clever makeup tips to flick through should you find yourself at a loss – everything from contouring to lashes is covered.
Wow How, free, available from the App Store
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