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M.A.C Studio Quicktrik Stick, $37 at M.A.C (www.maccosmetics.ca).

The Product

M.A.C Studio Quicktrik Stick, $37 at M.A.C (www.maccosmetics.ca).

The Promise

A fast, convenient and portable way to highlight, contour, bronze and add colour on the go.

How it works

The dual-hued chubby stick has a complementary shade at each end, one with a light shimmer and the other a solid tone, to impart an all-in-one hit of colour via a blendable cream. Available in six shade combos, the duos range from a light pink shimmer and barely there taupe to a rose with copper sparkle and deep reddish burgundy.

How to use it

Swipe the solid hue on your face wherever you could use a little colour. The shimmery end can be applied to the high points of the face – brow bone, cheekbones, nose – for a dewy touch of shine. Blend using your fingers or a sculpting brush.

The bottom line

Day-to-night dressing is something fashion people talk about a lot. Indeed, there's an art to looking fresh, evening appropriate and, dare I say, festive when you've spent the day trapped in a pencil skirt. Makeup wise, an editor I used to work with once told me her secret to prep for an after-work engagement was curling her eyelashes, but I've always needed a little more of a pick-me-up after eight hours of staring into the void of my computer screen. For the past few weeks, I've been toting this double-ended stick in my bag for such occasions and, along with a quick spritz from a facial mist, the hint of shine and colour erases any end-of-day blahs my face may be suffering from. The colour from the stick is quick and easy to apply and subtle enough that you don't need to worry about anything going awry if you're in a rush. And while makeup artists are divided on the issue of end-of-nose highlighting, personally I love to dab a dot from the lighter end onto the tip of mine (you can also accent your Cupid's bow). I'm convinced my skin looks best during the winter, and this move always gives me a just-came-in-from-the-cold freshness.

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