Sarah Simpson lets us in on her love/hate relationship with her lifelong partner in crime.

I shouldn’t complain about growing up being called “cute” – there are certainly worse things to be labelled – but the thing that made me cute was my skin. I have freckles. Lots of them. This is fine when you’re running around the playground but teenagers don’t want to look cute. I spent hours in front of the mirror applying thick, ageing layers of make-up to camouflage my skin, trying to achieve the look my porcelain-faced friends took for granted. Fast-forward to the ripe-old age of 36 and I’m finally embracing my naturally sun-kissed complexion and wearing the least amount of make-up I ever have – after all, the cute factor of freckles helps me lie about my age! Here’s my guide to making the most of a freckly face.

Freckle facts
A freckle is a small cluster of concentrated melanin which more often than not is a result of sun exposure. They normally start to crop up in your childhood and depending on your sun protection regime, will continue to multiply as the years go on. If you want to avoid adding to your freckle quota – the best prevention is to arm yourself with a high SPF to protect your skin. We also love these CC Creams from Bobbi Brown.
TRY: Bobbi Brown CC Cream SPF30+, $75.

Flatter your freckles
Experts say the best approach to dealing with freckles is to blur the distance between them and your base skin tone with the help of products like gradual tan or a bronzing cream. These work to even out your colour and create a more subtle, pixelated look. The result? A dewy, sun-kissed complexion.
TRY: Jane Iredale Tantasia, $87.

The art of coverage
There are times when you might want to cover up your angel kisses, in which case it’s best to choose a foundation cut out for the job. Anything too drying could look ageing and cakey, so go for a base which offers your skin nourishment and moisture. The fully covered-up look is best saved for after the sun goes down – daylight shows up everything, flaws included, but candlelight is much more forgiving.
TRY: MAC Pro Longwear SPF 10 Foundation, $70.

Shift the focus
Another way to approach freckle-gate is to create a bold focal point with your make-up. A standout lip is the perfect distraction. Choose a bright poppy red, fuchsia pink or warm plum to create a powerful pout. Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick in Commanding, $59, Bobbi Brown Art Stick in Berry Brown, $50, and Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Plumalicious, $26.

To blush or not to blush?
Some blush can jar against freckles, so it’s best to choose one that tones with your hair colour. Redheads with freckles should steer clear of pink for fear of it looking like sunburnt skin. Instead, opt for a peach-toned blush. You can also try the ‘bury the blusher’ technique, by applying your blush first and then following with a BB cream. Doing this gives the illusion that the glow is coming from within.
TRY: Jane Iredale In Touch Cream Blush, $51, Bobbi Brown Blush in Pretty Pink, $59.

Shine bright
Mix a few drops of luminiser into your BB cream to bounce light off skin and give it a subtle sheen to further flatter your freckles.
TRY: MAC Strobe Cream, $70.

Layer up
Avoid adding to your freckle count by layering up on SPF. Start with a face cream with SPF50+, then use a tinted moisturiser or foundation with SPF. This will help prevent wrinkles, too. Bonus!

Go faux
Don’t have freckles? Fake it! Freckle pencils are launching internationally (yes, really), but if you can’t wait for them to hit our shores, an eyebrow pencil will suffice.

From the editors of Simply You Body & Beauty.
Photo: Getty Images