On Beauty: The colour of things to come

I certainly don’t mean to be a harbinger of negativity by reminding anyone that Irish summers are short. It seems like a pointlessly negative statement; the sort of thing your permanently dissatisfied granny might say while sulking in the shade with an ironically jaunty-looking summer drink clutched in her hand.

Still, for lovers of beauty, the brevity of summer is an important factor in deciding how to spend your money. The lure of bronzers and summery shades is strong, particularly for those drawn in by beautiful packaging. But if we get three (non-consecutive weeks) of sun in the summer, we go light-headed with the novelty.

Apart from foundation and mascara, eyeshadow is the key part of any make up look, but we often tend to impulse buy it. Particularly when investing in more expensive high-end make up, prudence is important, and this is the best time of year to invest in shades that will work year round.

Around late September and October, the dark, often impractically broody, black, khaki and plum shades will hit make-up counters. But before they do, there will be a brief period of trans-seasonal hybrid shades which capture wintry moodiness and depth without entirely shrugging off the warmth of summer. We’ve hit non-committal season in make-up terms, and I intend to take advantage of it.

One of Mac's best summer offerings, Eyes On M.A.C, takes all of the fuss out of creating your own eyeshadow palette, and saves you the expense of buying several individual shadows. The Eye Shadow x 15 Neutral Palettes (available in Warm Neutral and Cool Neutral, €75) contain every shadow you will need for any day or evening look, regardless of the season.

Considering that an individually priced Mac shadow refill for a palette will set you back €10, you’re making a saving of €75 by investing in one of these. It is an eye wardrobe, and will see you through years of great make up. Warm Neutral in particular captures the golden warmth of summer while including enough rust and chocolate hues to work all the way through winter and spring.

I consider Clarins to be a thoroughly underrated brand when it comes to make up. Their skincare is top notch and recognised as such, but their colour products tend to suffer – unjustifiably – from a slightly dowdy reputation. Their new 5-Colour Eyeshadow Palettes in Pretty Day and Pretty Night (€38 each) are a tidy travel size option to see you through the seasons. The finishes come in universally buttery textures, offer excellent pigmentation and give a lovely depth when worn together.

The star of this (between) season's eyeshadow is undoubtedly from Chanel's almost epicurean autumn collection. The collection contains two eyeshadow palettes, but Les 4 Ombres in Tissé d'Automne is most investment worthy. The shades are inspired by nature, and formulations vary from soft sheens to light reflective metallics. Channelling autumn leaves and that curiously pink light of late summer evenings, this palette is a timeless addition.