About FaceI HADN'T BEEN in to the shops for a while, and the voucher for a certain department store was burning a hole in my pocket. My intention was to stock up on a few neutral basics, which I would jazz up with some interesting accessories. The usual then, writes Phyl Clarke.
At the top of the elevator a riot of colour heralded that we were definitely out of winter and into spring - has anyone told the weather fairy? Suddenly my safe neutrals seemed intolerably dull, and I left the store with a long fuchsia pink scarf and a skip in my step.
You know the way you can't judge a purchase properly until you've measured your reflection in your own mirror, with familiar light and accessories to hand? The addition of that single shot of colour gave new life to my neutral palette, and I've decided that this will be my accent colour of the season. And you can do it too, as it applies equally to your make-up wardrobe.
Firstly - pick your shade. Bang on trend are pink, turquoise, orange and coral shades. Deciding which shade is correct for you will depend on your skin tone - pinker tones suit a cooler base, while warmer tones suit a more golden complexion.
Thankfully, the rules are simple to achieve this look. Keep the rest of your make-up neutral, just like your basic clothes palette. You are focusing on a "shot" of colour to add drama, so let your chosen shade sing out without the distraction of attention-grabbing colours on the rest of your face. The trick with this trend is to match your bright clothing item with a flash of the same colour, usually on eyes or lips, but nails can come out to play, too. If you're a die-hard neutral, start by introducing a scarf or maybe a bright bangle or shoes to liven up your look. Stand in front of a mirror with the item up against your face. I was tempted to buy the scarf in orange, but one look at it against my skin tone made me drop it like a hot potato. The orange overwhelmed, the pink enhanced. Try it yourself.
It's very important to bring the clothing item you want to match along when choosing your "flash" shade. Don't rely on your memory of what tone the colour is, your efforts will fall flat if the shades don't match bang on.
Add a touch of pink, one of the easiest of the brights to wear as a lip colour. Choose from the full on fabulousness of Schiap from Nars (€25), or visit the MAC counter where you can check out their new Euristocrats range (€17.50). You may also choose a gloss such as Estée Lauder's Fuchsia (€19.50) for colour without the weight, and it matches my new scarf beautifully.
Orange looks fantastic with a tan, and tangerine lipstick is a huge trend this year with full matt lips drawing the eye at runway shows. Sisley's Mandarine is both long-lasting and hydrating (€34) from Brown Thomas. Givenchy's Fruity Orange is that hard-to-find orange that works with a pink toned skin (€24), from Arnotts.
If you want to work the orange trend but find that tangerine lipstick is a little too much, look to your toes. Lancome's Le Vernis in Orange Flurorama is a neon fluorescent which would grace any sandal for summer (€19.50).
A slick of turquoise is a very complementary colour which can set off your neutrals perfectly. If you want the look with subtlety, go for a wash of your shade on your eyelids or a more vibrant liner. You don't have to go up to the brow paintbox style (that's another trend for another day). Shiseido's Languid Lagoon is just lovely (€24). Clarins's Icy Turquoise gives just the right shot of colour (€16.50). A deeper shade of note is Peacock by Three Custom Colour (€20) - a glorious sparkly teal available from www.nueblueriu.com.
A bright mascara is also another option with the multi award-winning Luxurious Mascara in Extreme Blue from YSL. This gives a false eye lash effect, and was rated as the best mascara by Gok Wan of How to Look Good Naked (€29).
A sophisticated blend of orange and pink, true coral suits all skin tones. A coral classic is Niagra from Nars, it's a "suits-all" bright (€25).
Colorscope Lipcolor in Coral Belle from Prescriptives delivers modern comfort and customising (€21.50). Choose from a cream, shimmer or sparkle finish. How's that for making it your own.