Colour your LIFE

THIS season brands have gone to town with light and bright hues to put a spring in our step and revamp uninspiring make-up bags.

“Colour is back and making a statement for spring/summer 13,” says Kirstin Piggott, Rimmel make-up artist.

“Whether you wear beautiful soft powdery pastels or bold pigments, a focal bright shade either on the eyes or lips is a key trend in make-up looks. This season it’s all about being fun and experimental.”

Embrace the new season with beauty’s sea of fresh colour.

EYES — GO BLUE

Blue is officially the new spring black, whether it’s a pretty cornflower pastel wash or turquoise lined eye.

“A directional bold eyeliner is an amazing way to add a mega flash of colour without having to brave coloured eyeshadow,” advises make-up artist Liz Beckett.

Keep mascara to a minimum to make your true blue liner stand out.

LIPS — MAKE THEM POP

Pouts are anything but hidden in the background this season. Choose from tones of scarlet, magenta, fuchsia or coral, or get creative and mix two bold shades together.

“Pops of velvet brights are this season’s nude lip,” says L’Oreal Paris make-up artist Val Garland.

“When creating a powdery lip, dust a powder over the chin to catch any excess pigment then sweep the powder away with a soft brush.”

NOSE — JUST ADD FRECKLES

The signature of youth, freckles are the instant way to anti-age your face — with no pricey skin cream involved.

Embrace the faux freckled look for perfectly preppy skin that’s been magically sunkissed. It’s an easy effect to achieve but think subtle scattering rather than oversized dots that look OTT. The look should say athletic glamour rather than fancy dress gone wrong.

Revlon global artistic director Gucci Westman says: “Adding freckles to the face feels youthful and sweet. Create a thin point using brown eyeliner and add sporadically for authenticity.”

PASTEL PRETTY

Every spring has a dominant colour theme, whether it’s subdued nudes or flashy neons. For 2013, sugary sorbet hues are sweetening up beauty counters with limited editions aplenty. Estée Lauder’s Pure Colour Nail Lacquer fanciful collection of pastels has been christened ‘Heavy Petals’.

Creative make-up director Tom Pecheux says: “I thought of amazing bouquets from the flower markets, the pretty pastels of children’s carousels and the pops of colour from macaroons for inspiration.”

Simply choose your intensity, ranging from wishy-washy watercolours to power pastels that pack a dramatic punch.

FACE — THINK MANNEQUIN SKIN

A season awash with uplifting spring colour requires the perfect base to pull everything off. Aim for mannequin-like skin with a luminous finish. Say goodbye to matte and flat, and hello to hydrated skin with flattering subtle highlights that bring your features to life.

“Highlights are about pulling your face back from the foundation,” says M.A.C’s director of make-up artistry, Terry Barber, who dubs it 3D spa skin. “It’s the idea of nude skin that’s slightly high-tech for a well-conditioned look that’s balmy and beautified.”

BROWS — SUPERSIZE THEM

Blame Cara Delevingne. The supermodel-of-the-moment admits she never tweezes or threads her caterpillar shape and the power brow look has well and truly caught on.

Dominant boyish brows automatically give eyes a tough, modern edge.

If you’re not the proud owner of a bushy pair, step away from the tweezers and use an eyebrow pencil to create the illusion of couture brows.

Make-up artist Bobbi Brown says: “Use a brow pencil in the shade that matches your natural hair colour to define brows. Begin at the inner corner of the brow and follow its natural shape using light, feathery strokes.”