BEAUTY:The tipping point from spring to summer usually occurs when a subtle shift casts a different light on your made-up face. Suddenly, your usual make-up doesn't look quite right. Too pale, too matte, too strong – just wrong.
Happily, I bear good tidings: This summer’s look has a casual holiday feel that is easy to emulate – not something you can often say about a catwalk trend . . .
You will need a light base with a hint of a tint, but also with skin-perfecting, illuminating properties. The colour and finish of the skin are key. Start by assessing your skin and then – sparingly – pat or brush concealer on to the areas that need help, usually around the nose and chin.
If you opt for a foundation, Armani’s Luminous Silk (€42) is excellent, and MAC’s Face and Body foundation (€36) goes the distance while maintaining a dewy finish. Karaja Sun Touch (€22) – a cream base with SPF15 and a natural silky finish – is an excellent little number in a cheery orange compact. For stockists, see euro-products.co.uk. As part of Estée Lauder’s summer range, the Bronze Goddess Bronzing Gel (€27) is easy to apply and gives a believable glow.
I’ve always been a great fan La Roche-Posay Anthelios Tinted Cream (€21.50) and now it comes in a fluid as well as the original cream formula. With SPF50, it’s perfect for sensitive types. I use it on my neck and décolleté for a skin-enhancing glow and serious protection – no crepey neck awaits me, folks. Chanel’s Soleil Tan (€42) in Sunkissed is a delicate wash of holiday tint with a beautiful pearlised finish that will have people asking where you’ve been on holiday.
Now, on to colour – and you need look no further than coral. It’s modern, sophisticated and perfectly compliments that healthy glow. As it’s so on trend, you’ll find the beauty counters full of offerings, some suggestions follow.
Blush is optional for this look, in favour of a peachy toned highlighter to dust across cheeks. If you want a separate blush, Shiseido’s Illuminating Satin Face Colour in RD401 (€36) is a pinky coral with a beautiful silky texture. MAC’s Thrills lipstick (€17.50) is a rosy copper shot with gold and it could also double up as a blusher. A highlighting compact will give contour and warmth to the face. Lancôme’s Tropiques Minerale (€45) in Escape to Brazil is an illuminating bronzing palette with peach and gold highlights that would also work as eyecolours for this look. MAC’s Marine Life Highlight Powder (€26) looks very full-on in the palette, but gives a fresh coral boost to cheeks. Keep eyes downplayed with soft neutrals. Clarins Instant Sun Light Quartet and Liner Palette (€35) has the perfect mix of warm and spicy shades for this look. Bobbi Brown’s new Colour Strips, on the other hand, take the headache out of colour matching. A strip of five complementary eye shades and three pot rouge (cheek and lip) colours (from €21) snap neatly into a compact (€5) – you choose your colourway and, easy peasy, everything matches. For corals, choose the Petal eye and Fresh Coral lip sets. Pair them with a mascara rich brown mascara.
A lipgloss will finish this look beautifully and Lancôme gets the shade just right with L’Absolu Crème de Brillance in Orange Sacrée (€23). Chanel’s Bikini Peach (€24) also looks beautiful with tinted skin. Now, roll on summer.