Spring's bright new mood (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Spring's bright new mood

7:00am Saturday 16th March 2013 in Lifestyle

Ditch the dark make-up for a lighter look for spring. Lisa Haynes unveils the new season nuances.

By Lisa Haynes

If winter has felt a little black, white and grey, inject some colour back into your life via your vanity case.

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 London's 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 In the words of Frank Sinatra, Ol' Blue Eyes Is Back - but there's nothing old-fashioned about this look.

Banish visions of an Eighties throwback. Fashion-forward aquamarines are the favoured colour family gracing eye sockets this season.

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 really make your true blue liner stand out.

Lips - Make them pop Pouts are anything but hidden in the background this season. Achieve a loud mouth with a statement spring bright that does all the talking for you.

Choose from tones of red-hot scarlet, magenta, fuchsia or coral, or get creative and mix two bold shades together to create your own signature lip hit.

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

"When creating a 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."

Colour palette - Pastel pretty Every spring has a dominant colour theme for make-up and nails, whether it's subdued nudes or flashy neons. For 2013, sugary sorbet hues are sweetening up beauty counters with limited editions aplenty.

Estee Lauder's Pure Colour Nail Lacquer fanciful collection of mouthwatering 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. Think of them as the new mascara for framing your eyes.

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."

Tried & Tested Overwhelmed by new trends? Our testers give their nails a slick of classic nude pink: :: Seventeen Lasting Fix Nail Colour in limited edition Darling, £2.99 (Boots). Available March 20.

If you like your polish on the shimmery side, this pink from the Oh So Spring collection is for you. It's verging on mauve rather than nude but the polish delivers a smooth finish and dries quickly with two coats.

3/5 :: Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish in Caramel Cupcake, £2.99 (Boots/Superdrug) One coat of this gives a sheer barely-there glossy layer that blends in with my natural nail colour. A second coat adds a light caramel sheen. Dries fast, durable and easy to apply, thanks to the Xpress flat brush.

3/5 :: Avon Nailwear Pro+ Nail Enamel in Naked Truth, £6 (avonshop.co.uk).

Subtle and stylish, this nude pink from Avon is a great muted tone. Easy to apply, smooth and quick-drying, you need two coats to maximise the classy colour but once applied and dried, it's pretty hard-wearing.

4/5 Buy it now Now the international fashion weeks are over for another season, get a touch of couture with Givenchy. The limited edition Haute Couture Look gift set contains Noir Couture 4-in-1 Mascara and Le Rouge Lip Colour, £22.50 (01932 233 824).

Beauty bulletin :: Fudge fans Who needs advertising when you have One Direction? The boy band are huge fans of Fudge haircare after trying out the brand backstage at the Brit Awards and ordered a whopping 100 tubes of Fudge Matte Hed Extra to take on tour. Liam Payne tweeted his appreciation, which has been re-tweeted by 1D's avid fan base almost 50,000 times. Matte Hed Extra strong hold wax is £12.45, available at www.fudge.com :: Recessionista alert Celebrate spring with Coty L'Aimant. Throughout March and April, spend £10 or more on fragrance and receive a free candle or compact mirror gift. A 30ml parfum de toilette is £10.49 for 30ml, available at Boots nationwide.