It's bright! It's fun! It's bold! Welcome to the wonderful new world of make-up. A palette of rainbow shades awaits you and the only thing not needed is discreet good taste. Let your imagination - and eye liner - run free. Dare to mix pink and green together, or put orange next to blue. Shed your inhibitions when it comes to looking like a bilious Barbie. The only colour you will want to avoid is a natural flesh tone. Little girls used to lick Smarties and then smear the food dye on cheeks and lips to imitate adult sophistication.
It was a first tentative step towards applying make-up, usually scrubbed off very fast by irate mothers. Now those same little girls, albeit a few years older, are trying to achieve the same Smarties look. And cosmetic companies have been quick to catch onto the craze for bright colour. This is quite a change from the low-key "no make-up" make-up which has been popular over the past few years. Fashion in the early part of this decade reflected the move towards a gentler, more kindly and environmentally conscious society. Cosmetics started to become invisible as women wanted to look fresh and free-spirited, not weighed down by lots of foundation and blusher.
They wore just as much make-up, of course, but this was designed to be lighter and less visible. Before too long, however, the no makeup trend began to look more than a little dull. After all, what is the point of cosmetics if no one can see them? The reaction in favour of bright tones was inevitable although oddly enough it began not on women's faces but their hands. In 1996 nail polish, which for as long as anyone could remember had come in two shades - blood red or neutral - suddenly went into technicolour overdrive. A Californian company called Hard Candy produced wild and whacky polishes running the gamut from acid green to silver-flecked purple and with names such as Tramp and Icky Egg Nog.
Other small American businesses, such as the charmingly-named Urban Decay, followed suit and a fad for bizarre coloured nails quickly emerged. Women in impeccable, tailored suits would remove their gloves to reveal metallic-hued talons or, following the example of Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction, black nails courtesy of Chanel. It was too good and too lucrative a craze to stop there. Last spring, Christian Dior cosmetics released a line of mascara for hair; magic wands brushing streaks of colour across a woman's head. The electric blue mascara was particularly popular.
And so to the face, that canvas which has always been waiting for the attention of an enthusiastic maquilleur. Forget all that nonsense about getting by with just a suggestion of lip gloss and a good sunscreen. Today, a whole lot more cosmetic assistance than that will be required. There will, for example, be a colour corrective followed by foundation and maybe a little concealer too.
Then comes blusher, face powder, eye liner and shadow as well as mascara, lip pencil and lip stick. Not just one item of each either, but probably two or three. Right now, even a trowel will not be a substantial enough implement to lay on the make-up. Apply thick and leave to set would be the best instructions anyone could receive before embarking on a make-up overhaul right now. And the other piece of advice is: do not be sparing with colour. The variety of shades on offer has never been surpassed. Every cosmetic house has produced its own line of bright and beautiful products.
Some companies, such as MAC, have a reputation for being innovators in this area since their clientele tends to be young and keen to keep up with new ideas. Other distinguished businesses, most notably Lancome, have decided to update their image by boldly embracing the colour craze and employing their own make-up artists to create new lines each season. Blue lips and pink eyelids are unlikely to meet with universal approbation but at the moment, they represent the mood of make-up. Many women are still tentatively trying out the bright colours.
They know investing in a whole bunch of new cosmetics can be a costly business. If you feel uncertain about whether this is going to be your look, why not try experimenting first with a packet of Smarties.
The make-up makeover: the four women before they were made-up. Photographs by Peter Thursfield
Hannah Moore
Hannah Moore went to Annie Gribben who used her own line of Face 2 make-up including pale pink eye shadow, navy indigo eyeliner, English rose lipstick and bronzeberry powder blush. While Hannah would not usually wear so much make-up she thought the colours "particularly well-chosen for my skin tones."
Face 2 is available at Debenhams, Jervis Shopping Centre, Dublin.
Aoibhne Hogan
Aoibhne Hogan was made-up by Ailbhe Lynch using Miners which has recently been relaunched in this country. Black and white as well as purple and blue were all applied around her eyes, while her skin received foundation, concealer and powder. She removed the lot as soon as the photograph had been taken commenting quietly that what she had been given was "slightly more than usual."
Miners Make-Up is available at outlets throughout the country including Pennys, Roches Stores, Clery's and selected pharmacies.
Catherine Ann Heaney
Catherine Ann Heaney was told to "lower her head and look up" by Lancome's Debrah Boylan in order to make the most of the New Vert eyeshadow and black kohl and liner. The iridescent green lip gloss was judged particularly effective by the day's other make-up guinea pigs, so Catherine Ann felt she need not remove it before returning to work.
Lancome's new Chrysalis range is available at stockists throughout the country.
Louise East
Handed over to Rachel Thorne of the MAC department in Brown Thomas, Louise East found her pale skin tones covered with a concealer, matte finish foundation and loose powder before a range of pink tones from the company's new Shades of Venus spring range was applied to her cheeks, eyes and lips. "Here comes the albino," she said afterwards, but that didn't stop her wearing the make-up for the rest of the day.
MAC is only available at Brown Thomas, Dub- lin.
A new wardrobe for a new season: four experts advise
1 Nikki Creedon, Havana, Donnybrook, Dublin "will not be having any brown" in her wardrobe this season. Instead, she will be adding an Ann Demeulemeester white trouser suit "similar to the cut of a man's suit."
2 Deryn Mackay of Khan, Blackrock, Co Dublin will be "taking my I.Blues slim leg wool trousers out and replacing them with Rene Lezard wide leg drawstring trousers in linen; I will wear these with either a Mulberry linen shirt or some John Rocha cotton knits".
3 Kate Gaffney from Diffusion, Clontarf, Dublin plans to file down "my drawer full of body suits and wonder bras to wear just easy T-shirts instead. I must have a pair of Amanda Pollini chunky loafers; they're comfortable and look brilliant with a trouser suit, jeans and long skirts."
4 Patricia Tsouros, Whistles, Westbury Mall, Dublin wants to "throw out my Whistles brown pinstripe wool suit - I wore it for the last two winters nearly every day - and add a John Rocha fitted leather jacket and Martine Sitbon viscose shift dress in black and cream which would take me anywhere, anytime."
Face up to the summer with the latest skincare products
Almost every skincare range now produced carries a hypoallergenic claim, even though there is no industry standard for such statements. So decided to submit its new All-Sensitive range to a series of rigorous tests on skin of the most susceptible kind. Results from patch testing, sensitive scalp and skin use and panel testing all indicated the line of products was superior to those from leading competitors in the field. As with every Aveda item, the All-Sensitive line is based on pure flower and plant ingredients. There are seven products ranging from a cleanser (£24.50) and moisturiser (£35) to shampoo (£10.50) and styling gel (£15). All share the same mild qualities and, according to Aveda, can be tolerated even by particularly sensitive individuals.
Sleepless with anxiety about what seems to be the inexorable advance of wrinkles on your face? Then 's imminent Retinol Concentre Pur All-Night Anti-Wrinkle Treatment may be what you need to use. Three years ago, the company first stabilised Vitamin A for use in a cosmetic; as retinol, it is capable of ensuring cell regeneration and protein synthesis. In this new facial formulation, the retinol comes in a higher formulation - 0.1 per cent - than ever before, working at night when cell renewal is at its highest. In clinical trials, RoC reports, after 12 weeks everyone who participated "said they found the product effective". RoC's Retinol Concentre Pur will be on sale nationwide before the end of April and is priced £19.95 for a 30 ml tube.
A triumvirate of Vitamin C, gingseng and ginkgo features in Lancome 's latest addition to skincare, Vitabolic Deep Radiance Booster . The company explains that the basis of this cream gel is a glycerin-enriched water droplet capable of protecting the active Vitamin C complex and carrying the latter directly to skincells where it can offer improved tone and clarity. More immediately visible is increased radiance and glowing skin. Because Vitamin C is extremely fragile and decays quickly when exposed to water or air, Vitabolic comes sealed in an airtight aluminium tube which guards against oxidisation. A 30 ml tube is available from all Lancome stockists for £25.
Thanks to greater awareness of the environment's damaging effects, the number of facial masks sold across Europe has doubled over the past two years, with some 40 per cent of women using these products on a regular basis. Meeting this demand, Helena Rubinstein has now created four masks, combining traditional ingredients with state-of-the-art technology and each inspired by a different element. The Air mask provides a gentle exfoliating action thanks to the presence of Japanese grains, while the Earth mask, containing sandalwood bark extract along with mineral and plant trace elements purifies skin. The Water mask with extract of seaweed and mineral salts can provide deep-down hydration and aided by sunflower seeds and fruit acids the Sun mask serves up instant radiance. All cost £19 for 50 ml, except for the Air Mask which is £18; they can be found at the Helena Rubinstein counter in Brown Thomas, Dublin.
If you are worried about slackening skin, it is worth trying 's newly-released Body Firming Cream (£28 for 200ml). Non-oily, lightweight and hypoallergenic, this is a blend of a vegetal complex, sage and olive extracts with silicum and ginkgo biloba. Clarins recommends the cream to women over the age of 40 to assist in the prevention of skin slackening and premature ageing. Anyone who has recently given birth or on a slimming programme may also benefit from the Body Firming Cream which should be applied morning and/or evening to problem areas such as inner thighs and upper arms.
Not cheap - but still much less expensive than a face lift - Estee Lauder has produced a 14-day skin treatment offering a new level of freshness and firmness to dry, delicate skin. Called the Re-Nutriv Intensive Lifting Series, this set of little vials (one per day) contains "potent anti-irritant and reparative properties that bring skin in crisis back to its normal state". The elements in the lifting series include a restorative enzyme, an advanced polymer that expands during drying "to give a lifting signal to skin" and a potent AHA. Estee Lauder's 14-day rescue treatment is a further development on last year's Re-Nutriv Intensive Lifting Creme; the Re-Nutriv Intensive Lifting Series is available at selected Estee Lauder outlets from today and costs £200.50.
Lecture series
Dublin Corporation's public libraries division has organised a series of talks on the theme "Feeling Good, Looking Great" scheduled each Thursday at 6.30 p.m. for the next three weeks. On April 16th, Joan Glynn of Nature's Way Naturecure Centre in the Ilac Shopping Centre will explain how to "Spring clean your system," while a week later Colour Connections's Brid Egan suggests you "Unclutter, colour and co-ordinate your wardrobe and make-up for spring." Finally, on April 30th Victoria Cook of Anne Weeks Beauty Ltd talks on "Looking after your skin" including advice on remedial camouflage. The talks take place in the Dublin Corporation Central Library, Ilac Centre and admission is free. For further information, please telephone 01-8734333.
The Irish Times Readers' Offer
Next Sunday, April 19th is Europe Race Day at Leopardstown in Dublin and to mark the occasion, department store Debenhams has organised a Best Dressed Lady competition. A panel of distinguished judges including RTE's Mary Kennedy and Debenham's head of design, Linda Robinson, will be keeping a keen eye on all the smart women present, one of whom will be presented with a £2,000 Debenhams voucher to spend in the Dublin store.
To celebrate the occasion and encourage you to take part in the competition, Debenhams is giving away 10 pairs of tickets for Europe Race Day to Irish Times readers. These tickets will include free parking, admission to the race course and a silver service lunch with wine, the total worth £100 per pair of tickets. All you have to do to be eligible for a pair is bring a copy of this page to the customer services desk at Debenhams in the Jervis Shopping Centre today after noon. The first 10 readers to come to the desk will each be given a pair of tickets.