SUMMER BEAUTY: With makeup artist Ann-Marie Carey

The summer season is here and there is no better time to take a long hard look at your cosmetics case and ask yourself, ‘is my make-up looking a little passé? What may have looked chic and stylish a few months ago could be looking totally wrong for summer. The foundation that was perfectly adequate for dark winter nights now seems too thick and robs the skin of its luminescence - bright sunlight shows up caked-on cover up where grey clouds did not.Shades and textures too need a revamp. As your wardrobe takes on the season's new tones, so should your make-up bag. So if you haven't given a thought to your make-up look for a few years, it's is time to throw out the old and bring in the new.Here’s my up-to-the minute seasonal beauty guide on what to keep, what to buy - and what to bin for good.




GOING UP: SHEER SKIN
Mac Face & Body, is my favourite for a nice light coverage foundation which can be layered on to medium coverage. If a dewy finish is your thing, add Mac Strobe cream on the brow bone, above the cheek bone and in the cupids bow. Chanel and Laura Mercier also have luminescent foundations, so go to counters to get patch test and try a sample or application before purchasing.


GOING DOWN:CHALKY LOOKING FOUNDATIONS
Sunlight can be harsh and show up every flaw and wrinkle. I recommend going light on powders and instead opt for Mac Blot powder which mattifies the oily/shine prone areas but does not add any extra pigment. Cream blushes are lovely and natural for summer healthy skin. Apply them with your fingers, on the apples of your cheeks, to add a natural flush to the skin. Instead of layering on a thick foundation to conceal your blemishes, opt for a light foundation in the hot summer months.


GOING UP: NATURAL BROWS
Harsh drawn on brows are best left on the catwalk. Get your brows shaped and threaded for a nice shape to frame your face. A good beauty therapist will know that the tadpole is not a good look and brows should be thicker than a pencil line. Use an angled brush with a co-coordinating eyeshadow to fill in gaps or add definition to brows instead of eyebrow pencils which can appear harsh and ageing if used incorrectly.

GOING DOWN:OVERPLUCKED EYEBROWS
The brows can change your whole face, if plucked into:Triangle shape your face can look harsh and you could risk looking permanently annoyed or surprised.Tadpole shape can also be ageing and gives a severe look to the face. It's shape is thicker at the nose and thinner at bottom. The letter M, makes your eyes, droopy, puffy and very unflattering.


GOING UP:GOOD SKIN AT 40 PLUS
Facials and customised treatments from your salon can be essential during the summer and be beneficial to your specific skin type. Always wear moisturiser with a SPF included and avoid direct exposure with sunlight. Wear a hat and sunglasses to protect premature ageing from the sun.


GOING DOWN:TANOREXIA
A tan can make us look and feel healthier but sun beds are a no no, cancer links and premature ageing are concerns. Instead use a light fake tan, there are ones like Johnson & Johnson, Garnier and Dove ,which are moisturising and give a nice glow to the skin without looking orange
.Always remember to exfoliate and moisturise when using tanning products.


GOING UP:LUSCIOUS,THICK LASHES
Adding a few Individual lashes can open up eyes and make eyes look bigger. Strip lashes can look over the top - so opt for lash extensions with a trusted therapist and can last weeks and in some cases a month or two. A thin line of eyeliner on lash line can also make lashes appear thicker. No wing for daytime, keep that for evening.

GOING DOWN:CLOGGY DESIGNER MASCARA
Lashes always look better when long and thick but beware of companies with their smart advertising campaigns. It's always more attractive to look natural than harsh.When applying mascara, wiggle your mascara wand through your lashes and sweep in an upward motion.2 - 3 coats of mascara can be better than one thick clumpy layer.
If you do get clumpiness use a lash comb and a tissue to remove clumps.


GOING UP: VIBRANT LIP COLOURS
Oranges, corals, orange reds, and vibrant pinks can give lips a gorgeous focus and can give an edge to any outfit - even if the rest of your make up is natural.Try Morange, Lady Danger, Sheen Supreme lipstick or Full Speed - all from MAC - these are this season’s hottest lipcolours.

 GOING DOWN: HEAVY LIPLINER, PEARLY LIPSTICK/GLOSS
Keep lips matt and well shaped with matching lip liner. Apply one layer of lipstick and blot for a more subtle look. If however you want to achieve a real pop of colour after blotting add another layer of your chosen colour and blot again.Touch up's should then be minimal but always pop your lipstick into your bag, handy to top up after meals or drinking.