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PEACOCK COLOURS ARE SO NOW FOR MAKE-UP. BUT TO AVOID LOOKING LIKE A GIRL'S WORLD AFTER YOUR BROTHER GOT HIS HANDS ON IT, FOLLOW THESE FOUR SIMPLE STEPS TO WEARING SUMMER BRIGHTS

By Donna Francis

1. THE RULES

* Wear colour where you’d normally wear black
Make-up artist Rachel Wood says: “To work out where you could use super-brights on your eyes, think about where you usually wear black make-up. Coloured liner or mascara is a great way to try this trend.”

* Keep your look simple
“Never use bold colour on lips and eyes,” Rachel warns. “And limit the rest of your make-up to concealer, foundation and mascara, otherwise you’ll look like a fashion victim.”

* Match your make-up to what you’re wearing
“If you can’t decide which shades to choose, match them to the tones in your wardrobe,” Rachel suggests. “So, for a black dress with an electric pink bow, pick up the pink tone with a lipstick or eyeliner.”

2. THE COLOURS

BLUE AND TURQUOISE shades help all eye colours stand out. Nervous of taking the sea-blue plunge? A shot of eyeliner is the boldest and easiest way to work the look. Draw Clarins Waterproof Eye Pencil in Turquoise, £12.50, along the upper lash line, starting at the inner corner and ending with a flick beyond the outer lashes. A slick of blue mascara, like Urban Decay’s Big Fatty Mascara in Electric Blue, £8, makes eyes stand out.

RED AND PINK are a great place for colour virgins to start as they suit all skin tones – but they’re best confined to lips. Chanel’s Rouge Allure in Vertige, £19, is the perfect pillar-box red for a make-an-entrance pout. Or for a more summery look, try a bubblegum pink like Nvey Eco Organic Lipstick in Shade 359, £15.

ORANGE AND CORAL are the newest trend for lips, as seen at the Spring/Summer catwalk shows. A great suits-everyone coral shade is YSL Fard a Levres Rouge Pur Lipstick in Shade 21, £18. But if you’re looking for a hot shot of orange then try Sisley Long Lasting Hydrating Lipstick in Mandarin, £25.50.

PURPLE AND VIOLET are a fab summer alternative to the grey and charcoal smoky eye of 2007. Brush Bourjois Ombre Stretch Eyeshadow in Profond, £6.95, over your lids and all the way up to the brow. Follow with black mascara. Deeper purples work well on lips – Maybelline Moisture Extreme Sensual Satin Lipstick in Velvet Wine, £4.99, is a great shade for a night out.

GREEN AND YELLOW eye colours look best on darker skin types, as these tones can make fair girls look tired. To keep citrus shades looking modern, choose products with a matte finish. Try Shu Uemura Cream Eyeshadow in Yellow, £16, or Lancôme Colour Design Eyeshadow in Green Bikini, £13.50. Wear on your lids or blend up to your brow line for extra va-va-voom.

3. THE METHOD

Lips:

* Colour accentuates dryness, so exfoliate lips gently with a spare toothbrush.

* Keep lips supple with balm. Apply five minutes before your lipstick, so it doesn’t make the colour slip. Blot with a tissue to keep colour on longer.

* Draw a line of concealer round your outside lip line before applying lipstick to stop colour bleeding.

* Apply straight from the stick if you’re a lipstick pro. If not, use a brush like Famous By Sue Moxley Lip Brush, £6, and paint on colour gradually.
* Avoid lipliner – it makes bright colours look harsh and dated.

Eyes:

* Apply foundation or concealer on your lids first, to give the shadow something to stick to and stop it clumping into creases.

* Wear two or three layers of shadow to help the pigment last.

* Use fingers for smooth application, as brushes can give a harsh finish.

* If you’re not sure about blending, only apply one bright colour on your lids.

* Colour can sometimes magnify under-eye circles so try a sheer concealer like L’Oréal Paris Touche Magique Concealer, £6.99, over any shadows.

WIN BEAUTY GOODIES

WIN 20 Bourjois Ombre Stretch Eyeshadow in Profond

Give your eyes a little splash of colour with these fab eyeshadows from Bourjois! They even come with a little brush for ease of application. Now, we have 20 of these fab purple Bourjois eyeshadows to giveaway!

To enter, just click here and send us your details.

Usual terms and conditions apply. Competition closes at midnight on 5th July 2008.

Stockists: Benefit (benefitcosmetics.co.uk), Bourjois (department stores nationwide), Chanel (leading chemists and department stores nationwide), Clarins (clarins.co.uk), Nvey Eco (0161 718 5905), Famous by Sue Moxley (Superdrug stores nationwide), Lancôme (stores nationwide), L’Oréal Paris (stores nationwide), Maybelline (stores nationwide), Shu Uemura (020 7240 7635), Sisley (020 7591 6381), Urban Decay (Boots, Debenhams and House Of Fraser), YSL (leading department stores nationwide)

Words: Jamie hughes, Folio-id, Studio21photo.com