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From flicky hair to pretty accessories and warm orange shades, Susannah Taylor has the lowdown on the ten hair and beauty rules you need to follow this spring...
Click through the gallery to find out what's hot this season.
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Forget crazy double-coloured eyelids or multi-pigmented lips, the biggest beauty trend on the catwalk for spring/ summer was SKIN. Flawless, perfected, beautified skin. With foundation technology at an all-time high, it has never been more possible to achieve a radiant complexion (even if you don’t have one yourself). Here at GTG we have fallen head over our make-up bags in love with the new Air de Teint skin perfector from Lancome (available in store from 12th February), which isn’t really a foundation, but more a sheer skin beautifier that even the most make-up phobic can smudge on with fingers and achieve a flawless effect.
Finish with a dusting of the new Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat, £28 for the kind of glow we wish Mother Nature intended to give us.
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When you think of centre partings, erase all images of nerdy school geeks from your mind. Instead, Google images of Charlie’s Angels and other ridiculously beautiful, glowing ’70s icons such as Lauren Hutton, Ali MacGraw, Goldie Hawn and Charlotte Rampling all of whom had centre-parted locks. From long undulating waves at Anna Sui to poker straight at Chloe, lengths can be styled any which way this season, as long as you're sporting ‘the Great Divide’.
Hair stylists use a tail comb to create the perfect centre parting. We love Kent Tail Comb , £3.50.
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Just as you got your head round wearing red lipstick this winter, I’m afraid it’s all change once more (it’s good to keep things fresh, right?). This spring (and I predict this summer), the hottest lip shade to be seen sporting is orange. The fashionistas among you may feel particularly daring with a bold tangerine shade as seen here at the DKNY catwalk show, but many of us may prefer something more subtle such as a sheer or sheeny coral or peach.
Some of the best orange-based shades are from YSL who do a variety of tangy shades in a multitude of different finishes. My favourites are the Rouge Pur Couture in le Orange, £25, Rouge Volupte Shine in Coral Incandescent, £25, and Volupte Sheer Candy in Dewy Papaya, £25.
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Hair went both ways on the Spring/Summer catwalks – either super straight or kinky and curly. While I love the former for extreme chicness, this spring I’ll be trying out the latter for a bit of fun. If you haven’t tried out the curl genius that is the Babyliss Curl Secret Styler, £119, then you need to. While it seems expensive, it is one of the most incredible hair tools I have ever seen invented. It works by drawing sections of hair into the barrel and setting them into a natural looking wave. Using it is as satisfying as the finished look.
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The freshest take on a smokey eye for spring is using warm shades of amber, bronze and flesh tones as seen here at Etro. This was a trick I recently picked up from make-up artist Kay Montano who explained that it’s often unflattering for many people to use dark greys and blacks which can look very harsh. Instead of opting for black or brown eyeliner this spring, instead choose a lighter, warmer option such as this Kevyn Aucoin Eyeshadow Duo in 210, £36. It will make the colour and the whites of your eyes pop, and give subtle definition without looking obvious.
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The hippest place to wear your accessories this season is your hair. Just like choosing the right statement necklace however, there are many hair accessory ‘looks’ to go for. One of the prettiest is the Grecian style seen here at Dolce and Gabbana, where hair is tied into a loose chignon and finished with a golden coin-laden hair band. For a similarly romantic look check out the Jewelled Kamala Headband at Anthropologie , £24. For more preppy dressers meanwhile, a cute addition to your look would be to pin back one or both sides of your hair using the Pattern Rotation hair pins , £16. Finally the Geo Hair Pin , £8 is glamorous without being OTT - perfect for days that turn into party nights out.
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I’ve noticed something lately: that the coolest, hippest models are all doing a super sexy side flick (either that or the centre parting as shown above) that has a rock-chick vibe. The key to the look (seen here at the Pucci show) is to sweep hair from the side of one temple over to the other side so that it falls on your face and has height at the root. Hair lacking the required oomph? Tip damp hair upside down and spritz with Original Mineral Atonic Thickening Spritz , £19. Dry using the
Parlux 3200 Compact Hairdryer , the pro hairdryer all the stylists use for extra gumption.
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Does blue eyeshadow ever look good? Yes, actually this season it really does. The key, as seen here at the Marc Jacobs show is to wear it with very nude skin and very little other make-up. Try a painterly sweep of cobalt on the lids as shown here, or if you’re not feeling quite so brave, line your upper lids with a blue kohl pencil so that when you blink you can see a flash of blue.
Try Aquadisiac Eyeshadow from MAC , £12.50 or Pro Longwear Eyeliner by MAC , £16.50.
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My nails are like a barometer of the seasons - already the navy blues, black and dark reds that were so spot on prior to Christmas don’t seem so spot on anymore. As the snowdrops appear outside I’m wanting to go light, nude or mega bright in anticipation of spring and on the spring/summer catwalks, the chicest shades were beiges, white, gold and yellow. I have also spotted (and I’m going to stick my neck out here), the return of the French manicure at Roksanda Ilincic and Balmain. The key to making this chic now? A super fine white tip - we’re talking half a millimetre max. TOWIE girls need not apply. My fave nail brand right now? Tom Ford Nail Lacquer , £26. No one does white, gold, and beige more glamorously.
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Soft, chic, and very feminine, the romantic chignon has made a comeback to the catwalk for spring/summer and it makes a refreshing change from the hard, gothic, bad-girl feel of winter trends. If your hair is lacking in texture, try using The O from Cloud Nine , £199.95 for the set. This pod heats rollers in less than four seconds and creates romantic waves in minutes. Next, tie hair into a loose ponytail at the nape of the neck before pinning the ends around the hair elastic. Pull out strands for a more ethereal effect.
