How To Look Blooming Lovely This Spring, Teesdale Mercury

How To Look Blooming Lovely This Spring

Mar 24, 2010

I HARDLY dare count my seasonal chickens but I think that given the recent blue skies, and that glowing ball of fire emanating just a smidgen of heat, that spring has finally sprung.

I apologise to you all now if my speaking out so soon has temptedfate and I am sure, as I am off to the Lake District for the weekend, thatthere will be a biblical amount of rain in March.

But I've said it now...sorry.  

And can you believe it...sunshine? Amazing isn't it? And after such a long, long winter, it's very welcome.

Saying that though, I have somewhat enjoyed the chilly andvery snowy winter. Despite having to trek out in blizzards and repair a leaking room in the dead of night.

This winter I have actually had the chance to wear an array of ‘proper' winter clothes. Long scarves, woollen tights, heavy overcoats,earmuffs and even though this sounds like the typical costume of an Enid Blyton character, I loved every minute of it. 

But now the tide has turned and spring is here. In fact, British summertime officially starts in about two weeks and my thoughts arealready turning to my summer wardrobe.

Shallow you say? Well a little bit yes. But we all get our pleasures where we can and a good proportion of mine lie firmly in the clothes and make-up camp.

But don't lambast me for my trivial indulgences, don't judge me. Everyone changes their wardrobes, and often make-up, depending on the seasons. Plus, the title of this column is fluff and nonsense - what do you expect? I deliver the goods.  

Anyway, while I am yearning to cast my clout, I always adhere to words of wisdom from my nanna and religiously wait until May is out. Be that the month or the blossom. Especially in Teesdale. A crisp spring morning can quickly turn into a cold wintery afternoon. And when you might be called out to a job in Hamsterley, you quickly learn you can't play fast and loose with the weather up here.

So, while you won't see me loitering around the streets in a cropped vest top, I will be making small but subtle changes that will help me feel that somewhere around the unpredictable corner, my gladiator sandals willsee the sunny light of day this summer.

With my woollens firmly in place in my wardrobe, I have decided to make the first changes with my make-up bag. And when I say bag, I actually mean vanity case, because I have a compulsion for buying make-up.

At last count I had over 30 lipglosses/lipsticks...not bad for a girl who doesn't really wear either. 

While most of us girls would love to have a tidy ‘cosmetic purse' filled with attractive-looking Chanel products, the reality is probablya far cry from it.

No matter how many times I put the lid on my kohl eyeliner, it always wriggles off leaving my make-up bag looking like a kid has been at it with a crayon. And everything I take out of it leaves a trail of smudgy blackness - especially bad when it's transferred on a white top.

Looking into my current make-up bag (filtered from the larger case) all I see is a hangover from the party season.

The glittery eyeliners and silver and gold shadows look a little bit sad and dejected come the springtime and they must be put back in their box until autumn...no matter how much I will miss them.

Thankfully, there is a plethora of new, and not too expensive, goodies on the market that can give my tired looking make-up, and complexion, a kick-start into the summer.

While it's hard for me to get away with a too-bronzed lookin the winter and early spring, I have found the perfect face pick-me-up in the shape of Benefit's One Minute Wonder. With just a sweep of this little baby you can look like you have actually experienced some sun in the last 12 months.

No matter how many I've tried I can never manage to find the right eye pencil but after trying Urban Decay Glide-on pencil, I may just well have found perfection because it does exactly what it says it does - it glides on. Zealous Black is an essential for anyone but the new moss green shade ofMildew is lovely for spring.

And if you want to retain a little bit of sparkle - many ofus find it hard to let go post-party season - there is Urban Decay's Stardust eyeshadow.

With more neutral shades like the brown Diamond Dog and Space Cowboy, you can have a little sparkle in your spring.

For spring it's mostly about nudes - as it is with clothes. Beige nail varnish is de rigueur for the foreseeable future and where Chanel leads the way, No7 follows. So if your treasured £5 off voucher is still valid, I suggest as soon as this beauty comes into stock, which should be very soon, you head down there to treat your nails. But if it's all sold out when I get there, there will be trouble.

The combination of biting winds and lack of sunlight has done absolutely zip for my skin and try as I might to look after it, it has most definitely lost any of its lustre that it had last year...hence a deluge of new foundations on the market, promising to perfect your none-too-pretty face.

In my constant search for the perfect foundation, and being very disappointed with my recent purchase of Estee Lauder Double Wear Light, I am going to give Revlon's Photo Ready foundation a crack - I'll let you knowhow it works out. But I'm imagining it won't be as good as I hope.

And finally, for the essential rosy cheeks that can becreated with make-up trickery if the first flush of Spring doesn't do itnaturally, blusher is a must.

Benefit's Posy Tint is the perfect colour to make the apples of your cheeks look aglow but if it's a powder you prefer, then there's options to suit the budget.

Bourjois' pots are always a winner in my books, and more importantly,a winner in the books of many a make-up artists - they are definitely cheep andcheerful and can be bought at Boots.

But if you have a little more cash, Nars blushers are a realtreat and they do last a long time.

So there you have it. Cast off your winter shackles and puta brave new face - albeit a made-up one - on for spring because it most definitely has sprung.

By Kaye Jemmeson