KEY POINTS:
Winter makeup ranges are heading into store soon, but we're not ready for groomed glamour quite yet. It's more fun sporting sunny shades. Make the most of the end of the season and the warmer tone in your skin, because inevitably it will have darkened a little over summer and this calls for brighter cosmetic colours. We reckon these hot summer shades are worth hanging on to. They look great with a little colour in your cheeks - real or fake.
1 Elizabeth Arden Exceptional Lipstick in Marigold $40
This hot orange shade has a rich smooth texture and good staying power.
2 Clarins Single Eye Colour in Icy Turquoise $38
A shot of bright colour smudged along the lash line is a sure-fire way to inject some drama into your makeup without getting too carried away with shadow all over the place. Add mascara and lipstick or gloss and you're done.
3 Smashbox Wicked Lovely cream eye liners and loose shimmer shadow $58
A good combination for people who don't mind taking the time to draw on liner and blend shadow properly, all in one cunning little pottle.
4 Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Compact, Limited Edition in Copper Diamond $100
Keep that healthy colour coming by swirling on the graduated shades in this special compact.
5 Revlon Nail Enamel in Craving Coral $14
More interesting than neutral nails, this warm shade is versatile enough to work with most wardrobes.
6 Nars The Multiple blush/bronzer duo in Orgasm/South Beach $125
Cream formulas of the suit-everyone flushed blush shade Orgasm and a good mid-toned bronzer, which I prefer to the darker top-seller Laguna. There are four colours in all, each with an uplifting golden gleam.
7 M.A.C Cremesheen Lipstick in Ravishing $38
True to name, the texture is creamy, the finish satiny. This soft sunset coral colour is one of a range of shades from near nude to rich red.
8 L'Oreal Volume Collagen Mascara $34.99
This new mascara's waxy smooth formula gives impressive lump-free volume to lashes, but with its truly giant brush I felt like I was waving a furry caterpillar at my eye.
9 Christian Dior 5-colour eyeshadow in Twilight $108
By night you need to add some intensity to your eye makeup. These moody blue shades inject depth and drama.
Stockists: Leading department store and pharmacies unless otherwise stated. Clarins also at selected salons. M.A.C from M.A.C Chancery and St Lukes and Smith & Caughey. Smashbox, Ponsonby Rd, and selected Life pharmacies, smashboxcosmetics.co.nz and Mecca from Mecca, Ponsonby Rd, meccacosmetica.co.nz