THE BEAUTY counters will soon be awash with the new season’s colour collections.

Look out for eye shadows in vibrant blues, turquoise, violets and greens – this is going to be a colourful spring.

The designer brands have limited edition eye colour palettes of complementary shades – most retail for around the £30 mark – but provide every colour you need for months to come. Clarins, for example, has chosen shades of blue for its spring shadows while Dior has picked soft greens and mauves.

Lips need to be pink for spring. Women with dark eyes and hair should opt for brighter ‘true’ pinks, while those with fair hair look best in paler and more neutral shades.

This is a good time of year to clear out over-used, scruffy looking old make-up – check the ‘use by’ symbol (an open pot) on packaging and throw out any that have overstayed their welcome. Although most products are packed with preservative chemicals (look for parabens on the label) these deteriorate over time. Products such as mascara and lip glosses with applicators are particularly prone to bacterial contamination.