Colour Catcher

Old habits die hard. Especially when it comes to make-up. But with all the fabulous autumn colours landing on the counters - and oh, isn't it so much more recession-friendly to scoop up some new make-up shades than a whole new wardrobe? - it is time to put on a new face.

The question is: where to start? When it comes to choosing colours, it's a minefield. Hard and fast rules are surprisingly hard to come by, but a rule of thumb is: leave all those eye-catching 'rainbow' shades (think: pink eyeshadow, purple lips and turquoise nail polishes etc.) to your teenage daughters/goddaughters/nieces. (On the turquoise nail polish front, I made a serious error of judgment for a beauty editor this summer and acquired - briefly - a turquoise toe job, which basically looked like mouldy cheese. It was back to pillar-box red, double-fast.)

The good news is that actually, make-up brands are playing it pretty safe this autumn. Yes, there are some deep plums and purples around (and a pretty stunning electric blue nail polish from Lancôme, as it happens), but in general, you're looking at nudes, browns, blacks, with pretty rose pinks for lips and cheeks. 'These are the "Little Black Dresses" of make-up shades,' explains make-up artist Davinia Fermi, a highly-experienced make-up artist (and brow-shaping expert) who's worked for countless glossy magazines and advertising clients, and has now 'landed' in East Sussex where she's whisking her brushes skilfully over delighted women's faces. When I had tea recently with make-up creator Sylvie Chantecaille, she confirmed: 'A lot of brands are bringing out classic shades, this autumn/winter. They're low-risk colours, which is great because most women, right now, are more budget-conscious, and are looking for shades that will endure beyond a single season.' (Although alongside the 'Little Black Dress' colours, meanwhile, are some gorgeous golds - which are also make-up classics. I'm particularly taken with Estée Lauder's Sensuous Gold collection, which isn't disco-dazzly, but subtly shimmering and very chic indeed.)

'For foolproof eyes, stick to a palette of neutral, natural tones,' advises Davinia. (Make-up veteran Barbara Daly agrees: 'Don't get lured into wearing bright eyeshadows because they can be very ageing.') Says Davinia: 'Steer clear of nudes, which can make you look washed-out - but don't go to the other extreme. You want colours that are softened - like soft rose, soft plum, soft apricot - but which are definitely "there".'

So: how do you shop for shades? If you can't afford a one-on-one make-up consultation with someone like Davinia, I'm a great advocate of the free department store makeover. But as she points out, 'Don't just go in as a "blank canvas". Wear your usual make-up, so that the consultant gets an idea of the way you usually like to look, rather than projecting their own ideas on you.' (Personally, I often steer women who just don't know where to start in the direction of Laura Mercier and Bobbi Brown's make-up artists, as these two ranges - in my experience - are invariably ultra-wearable, with no scare-the-horses/stop-the-traffic shades in their ranges whatsoever.) If you want an update, rather than a whole new look, suggest that the consultant works by adding colour to the make-up you usually wear - perhaps a sweep of one of the new colours on the lid, a touch of shimmer on the brow, a new blusher shade - 'But basically, not straying too far from the colours you're comfortable with,' advises Davinia. (And do forget everything you ever heard about matching your eyeshadow to your eyes. Blue eyes - and green eyes - look great with brown shadows, while brown eyes look lovely with grey.)

And what about the whole warm/cool debate? Make-up artist Sharon Dowsett once showed me the simplest of tricks - with a peach, a soft pink rose, and a mirror. 'Look into the mirror - then hold up the peach. If you're a "warm", you'll look better with that peach next to your cheek. If you're a "cool", the pink rose will "lift" your face.' Unless you're one of those rare and fortunate creatures (which, it turns out, I happen to be), for whom both 'warm' and 'cool' colours are equally complexion-perkifying. But once you know your warms from your cools, as Sharon demonstrated, it's easy to take a short-cut to the perfect make-up shades: 'cool' tones have more blue in them, warm tones have more orange and yellow. If you're ever in doubt, simply pick up the product itself, hold it up to your face, and look in a mirror. It will either make your face look 'alive', or make you look drab - even before you apply it, which is a great short-cut to know about.

One last tip? Even if you once had the habit of applying lashings of make-up, acquire a lighter touch, as the years roll on. The mantra? Less is more. No matter how gorgeous the shades you'll be buying, this season...

Meanwhile, what's going to make it into my make-up bag, this autumn? Having played delightedly with the new seasonal colours dispatched to me by the big brands, here are some new favourite 'finds'...

Davinia Fermi is offering a series of Make-Up Masterclasses at The Wellington Centre in Hastings on the first Saturday afternoon of the month from 2 - 5 p.m., when she'll not only share tips but spend time on your face, helping with your own make-up challenges. The first workshop is Flawless Face (natural-looking day make-up), price £35 or £150 for a series of five workshops. Call 01424-442520 to book, or visit www.thewellingtoncentre.com for more info.