2012 summer beauty guide

The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to give your beauty bag an overhaul. Tidy it all up so you can see what you’ve got, get rid of the stuff you never use because it doesn’t suit you and buy a couple of new products to revamp your look.

Phoenix Renata of Phoenix Cosmetics has some helpful tips to get you started.

Clean out
Throw away anything that’s old or past its expiry date and give everything a good clean. Makeup kits get dirty easily, which makes the tools and cosmetics in them less effective.

Common slips
The mistake many women make is purchasing the latest trendy colours in makeup instead of finding what works best for their natural colouring.

One of the biggest oversights is only using one foundation and wearing that every day. Foundation textures are so vast, you can have different styles for different occasions. By limiting yourself you miss out on all the wonderful looks that different foundations can give your skin.

Tools of the trade
The essentials every woman needs are eyebrow tweezers and colour tools. Choose what works best for you, whether it’s pencils, tints, mascara or shadow. Also, mascara or eyelash extensions – it doesn’t matter how you do it, as long as your lashes are made to appear fuller and thicker so your eyes are framed and look wider.

A great foundation and bronzer are also essential, so your skin not only looks flawless, but is framed too.

Cheer up
Lift your look with a bronzing powder or blusher – it makes all the difference. A hint of colour adds definition and depth to your skin and to the contours of your face.

Colour co-ordinate
Eyeshadow shades in neutral browns don’t suit everyone as they’re often matte and unflattering for coloured eyes. Choose maroon and merlot-toned shadows for green eyes. Go for apricots and peaches on blue eyes and forest green for hazel eyes.

Age-appropriate
Over-forties should get rid of brightly coloured or dark lipsticks, as these become unflattering as you get older and can age your face. This makes you appear harsh. Invest in blusher and eyebrow colour to frame your face and eyes.

Bag it up
Store makeup at home separate to your makeup bag. This will give you more organisation and prevent you from losing favourite items when you’re out and about.

Tidy Kiwi
Clean out your makeup bag once a month. You’ll be surprised how quickly everything gets dirty.

Maintenance
Invest in a long cosmetics bag to put your brushes in to keep them safe when travelling. Keep them separate so nothing spills on them. Clean your brushes with shampoo to keep them soft.