Bravura Coaching & Image

Admit it, beauty trends can be notoriously difficult to translate to the office.  What rocks the catwalk rarely rolls in the City.

Update your makeup bag with these office-friendly looks:

1. Strong brows – Runway shows at Kenzo, Jil Sander and Chloe featured models with elegant, mannish brows.  But think modern Brooke Shields – not Marlon Brando.

City tip: If in doubt, get a professional to create the perfect shape (slightly squared off at the ends for some ‘toughness’).  Fill in sparse areas with a defining pencil or brow wax.  Try Benefit Brow Zings, £22.50

2. High-impact lips – Well, if they’re good enough for Hermes…. Rich deep reds and berry purples always herald autumn’s arrival.  If reds are too bold, opt for the safer nude alternatives.

City tip: Trying red?  Before applying lipstick, create a precise outline, then fill in the entire lip with a pencil (try Mac lip pencil in Redd, £10.50).  Apply lippy.  Blot slightly.

3. Fresh skin – The key to pulling off bolder lips and brows is flawless skin.  The Paris runway shows paraded gorgeous, fresh complexions.

City tip: Mix foundation with 1-2 drops of serum to give skin a fresh, radiant finish.  (Try Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair, £41). Use the back of your hand as a mixing palate – add a little foundation, the serum, mix with a cosmetic sponge and apply.  Voila!

4.  Sculpted cheekbones – Blusher is fresh and outdoorsy this autumn, and applied lower than you might expect.

City tip: Find the contour of your cheekbone – brush a wash of blusher underneath the cheekbone.  The look is a modern understated flush.  Try Nars Orgasm blusher in ‘Sex Appeal‘ (£20.50) or Colour Me Beautiful in ‘Marsala‘ (£6.95).

5. Soft grey manicure – I’m loving – LOVING – the a/w 2011 dove-hued nails.  The catwalks were full of soft grey, which looks trendy and neat, without looking goth.

City tip: Find the shade of grey to suit your skin tone (blue greys for cooler skin tones; warmer pewter greys for yellow based skin).  Wear nails shorter (though the catwalk trend is for longer talons) to keep it City-friendly.

For lustered metallic greys, try Chanel in ‘Graphite’ (for cooler/blue-based skin) and ‘Quartz’ (for warmer/yellow-based skin), both £17.50.

Give these trends a miss at work:

• Spider lashes – overloaded, clumpy lashes.
• Blood red souped-on lip gloss.
• Black dominatrix manicure on longer nails.