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I often get asked, particularly at this time of the year what the best colour is to bring out a suntan – its turquoise! Turquoise is held as special in many cultures, the ancient Persians believed that turquoise exerted a strong protective power and used it to ward off evil. It has also been named the colour of the year 2010 by Pantone (the global authority on colour for the design industry), so let me tell you a bit about the colour and how it can benefit you.

Turquoise is one of the most flexible colours as it suits all skin tones. Being at the cool end of the spectrum it is the combination of blue and green and can veer towards cool or warm depending on the proportions. It becomes warmer as it moves in the direction of green because of the addition of yellow.

As well as being versatile to wear, turquoise is associated with the throat chakra, which encourages good communication, expression of feelings and helps regulate the nervous system. It physically relates to the thymus gland, which forms part of our immune systems, so turquoise is great for boosting immunity if feeling run down. As a cool colour it soothes inflammatory conditions especially when combined with its complementary colour, orange.

A relaxing colour that promotes well being and soothes mental fatigue, most people react positively to turquoise as it depicts the calming qualities of water and blue skies. However, this colour is not recommended if suffering from depression as it can increase feelings of isolation due to its calming properties.

So how do you incorporate some turquoise into your life?

Wear it with neutrals like browns, greys and dark blues or do sunny brights and combine with pink and purple. Splashes of the colour as an accessory in a scarf or piece of jewellery will instantly liven up any outfit.

Thinking of adding turquoise to your home? Then paint your bathroom this colour as it is both refreshing and calming.

Whenever I see a new client, the colour turquoise is always one that makes women smile when its placed up against their faces – there is a shade for everyone so find out which one suits you best and wear it lots this summer for a fabulous glowing skin and a wonderful sense of well being.

That great British racing event The Grand National brought out all the florals and brights in ladies fashion last week and it was a welcome sight after such a long, cold winter.

With Spring upon us, we all want to dive into our wardrobes in search of bright colours hoping to brighten up our moods and faces!

With so many people having warm skin tones in the UK, the warm, bright, clear colours of Spring will suit all “yellow” based skins.

Blue and green eyed “springs” look best in all bright blues and greens with corals and salmon pinks also looking lovely.

Brown eyed “springs” look best in bright red, orange and pink (provided skin tone isn’t very flushed).

Lime green looks stunning and can only be worn really well on a spring skin, due to the yellow base behind the colour. Most shades of yellow and gold will also make the skin look healthy and for those of you with blonde highlights, these will really shine.

Spring neutrals are camel, beige, stone, grey and marine blue. Black is not within this colour range as it will flatten out a warm skin tone, making it look older and highlighting lines and dark shadows. White is also to be avoided, it will simply make skin look blotchy and pale, opt for all the cream shades instead to make skin glow and look wonderfully even.

Pale and pretty or white and washed out?  How to look picture perfect in pastels!  Which celebrities shine in sorbets?

Pastel shades of peaches, lemons and strawberries are apparently the fashion statement of spring – but who can really wear them up against their skin without draining all the colour from their complexion. Certain skin types look better in pastel tones than others. Jules Standish colour consultant (www.colourconsultancy.co.uk) says “its wrong to assume that everyone can wear the same pastel shades, the important thing is to know whether you have a cool or a warm skin tone – do you look better in pale pink or peach?”

Jules shares with us her top tips for wearing this seasons pastels and which celebrities are to be copied?!

Cool, pink based complexions

-                     Light and fairly colourless having an all over even pinkness. 

-                     Best suits the cool, pale pastels of pink, blue and purple.  

-                     Wear rose blushers, foundations and lipsticks worn lightly. 

-                     Accessorise with soft greys and navy and wear pearls.

-                     Colour hair in ash tones.

-                     Calista Flockhart wears soft pink to harmonise her looks.

Cool, blue based complexions

-                     Can wear black up against the face without any signs of ageing or dark lines and have a striking unusual quality with no high cheek colour.

-                     Suit strong cool colours so pastels are icy and best in blues, greys and pinks.

-                     Grey and blue eyeshadows will highlight the pastel effect.

-                     Accessorise with white.

-                     Platinum, silver, white gold and diamonds finish off this look.

-                     Dita Von Teese looks sultry in her cool pastels.

Warm, yellow based complexions

-                     look best in bright, clear and warm colours so go pastel without losing warmth. Soft peach and salmon pinks along with buttercup yellow look great. 

-                     Make up should remain in the correct warm colours of peaches and corals with green eyeshadows but applied lightly. 

-                     Colour hair in golds and wear brightly coloured jewellery.

-                     Accessorise with tans and cream.

-                     Ferne Cotton looks divine in warm neutrals of cream and ivory.

Warm, bronze based complexions

-                     Light or dark this colouring is rich and suits all the muted earth shades, particularly olive green, orange and pastel peach.  

-                     With make up of warm reds, peaches and browns the skin takes on a metallic sheen.

-                     Accessorise with all the browns, and shades of coffee and cream with antique gold jewellery.

-                     Kelly Brook looks lovely in muted colours in pastel shades.