In tough times, try the 80s-party-girl-meets-gothic romantic look. Plus, gender-neutral scent, and what to look out for this week

I doubt you woke this morning thinking, “I need primary colours, pigment and a look inspired by Picasso.” But here’s the thing. In perilous times a kaleidoscopic approach, as seen at the Rodarte SS19 show, is a mood-lifter. If this 80s-party-girl-meets-gothic romantic is pushing it, replace yellow eyeshadow with ochre or mustard, and blend to avoid hard edges. Flowers are optional. Heavyweight primer is not. Skip it and by lunchtime you’ll look like a melted rainbow.

1. Milk Hydro Grip Primer £27, cultbeauty.com

2. Kjaer Weis Cream Blush in Happy £41, cultbeauty.co.uk

3. Nars Douro eyeshadow £19, narscosmetics.com

4. Rouge G de Guerlain Matte Lipstick £26, johnlewis.com

5. Anastasia Beverly Hills Riviera Palette £46, feelunique.com

I can’t do without... A gender-neutral scent for a fresh spring day

Come spring, I begin reconsidering my fragrance choices. Olfactory families, however, can be tough to navigate - floral, too sweet, citrus sometimes reminiscent of bathroom cleaner, gourmand… well, why anyone would go out of their way to smell like vanilla or chocolate is beyond me. These things, of course, are subjective. It is impossible to choose a fragrance that gratifies every nose. No one wants to wear something bland and forgettable (your fragrance says so much about who you are), but at the other end of the spectrum, you never want to be that person whose scent overwhelms to the point of nausea (lady on the weekly rush hour Southern train, please take note). Colognes, I find, are less likely to offend. Now let’s not get confused here. I’m not talking about Old Spice. The new breed of colognes are gender-neutral, smell utterly exquisite and are worth the investment – like the exciting Californian-inspired trio from Louis Vuitton. Sun Song (a musky orange blossom), Afternoon Swim (think freshly cut oranges) and Cactus Garden (a bergamot and exotic tea blend) all have the traditional freshness of a cologne with the endurance of a fine perfume. I’ll be spritzing long after spring is over and I’m convinced everyone will love it. £185, Les Colognes Louis Vuitton (louisvuitton.com)

On my radar… Fast colours, niche scents and some fizz

Makeup marvel Pat McGrath is behind Selfridges’s ‘A Technicolour Odyssey’. The makeup artist curated the London store’s windows, collaborated on products and her own line is finally in store. Expect a stampede (selfridges.com).

Nosing ahead After 35 years, Les Senteurs, the UK’s oldest and best independent perfume specialist store (it launched Diptyque, Frédéric Malle and Creed) is still where scent aficionados head for cool niche fragrances that ensure they don’t smell like everyone else (lessenteurs.com).

Ethical explosions Lush, of bath bomb notoriety, is leading the sustainable beauty charge. The new Liverpool store, its biggest yet, features a spa, hair lab and perfume library that champions recyclable, reusable and ethical makeup, skincare and yes, bath bombs (lush.com).

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