Carnival Make-Up Masterclass At House Of Fraser

L’Oréal Blackett 2 July 2014

“GONE are the days when women had to match their nails to their lipstick," explained Yves Saint Laurent make-up artist, Sharon. "We’re not ninety-year-old women, we can experiment.”

For me, the only people who seem to master bold colour in make-up are make-up artists and drag queens.

Sure, make-up experiments with crayola bright lipsticks and rainbow wigs aren’t for the old at heart, but playing with colour is for the brave, it would seem.

I headed to House of Fraser on Deansgate ahead of its Carnival of Colour event. Conjuring up images of beautiful Brazillian women in colourful headdresses and barely-there neon costumes, this July the entire make-up floor is offering colour masterclasses in a bid to encourage women to inject colour into their make-up routines.

“No more browns and beiges for you,” Sharon instructed. As Yves Saint Laurent champion bold colour, Sharon is bolder than most and was not intimidated by bright blue mascara and bright pink lipstick.

Yves Saint Laurent's Sharon isn't afraid of bold colour

Both knowledgeable and hilarious, Sharon was not afraid of a long-winded make-up analogy.

“Melanin is like a spider,” she recited as she prepped and protected my skin from pigmentation damage with Saint Laurent's Youth Liberator serum, "When the sun hits it... (she trailed off into fantastic lunacy)."

"Imagine your skin is like toast..." came another, and my personal favourite, the one that made most sense, “You know when you put on a good fitting bra? Then you put on your dress. That’s the same as your make up routine. Put on the serum, then the moisturiser, then the rest.”

My current make-up routine is a strict regime of black eyeliner and black mascara, I tend to stick with safe dark shades, even in the summer. For me, the only people who seem to master colour in make-up are make-up artists and drag queens.

Strong looks: Yves Saint Laurent's 2014 Couture Palette

Yet, with Yves Saint Laurent displaying vivid colour beauty trends to carry women throughout the summer, there was no better time to try out the carnival inspired beauty looks.

The plan of action for my carnival makeover was to stick to a bold palette of deep plums. Sharon seemed confident about the look, I was scared of, well, looking like a plum.

For the brave: Yves Saint Laurent's Baby Doll False Lash Effect Mascara (£24.50)

Yves Saint Laurent's Couture Palettes (£39.50)

Shading my eyes with a combination of pinks and purples, while keeping the rest of my face as natural as possible, Sharon added a plum lipstick (Rouge Pur Couture £25.00) and gloss to add drama. Topping my lashes with the bright purple false lash mascara, the look managed to be both dramatic and subtle. While coloured mascara will always remind me of my teen years, it wasn’t as scary as expected.

More fun than funny-looking.

More fun than funny-looking

Sharon was keen to make sure I had colourful finishing touches. Spritzing me with a girly fragranced perfume and painting my nails in a neon blue, I was enjoying the feeling of a childlike dress up experience.

"All women are guilty of staying safe when it comes to make-up. All women do," said Sharon. "I suggest women go for something completely out of their comfort zone and experiment. Play around with the shades in your eyeshadow palette, the ones you never use and neglect. I mean - why not?"

Although the look was a little too 'out there' for the office, after meeting Sharon I was inspired to not always settle for the moody summer goth look this year - and I just might brave the purple mascara again.

Manchester's upcoming carnival, perhaps?