Shade Watch: Coral is Hot to Trot for Spring Summer

By Beaut.ie | Mar 3, 2010

In case you hadden noddiced ((c) Andie MacDowell), coral is so hot right now ((c) Hansel from Zoolander - they're making a sequel! Yes! I! Am! Very! Excited!) and there are a billion nice things out there to buy in the shade. Ok, not a BILLION. But there are a few, and here are nine of 'em in orange-inspired shades from peach right up.

It's fancy, super-posh and has an A-list price of €57.50, but just one look at Dior's new limited edition Poudrier Dentelle in Peach Lace was enough to melt my cold dead cosmetic-saturated heart. A pretty lace pattern is imprinted on this gorgeous subtle blush that's ideal for pale gals.
Eye gloss is one of those beauty bits that looks incredible in editorial shoots but which is utterly unworkable in real life, unless you're going for that oh-so-flattering Alice Cooper look. Lancôme are aiming to change that with the launch of their Le Crayon Khôl Gloss in Swinging Copper, €23, from the O My Rose collection. Thick enough to stay put, it's a coppery coral with lots of shine and can also be used to anchor pigment or shadow into place.
Shiseido are incredibly good at lip products, and since the arrival of makeup supremo Dick Page to the brand a couple of years ago, things have gotten even better. New to the lineup is Perfect Rouge Glowing Matte in Coral Glow, €24. All you need to channel the season's hottest shade on your pucker, the formulation is designed to be semi-transparent, giving a subtle sheer look - good news for those who like the colour but don't fancy the thick appearance of an opaque lipstick.
Bobbi Brown likes the shade so much she's built an entire collection around it, Cabana Corals, which we took a decco at back in December. My pick of the bunch is the Cabana Corals lip and eye palette. For €60 you get six shadow shades in mattes and shimmer, four lip colours and two good-quality brushes, all dickied up in a double-decker palette that features a generous mirror in the lid. This is a great buy.
Nars' stable of Orgasm products is growing again with the launch of Orgasm Illuminator. Meant to be a UK Space NK exclusive, it did indeed make it on-counter at Brown Thomas for €29. Promising to deliver sophisticated shimmer and shine to skin, the product is versatile and can be used solo over makeup or mixed with foundation or body lotion for some glam night-time appeal.
If last year's Coralista blusher was a bit too OTT for you then you'll definitely like Sugarbomb, from Benefit. €33.50 is the damage for this cute tub of goodness and you can check out my review of it should you be so inclined.
Chanel's lacquer launches are always hotly anticipated. New for spring is Le Vernis in Tendresse, €21, is a delicate pinky-peach, and flatters hands.
America's Next Top Model judge Michael Kors is best known for his high-octane gowns and equally high-octane fragrances, but he's now put his name to a limited edition suite of products for Estée Lauder. Chunky beige and gold packaging lends a glam 70s vibe to the Very Hollywood line, but the shades are totally now: pinks, peaches and beiges make the products super-wearable for spring 2010. I'm particularly taken with the blush in Sunset Coral, €33.
Revlon have pulled out all the stops over the past couple of years with products that over-perform for the price point. Their new line of lipglosses land this month and I'm liking the look of the coral shade a lot. €9.50 will be the fairly small damage, so a nice pocket-friendly way to wear the shade.