Trendspot: Metallics for AW09/10

Bling for eyes and nails is big big news for AW09 make-up. And the good news is that, for nails at least, pretty much anything goes in terms of colour this time around. In theory, that means you can just pick your favourite metallic and off you go.

Right?

Well, yes and no. If you're olive- or dark-skinned, you're laughing, but if you're pale, it can be difficult to get a metallic nail varnish shade to suit your skintone. Cool and light silvery shades can make your hands look like death warmed up, so try a warmer gold or bronze or even pewter instead.

For eyes, rich copper is the shade of the season. Wear it as a bold slick of liner - MAC's Fluidline in Rich Ground would be an ideal choice - as a wash to enhance a smokey brown or rose gold eye, or as a block colour all over the lid for maximum impact. Apricot coppers are the way to go for blue-eyed babes; adding a darker shade to the crease of the lids will give the eyes more dimension if you feel you need it.

Just remember that the reddish undertones in copper mean that it can make peepers look tired, but you can counteract that by making like Olivia Wilde of House (above) and tightlining the inner rim of your upper and lower lids to create a visual boundary between your eyes and your eye make-up.