The MAC trends report is the closest thing there is to make-up porn, but without the exploitation. Never does make-up look more sumptuous than in these biannual reports, and each time one lands on my desk, I get a little more excited than a grown woman should about lots of pictures of eyes, lips and cheeks.
Granted, the descriptions of key looks occasionally get a little too "fashion" - "think posh Pocahontas" or "Russian ballerinas stranded in the desert" - leaving me perplexed as to what on earth a Russian ballerina stranded in the desert has to do with the colour of mascara I'll be wearing in the next few months. But I forgive them instantly.
That's the trouble with MAC: they make it very hard for you to get cross with them, especially if you are a black woman. Their range of colours - from the bases to the pigments of the eyeshadows - is still streets ahead of everyone else's. And, unlike many beauty giants, they never make you feel that their inclusion of shades for dark skin is a cynical afterthought.
So what's in the latest report? Well, ditch the super-glossy skin, keep the lips soft and relatively nude (again, semi-matt rather than overly glossy) and for 2005 it's all about the eyes. But, best of all, I'm pleased to report that the pretend natural look (you know, the one with the flawless dewy skin that takes hours to perfect) is out, and Make-Up is in. Skin is polished and colour is finally back in a big way. Shades are deep and pigments are strong, all of which is fantastic news for black skin. "The main colour should be worn around the eye," says Tonee Roberio, senior artist at MAC. "Colours should be vibrant, bright and clashing. There are lots of greens and turquoise, and some blues and pinks.
"If you've got dark skin, don't go for lime green or luminous turquoise on your eyes; make sure it's dark green or turquoise, not too bright. Maybe layer it with something dark underneath and use the green or turquoise as an accent," warns Roberio. I think what he's trying to say is don't get too excited.
