Summer make-up shouldn't be this tricky, but it is. Just as less is more (but not necessarily easier) when it comes to the summer wardrobe, so it is with the summer make-up bag. Your make-up routine shouldn't be simply the same as in winter but in smaller quantities.

After all, you don't chop off the legs of your tweed trousers to turn them into shorts - and it's the same with make-up. Applying a little less of the foundation you've been wearing for the past six months will work for spring, but not summer. The colour and texture will be all wrong - not only for your skin but for the light. The same goes for eye shadows, lip colour, and pretty much all colour in general - heavy black mascara, for example, looks great in winter, but scary and goth-like in summer. Brown mascara, meanwhile, looks fab, heavily or lightly applied.

On your eyes, you should be going for light-reflecting rather than flat colour. This translates as sheer washes of iridescent greens and blues, says David Delport, make-up artist for Nars. "Eye colour is soft and muted. Whereas last summer colour was block and kitsch, this season less is more. The inspiration for this collection was light reflecting on the ocean. Since the eyes are muted, think warmer, sweeter, deeper stains for the lips," says Delport, recommending cherry, berries and peach colours.

"Taj Mahal blush from Nars is a great colour on black skin; it acts like a gold highlighter, even though it looks quite peachy in the compact - it's a favourite with Naomi Campbell," continues Delport. "Black skin can look grey during the summer with the wrong products. For eyes, coloured liquid liners are perfect, they hold steadfast and offer that splash of colour. Use a cream eye shadow before applying powder: it gives more texture and creates a soft shimmer. And liven up lips with a good gloss."

Remember a few months back when make-up artists were predicting the "gothic mermaid" look would be huge? Suddenly it doesn't sound quite so weird.