They said it would happen, and it finally has - lip gloss is over. Make-up artists have been predicting its demise for generations, but still it clung on, like those other fashion stalwarts the pashmina and jeans tucked into boots. But whichever look you're going for this season, be it English rose or Russian doll, the unifying theme is that you must look grown-up, and lip gloss isn't. You may think it makes you look sexy, but it's as girlie as bubblegum, and often the same colour. A slick of gunk on your lips just doesn't look right with a pencil skirt or a cinched waist. If your wardrobe is classy, then your make-up bag has to be, too - and that, I'm afraid, means no gunky lips.

This season, it's all about the sheen. Lip sheen or sheer lipstick is the way forward. But lip gloss addicts need not worry too much: if lip gloss is heroin, then lip sheen is methadone, rather than, say, peppermint tea. In texture it's like a moisturising lipstick, but less heavy, while in look it's more akin to lip balm, with the tiniest bit of stain underneath, rather than a highly reflective gloss.

And it looks great on black lips. With sheen you can do subtle, you can experiment with colours, because the results are less in-yer-face, and you can layer, making it much more versatile. Sheen is also kinder to your lips, making them less prone to crack and peel, and delivering colour that is less likely to bleed than traditional, drier lipsticks.

There are some great sheens around. Clinique's Moisture Sheer range is fab; Honey Red and Ruby in particular are great on dark skin. Even classier are Bobbi Brown's Lip Shines, in toffee for a fab alternative to that glossy block of beige you've worn for years, and Black Berry for something a little different.

And, please, no dark lip liner around the edges. It didn't look good with lip gloss, and it looks even worse with sheen.