September. End of summer. Back to school. Nothing to look forward to until Christmas. Well, yes, if you're a make-up-bag-is-half-empty sort of person. But where's the fun in that? And besides, we all know what frowning does to the face. Far better to look on the seasonal bright side. Simply mentally replace "back to school" with "whole new wardrobe", and you'll soon have a change of heart.

The start of the autumn/winter season is better than Christmas, as far as I'm concerned, and a darn sight less stressful, if only marginally less expensive (but at least you're spending the money on yourself and not on all those random relatives). The fact is, most people just look better when they are a bit more covered up. Just because you've got it, doesn't mean you should flaunt it, and it certainly doesn't mean I want to see it. And, of course, summer make-up is as unforgiving as summer fashion. "Barely there" is all very well if you've got the perfect body or complexion, but a tad trickier for those not on first-name terms with their plastic surgeon.

Autumn is much lower maintenance than summer, so hurrah for September. And double hurrah for the safety net that is make-up. Got a blemish? Cover it up without worrying that the foundation is melting down to your knees. Need a bit of colour in your cheeks? Go mad with blusher without it sweating off before you reach the office. Sick of constantly harvesting hair on various body parts? Give yourself a break - haven't you heard that thick opaque tights are the season's Next Big Thing?

As for what is going to be big make-up wise, well, the most exciting thing is the return of glamour. "Grown-up chic", "glossy glamour" or whatever you want to call it is the overriding theme, and the following are all deemed to be key autumn looks: frosted eyes, geometric shapes, beauty spots, heart-shaped mouths, unruly eyebrows and citrus lipstick. And I only made up one of those.