How to look fashion-forward in a flash

Burgundy lips, check. Flawless skin, check. Short, sharp fringe — working on it …The new season is with us and that means one thing: it’s time to take a long hard look in the mirror. Whether you decide to opt for a full make-up bag makeover or try something new with your hair, here’s my pick of the best updates.

The first base

At Victoria Beckham, Maison Margiela, and Loewe, clear, luminescent skin was the true star, with Pat McGrath applying little or no visible blush. The best of the new foundations double as concealers, and are designed to turn patchwork complexions into porcelain, as long as you apply only where needed and blend. Hourglass’s fantastic new Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick (£42) comes in 26 shades; while Tom Ford’s Waterproof Foundation/ Concealer (£64) can also be used all over. Start with Dior’s Fix-It Colour (£23.50) to prime and adjust skin tone.

The hair product

Whether it’s to create soft finger waves at the front of an otherwise everyday ponytail (as at Stella McCartney) or to add a raw-looking texture to a layered or disheveled cut (as at Acne), Wella’s EIMI Sugar Lift (£9.70) is the product Eugene Souleiman won’t be without. The hugely in-demand hairstylist at the shows says, “It’s basically a blow-dry lotion with a bit more stick and guts. So you can control the hair and move the hair around but it will still stay where you put it.”

The haircut

Another simple hair step-up? “The trend for fringes was big last season, and it continues this season,” says Souleiman, who used fringed wigs at Maison Margiela to give an instant dose of high-voltage attitude. “It’s a great and easy way to update your look.”

The burgundy lip

Burgundy is the lip colour this autumn (once again). At Louis Vuitton and Dior it was intensely glossy, with a gleaming, lacquered finish; at Versace it was rich and glittery; while at Bottega Veneta it was a deep brown.

For an entry-point burgundy (super-easy to apply, thanks to the triangular tip) I love By Terry’s Rouge-Expert Click Stick in Dark Purple 25 (£24.50); for a glossy (but not annoyingly sticky) finish, try Illamasqua’s Lip Lure in Jus (£19.50); or for a more brown-toned shade there’s Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in Audace (£26).

The Sharpie-look eyeliner

The daring will go for full-on surrealist eyes as created by Tom Pecheux at Altuzarra that looked like random doodlings with a black Sharpie . Most of us will prefer the super sharp cat-eye as seen at Versace (pictured right) where McGrath used a Max Factor Masterpiece High Precision Eye Liner in Black (£8). Two new liners also promise the ease of a felt-tip: YSL’s Couture Eye Marker (£25.50) has a broad tip for thicker lines and pointed edge for a sharper finish, while Guerlain’s Precision Felt Eyeliner (£27) is great for detailing.

The name-drop splurge

The make-up artist Lucia Pica’s much-anticipated first drop for Chanel is underpinned by her passion for red, and includes a surprisingly wearable red-brown liner (Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliner in Eros, £19), and great textures and finishes — the classic red nail colour is given its own gloss coat, with Rouge Radical (£18).

The party pick-me-up

Burberry’s new Shimmer Dust Loose Glitter (£20) comes in gold and black, as seen lighting up models’ faces on their runway. Scatter between the outer corner of the eye and the cheekbone and you’re ready to go.

The elongated nail

The quickest way to update your nails is to do nothing — let them grow. “I recommend a tiny bit of length and a perfectly manicured oval shape,” says nail artist Deborah Lippmann. Subtle colours give elegance and refinement, but try bolder shades elsewhere. “You’ll see a lot of variations of nude on fingers balanced with dark on toes,” says Lippmann. Try two coats of her sheer, pale bisque shade Like Dreamers Do (£16) on fingers, and save classic Chanel Rouge Noir for the toes.

The fashion fragrance

Hermès’ new fragrance Galop (£183) is the first by in-house perfumer Christine Nagel and is a sensual blend of leather notes, with saffron, rose and the subtle addition of quince.

Alternatively, wear your fragrance. Silence the Sea, the new gem from Strangelove NYC, the partnership between Helena Christensen, Elizabeth Gaynes and perfumer Christophe Laudamiel, comes as a gold necklace to wear like an amulet (£175, exclusively at Harrods).

@kathleen_bairdmurray