Beauty - Portable Make-Up with Built-In Brushes!

Brush it on this season with a fun palette of colours that come in a portable make-up case complete with built in brushes. These make their debut at The Body Shop's counters this season and the new limited edition collection is aptly called "Brush with Fashion" as this season's look is awash with vivid colour, drama and bold looks that you will need some abandon and a large serving of personality to carry off.

For the socially conscious amongst us, all ingredients used in producing the make up have also been community traded ie. bought from ethnic merchants rather than the big boys out there in a company wide effort to help sustain struggling economies and communities. Also everything including the brushes were produced free from animal testing - two admirable things for which have become The Body Shop's brand sign offs.

Getting all fashionable and edgy, the brand that every teen (including my fab self) grew up in the 80s partnered with The London College of Fashion to create the edgy packaging and a catwalk show that shows off some of the College's ex alumna's fashion creations including up-coming British designer William Tempest. Sorry folks, no sign of Jimmy Choo and Patrick Cox, also incidentally ex-alumna.

Engaging the skills of Nikki Palmer, professional UK based make up artist and ex-alumna, the look for Spring is all about colour and a celebration of the bright and bold.The focus is on the eyes and the season's palette offers gorgeous matte shades of chocolate, fawn and apricot, pearlised hues of white, pink and silver complemented with dramatic matte black with lashes beautifully defined; cheeks are rose-tinted; and lips are dressed in glossy shades of pink and peach.

Watch their catwalk show and four fashion-forward looks created by make-up artist Nikki Palmer!www.youtube.com/watch?hl=en&v=9QB5FYPqfP4&gl=US

The range comprises for the Face, an Illuminating Face Base (S$29.90) in Apricot Glow that adds warmth to your complexion.

For the Eyes, two Limited Collection Palette For Eyes (both S$39.90) - one called Boho Beauty with nude, apricot and browns and the other called A La Mode that shows off pearlised white, pink and silver with intense matt black to add drama to the eyes. Each of these come in a compact of four complementary eye colours packaged with a mini eye definer, a mini eye shadow brush and an integrated mirror. There is also Super Volume Mascara (S$22.90) that has a specially designed brush to make it smudge resistant with a clump free formula.

Lip gloss comes in the form of two best-selling Hi-Shine Lip Treatments (S$18.90) in Pink Cream and Juicy Peach. They each come in a limited-edition pack with integrated brush which allows you to squeeze the gloss through the brush and apply following the contours of the lips.

For the Cheeks, there is a Tailored Cheek Tint (S$19.90) in Hot Pink.

Just in case you want some accessories, there is a Nail File (S$4.90) and Nail Buffer (S$5.90), and The Body Shop's famous Lightening Touch (S$28.90) which features a magic little wand that gives light relief to dark circles and fine lines and instantly brightens the skin especially when used around the eye area after applying foundation so as not to reduce the effect of the ingenious little light-diffusing particles that minimise fine lines and dark shadows.

- Elaine