The colour purple - it's everywhere, writes Phyl Clarke
I once met a girl named Tyrian, and being a nosy parker, I asked her about the origin of her unusual name. "Oh, my parents had picked the name Tyrone, but when I turned out to be a girl, they adjusted it," she replied. Did they just make it up on the spot in the delivery room, I wondered, and googled it as soon as I got home.
Turns out it's is a type of dye known as royal or imperial purple, and dates back to the time of Roman emperors, who wore Tyrian purple robes trimmed in metallic gold thread. Very impressive. As this is a column about feeling good, I won't tell you what the dye was made from over breakfast. You'll have to google that for yourselves. They say fashions are cyclical, and purple is having its moment again this season. A purple Lanvin bag is my current first item to spend my lotto winnings on, but of course there are cheaper ways to be on trend.
A surprising easy colour to wear, is our purple, and just to be generous, we'll include its cousins lilac and plum. The cool undertone is ultra flattering on Irish skintones, so let's get into a purple haze. A very easy way to put your toe in the water is the beautiful and neutral palette's Armani'sEye Mania 10 (€58), which comes in a leather compact. Four shades can be used to highlight or tone down the eyes. Laura Mercier'snew Eye Palette includes an ebony eye liner, plus a great mix of wearable eye shades, with a limited edition matte heather and shadow and lining brush. It's great value at €45.
Liner is a subtle way to add some purpleness to your look, and I'm a fan of PrescriptivesPerfect Every Line gel liner, as it's easy to apply and stays put. Try the shade Eggplant for an aubergine hue (€21.50). Coloured mascaras are not as full-on as they sound, and can add definition to the eye. Blincmascara has a totally different approach to lashes, as it forms tiny tubes of colour around each lash which won't run or smudge. It scores bonus points for being non irritating, making it ideal for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers. Available in a range of colours (including purple) from Neu Bleu Eriu for €28. YSLEffet Faux Cils is also a superb mascara that comes in a purple shade for €26. It has a dark base so the coloured effect is quite subtle .When it comes to lips, to avoid the death-warmed-up look, go easy on the purple tone. Most neutral is iconic Clinique'sBlack Honey (€19), which suits everyone and is not strong if you've chosen to go with a strong eye. I love Trish McEvoy'sIced Mocha, which is a lovely plummy brown (€22.50). Flattering all complexions and ages, Bobbi Brown'sPink Lilac Brightening Lip Gloss gives lips a luminous, glowing sheen with a hint of colour. Part of her "make-up facelift" range at €21.50.
Want to give a nod to the trend without going all out? Nail it with YSLLa Laque nail lacquer in Black Tulip 20 or Mavalain shade Mexico (€5.49), which is available in pharmacies.