Master of make-up offers trends for summer and spring to provide that flawless finish

James Molloy, regional director of make-up artistry for M.A.C Cosmetics, came to town to host a summer-spring trend presentation at the Hong Kong Design Institute in Tiu Keng Leng.

The first trend he introduced at Friday's event was Ath-elite, which is focused on creating clean, natural skin with a healthy glow, because 'when I'm thinking about a look for the season, I always start with the skin'.

'There's been a real practice of prepping, priming and moisturising the face [because] you can't really create a flawless finish without taking time to make your skin perfect first of all,' he said.

The three other key trends are: Neo-N, described as a dynamic, urban look; Ore-inspired, a sun-kissed, metallic look; and Nouv-eau, a romantic, soft, girly look, which Molloy chose for a demonstration of key techniques and colour trends.

With 11 years' experience as a make-up artist, including for the catwalk, Molloy is no stranger to the theatrical look. But when it comes to extravagance, he said fashion designer Vivienne Westwood was at the head of the pack.

'Fashion week wouldn't be fashion week without something that's a little off the wall and a bit crazy,' he said. 'I worked on the Vivienne Westwood Gold Label show in Paris, and let me tell you, backstage it was so hectic - we were [making models look like] 18th-century portraits, but with crazy, neon shades. For me, it was one of the best shows of the season.'

Back on the subject of everyday face paint, Molloy said: 'The four trends are all very different and have their own signature. Yet they can be very wearable for everybody if they can grasp the technique and attitude.'