Dare you wear this season’s hottest colour?

It's the season's hottest hue - but dare you wear orange?

From vivid brights to soft pastels, it's THE colour for spring and summer. And why stop at your wardrobe?

Here at Life Matters we take the arrival of sandal season as our cue to make like we're spending the summer in Ibiza and paint our toenails coral (we are loving Nailgirls' Coral #1 at the moment - check out the counter at Jarrolds).

But while the make-up counters have taken the lead of the catwalks and are bursting with zesty citrus shades, we're not sure if we're brave enough to wear them on our eyes and lips.

So Life Matters heads to the Max Factor counter at Boots in Chapelfield to see make up artist Jane Godfrey.

Jane has worked for Max Factor for nine years, and in 2008 won the Max Factor consultant of the year award.

'I loved art and make up and this combines to two,' she says. 'I took a course at Norwich City College and applied for Max Factor and got it and have been here ever since. I was at [Boots in] Castle Mall, then came here when Chapelfield opened. The biggest perk of the job is the people you meet. I've got regular customers I've had since day one. I enjoy giving people a new look and giving them confidence.'

Jane gets regular refresher training to keep her up to date on the latest products and colour trends.

And she says that you shouldn't be afraid of adding an on-trend orange pop to your make-up bag.

Orange is a surprisingly versatile colour and the range of different hues - from almost red to peach - and tones means that there is a shade to flatter most skin tones.

'Oranges can be toned down really well with browns and bronzes,' she says.

The key to any make-up look is getting the foundation right, which she demonstrates on model Tash Lee.

'You must cleanse, tone and moisturise,' says Jane. 'That's good preparation for good make up. Tash has got great skin.' If you want your make-up to look natural, you have to make sure that you choose a shade of foundation that is as close to your own skin tone as possible.

'All foundation should do is even the skin tone,' says Jane. 'And a pea-sized amount is sufficient for the whole face.'

Jane has a top tip for making sure you get the colour that's exactly right for you.

'When you choose your foundation, never check the colour on the back of your hand but on the jawline. The right one is the one that blends in.'

If possible you should check the shades in natural daylight rather than in artificial light. Foundation can be a pricey purchase, which is another reason to get it right, and most make up counters will be happy to give you samples to try at home.

'I like to apply foundation with a sponge. Start in the centre of the forehead, then blend it out,' Jane says.

If you find you have any blemishes or dark circles under your eyes, apply a concealer to the problem areas. If you're using concealer on the under eye area, Jane's top tip is to angle your head downwards and only apply concealer to the darkest shadows - putting too much on can actually accentuate the problem you're trying to cover up.

'Tap it in to the skin using your ring finger as that one has the lightest touch,' says Jane.

Blusher is much ignored, but applied correctly in a subtle, flattering shade it can really brighten up your complexion.

'This season it's about the fresh look,' says Jane. To avoid the 'Aunt Sally' look, Jane says: 'Smile and apply the blusher to the apples of the cheeks and then blend it to give it a natural finish.'

Jane sets the base with a loose translucent powder.

Next it's on to the eyes - and this is where Jane can start to have fun with the colour.

'For the base colour I'm using white because I want the colours to be quite strong,' she says, adding that while eye shadow colours may appear bright in the palette, if you're putting them directly on to the skin they won't be as vivid.

Jane applies the eye colour with a brush - and wets the brush to get a stronger colour.

'You could add another colour depending on how funky you want to go. At night this would look quite natural,' she says.

'The more you build up eye shadow with fine layers the longer it will last on the skin. And blend upwards to get rid of harsh lines,' she adds.

Another top tip is to add a dot of white eye shadow in the inner corner of the eye.

'White makes the eye appear brighter,' says Jane.

She applies eyeliner, following the natural lid line working from the outer corner inwards and finishes with False Lash Effect mascara to add some drama. 'It's got a big brush, so with just one application you can get a really nice volume,' Jane says.

She also adds mascara to the bottom eyelashes, using a cotton bud to sweep away any smudges.

'If you're using a mascara you should change it every three months. You have to be careful of eye infections - and don't pump the brush because it dries the mascara out,' says Jane.

Having the perfect brow is like an instant face-lift - plus it's much cheaper and less painful.

'Eyebrows are very important to frame the face. Just by having a little tidy up it can take years off you,' says Jane.

To get the perfect arch the ends of your brows should match up with the corners of your eyes, and the highest point should line up with your pupils.

At this stage, Jane adds some bronzer. They key to using it is to be subtle and use sparingly.

'Bronzer adds warmth to the face - use it on the places the sun would catch naturally,' she says.

To finish off, Jane applies a matte lip colour in coral.

Accessorized with a flower in model Tash's hair, Jane has created a fabulous holiday look.

Maybe orange isn't just for nails after all.