When you are used to seeing a certain shade on your face, any change can leave you struggling. You may WANT something different, but when you look in the mirror, it is just not you. Not only are you not used to it, everyone who knows you will comment… just when you don't need it! Our dilemma is wanting a change, but needing a way to do it without feeling uncomfortable. So my friends, let me tell you a few of the tricks I have up my sleeve to get over the 'Oh my God!' hump.

Adding colour or altering the finish
This is perhaps the easiest, because it starts with something you know and are comfortable with. This works most effectively on the eyes and lips. It will also give you an easy way to dress up what you have had on for the day if you are going out in the evening.

Once you have your normal eye make-up on, add a dash of colour to the outer edge of the eyelid. A spot about the size of a pencil eraser placed halfway between the pupil and the outer corner of the eye will do. Once you have added the colour, blend it away so it looks like a watercolour wash. You can do brighter colour, a sparkly finish, a gloss finish - almost anything. The beauty of doing this is that once you open your eyes, there will only be a hint of the change, which is a little more noticeable when you blink or turn your head. It is quite surprising though; all your eye make-up will appear to have changed with a very minimal effort.

Add a coloured mascara or liner to your normal colour, or layer it over the top. You could also apply the colour first and then layer something neutral over it. You should only see a hint of the new colour.

Lips can benefit from this little trick by washing on a sheer lipstick or a gloss, a metal finish or something sparkly.

The same rule applies if you are going to change the finish of what you wear, ie matte to shimmery, or matte to glossy. Don't try to go instantly from one to the other if you feel uncomfortable. Start by applying a wash of the shimmery shadow over the matte you are used to, just along the lashline. Or if it is lips, apply a touch of gloss into the centre of your usual matte. Enough to change the effect, but not enough to draw dramatic attention.

[quote]Changing lip colour
Let's say you have worn the same shade of lipstick since, well, forever. It is a lovely frosted pink. You want to update the colour, but every time you try, you feel dull. Or, you try the colour on and it is such a shock you decide you don't like it. Try getting used to a new colour more gradually, instead of making the change overnight.

Buy the shade you think you would like to wear

Apply your normal lipstick

Now apply one thin layer of the new shade. Wear this until you are accustomed to it. This could take the day, a week, or a month, but wear it until you don't even notice that you have changed.

Once you have got used to the change of tone, apply two coats of the new shade. Again, wear it until you are used to it.

Keep adding additional layers until you get used to them.

Pretty soon you will be able to put on the new colour and tone that one down with your old one.

Eventually, you will put the new shade on and just decide that it is fine on its own. This whole process may take a week or six months. It doesn't matter in the slightest. The good thing is you will have had time to grow used to the new shade and everyone who sees you will have had the time as well. It is really hard when you are feeling conspicuous and everyone comments on the thing you are feeling conspicuous about! Let everyone experience the change gradually as well.

Changing colour for skin
Here is a tricky one for you! You like looking much browner than you really are, but recently, you saw a photo of yourself and your face looked as if it had been Tangoed. When you try to lighten the shade, everybody comes and tells you that you look pale or asks if you are not feeling well. Swell. Do the same sort of thing we did changing the lipstick.

Go and have a consultant help you to either choose the correct shade or at least the closest that you will be willing to wear.

Use an empty jar or foundation bottle and partially fill it with your existing shade.

Add some of the new shade and wear it until you are used to it.

Now add more...

...and more...

...and finally you will be able to wear the new shade without comment.

Again, this may take a while, but persevere. Few things are as ageing as the wrong shade of foundation. Plus, as we get older, our vision makes it more difficult to blend away tell-tale tide lines.

Changing blusher colour
Pretty much the same applies here as before. Start with the shade you are comfortable with and gradually switch the balance with a new colour.

Changing the finish
If you like following make-up trends and want to go from matte skin to dewy, or vice versa, you will simply need to change the application method.

If you wear matte and want to lose the flatness, start by swapping your powder puff for a brush. The brush will use less powder and take away some of the flatness.

Once you're used to the slightly less flat finish; try using the powder just in the areas where you go shiny first, ie the T-zone, or the central panel.

Then you can give it up if you want to.

If you are going from dewy to more matte, reverse the process.

Basically, the key to changing is to do it more gradually than most of us have the patience for. Remember that people feel they need to comment whether you ask them for their opinion or not. If you do things in such a way that they can't put their finger on what has changed, it will leave them with nothing to say other than, 'My, you look different. What is it? Have you been away? Have you changed your hair?'

And keep in mind, if you don't WANT to change something, don't. Only you have to like what you are wearing. If it is decades out of date, or five seasons behind, it doesn't make any difference. If you feel gorgeous and confident in bubblegum-pink frosted lipstick, black liner all the way around your eyes (inside and out), or a foundation that is 20 shades darker than your natural skintone, then your make-up is doing what you have bought it to do.