The changing seasons are just as important to beauty as they are to fashion. For me Spring is the perfect time to stop and take stock of make-up keeping what works for your skin and look and switching up new colours, products and even application techniques to keep you make-up look fresh and on trend.

Centrale Croydon invited me last month to their Spring Beauty Fix event; the shopping centre is one of my go to destinations for a mix of family fashion, beautiful home wares and not forgetting beauty!

All too often I get stuck in the cycle of buying the same foundation, lipsticks, blusher etc which is good if it works however I find that after about the third lot of anything it tends to lose it’s ‘magic’ – you ladies know what I mean!

The lovelies at Centrale armed me with a generous gift card to help update my beauty look ready for summer. I decided to focus on foundation, lipstick and make-up remover as these are they real constants in my beauty bag.

I’m really into buffing my foundation in using a stippling brush – trust me try it; it gives you the most natural finish and is perfect for when you want to contour as it allows you to build up the layers without it looking caked on. It’s been quite a few years since I’ve used a Chanel foundation but I’d heard really good things about Perfection Lumière so after a great application demonstration from the Chanel consultant I picked my shade. A few weeks on and I’m loving how it feels on my face plus I’d forgotten just how beautifully scented their liquid foundations were!

Next stop was MAC; it’s brilliant to find a MAC so conveniently placed that saves me a trip to Central London. MAC is the candy shop of make-up lovers and I could literally have spent hours oohing and aahing over all the pretties so I approached it with discipline – I was there for lips and nothing else. I’d just like to point out that I’m pretty proud of myself to limiting my MAC splurge to VIVA GLAM II lipstick and lip liner in Dervish; I love how they go together to create the perfect lip plumping deep nude.

When it came to make-up remover I kept with what I know, I’ve been using these two Lancome beauties for nearly ten years and as the saying goes: If it isn’t broke don’t fix it – and what can I say, it was gifting time so it made mathematical sense to stock up.

Spring is also a great time to remind ourselves that with beauty and make-up comes responsibility – no I’m not talking about pouting sensibly but a little beauty bag maintenance will help keep your brushes at their best and keeping an eye on how long your mascara has been open will ensure your make-up is helping and not hurting your skin. I have to admit I’m ever so slightly obsessed with washing my make-up brushes but I think a fair few of us will be shocked to see how often we should be cleaning them; check out these 13 beauty hacks:

To help give us a nudge, Centrale were offering a beauty swap up throughout the Spring Beauty Fix, where you were rewarded for bringing in your empties with a giftcard to spend on beauty.

Make-up is as seasonal as fashion yet for many of us we get stuck wearing the same products year in, year out; with Centrale Croydon on my doorstep I’m lucky that to have so many international make-up brands to pick and choose the best look for my face… The perfect excuse to add my collection!