The lipstick of the moment is both botanical and tantalizingly pretty, but the eyes have it with dreamy emeralds, olives, and limes.

I once wrote a column about hunting for the perfect lip colour, which in my book (and, it turned out, in a lot of women’s) was basically something that made your lips look like those of a heroine in a historical movie—in other words, naturally red, only more so. And no, I don’t remember what it was, or even the brand. For texture, my current pick for the “slippy-lippy award” goes to Clinique’s Butter Shine line. No goopy stickiness, and nice colours too.

The green prize of the moment, however—everything is “of the moment” in the cosmetics world—has to go to Cargo’s new PlantLove Botanical lipstick collection (available at BeautyMark [103–1120 Hamilton Street] and Kiss & Makeup [H2–925 Main Street, the Village at Park Royal]). Its compostable tube is made from corn, its package is impregnated with flower seeds so you can tear it up into little pieces and plant it, and $2 of its $20 price tag goes to fund medical research for kids. But, inquiring minds want to know, what are the colours like? Pretty good, and they have that desirable texture that makes it hard for a freshly coloured mouth to get traction on a cappuccino cup. The company has rounded up a bunch of celebs like Denise Richards, Courteney Cox, and, er, Lindsay Lohan to lend their names to colours. My pick would be Angie Harmon’s Faith, not that I’m a particular fan (she’s a Republican, and I worry that those seeds would sprout little Bushes), but because this pale, barely there neutral is a great foil for everything you’re likely to be doing to your eyes.

This season, that could mean the colour green too. Tasleem Suleman at Beauty Bar (2142 West 4th Avenue) hasn’t noticed much demand for the Amy Winehouse look of brashly outlined eyes that’s hugely popular in the U.K., but she does see customers looking for bolder eye-shadow colours. “A brighter green is the most popular,” Suleman says. Selling fast is the Lucky Charms duo by Two Faced ($27), which pairs a gold-green with a deeper, almost-emerald hue. But the real biggie, Suleman notes, is Dianne Brill’s Venetian Lace ($30), “a deep, deep emerald green that’s beautiful [for creating]…a smoky eye or as eyeliner.”

Emily Larkin at Kiss & Makeup says Winehouse’s thick licorice eyeliner doesn’t rock the North Shore either. Angelina Jolie’s eyes? You bet. “It’s the liquid-eyeliner look, but not as much…liquid liner is definitely back in fashion,” says Larkin, recommending the just-in 24-hour black eyeliner from K-Palette ($30). Green shadow doesn’t do much around here, with the store’s young-mom customers more concerned with ways to look good fast, which explains why bigger sellers are bronzers and “lipstick with a lot of gloss”, reports Larkin, who does her own daily makeup in five minutes flat.

But in fashion and on faces, whether it’s environmental or literal, green is a major colour for spring. Trying out eye-shadow samples around town left me with a hand like Kermit the Frog’s and the knowledge that there really is a shade for everyone. As always, you can pore over the huge variety at MAC (various locations) and find hues like the mysteriously alluring Greensmoke, which the company describes as “tarnished olive” ($16.50), but that’s not the only green game in town.

At Sears (Pacific Centre and Guildford Town Centre), check out the wide range of colours made by Make Up for Ever, including #304 Diamond Lime and especially #310 Diamond Green, which looks like the sparkle of sunlight on a dark lake ($23). A single eye colour won’t necessarily be enough, so maybe now is the time to turn pro and invest in an empty palette (from $17) and pay $16 for a refill. This new diamond-themed collection costs a bit more than the company’s regular line, which includes a whole bunch of greens ($18.50 each, $13.50 for refills). Using apricot, yellow, and turquoise hues as well as a soft green, a helpful video at www.makeupforever.ca/ demonstrates how to make your eyes look as pretty as a painting by Monet, right in tune with all the gauzy and floral clothes upcoming. Set up your mirror alongside your Mac and go for it.

If you’re doing the math on buying multiple colours and figuring your budget won’t stand it, there are cheaper options. Prowl the drugstore and stop at the Maybelline rack for the palette called Emerald Isle, a quartet of muted greens ($8.99). Another affordable option is CoverGirl’s Sea Glass collection of three paler and more shimmery shades of green ($7.49).

Two reminders: green shadow doesn’t always make green eyes look greener (try purples and burgundies), and pale, pale pink lips—almost nude—are a far better pick than the beauty faux pas of bright green lids and scarlet lipstick. Unless you’re after a look that stops traffic.