As a teenage weekend Goth (I was too straight-laced to manage it full time, but I did own a black mohair jumper, some stripy tights and numerous dreary records), I’m thoroughly enjoying the Gothic-chic make-up trend – or “pretty Goth”, as some style-watchers are calling it. To someone of my generation, the concept of a pretty Goth is anathema; the whole point of wearing wobbly red lipstick and heavily kohled eyes was to be all ironic and mysterious, perhaps even a bit scary. Pretty was certainly not the desired effect.

Since then, the whole concept of “alternative” culture has become highly stylised. When it comes to make-up, fashion likes to play with slightly dangerous trends – but it never allows them to get too outlandish. After all, outlandish grabs headlines, but it doesn’t shift units.

The Goth trend was in full flow at London Fashion Week, not so much on the catwalk (it doesn’t lend itself to spring/summer) but among the fashion pack. There was a lot of bold red lipstick and bright eye shadow, and black eyes and dark berry lips too.

Where this trend parts company with its pop-tribe roots is that it’s less Rocky Horror and more Buffy – you want to look cool, but you also want to look nice. The emphasis is on lips and eyes, but never both at the same time. If you’re going for a smoky eye, keep it light on the lips; a dark-berry pout should carry a contrastingly clear eye.

A good place to begin is MAC’s Strobe Liquid (£30; stockists, 0870 0342676), a hydrating lotion that will add an ethereal, almost ghostly glow to even the dullest complexions. Use alone (sparingly) or under foundation. For barely-there cheek colour to match, Beauty Powder Blush in Stark Naked (£14) has the tiniest hint of shimmer.

In most cases, though, the main event will be eyes. Black is the obvious choice. Too Faced Lava Gloss (£10; 0845 0708090) is the darkest of all, an intensely pigmented eyeliner that’s silky smooth to apply. Out of the shadows comes Urban Decay’s Deluxe Eyeshadow in Zero (£12; www.urbandecay.com) or, for interstellar shimmer, try its shadow in Oil Slick (£11).

Black is not the only option for eyes: MAC’s Eye Shadow in Interview (£12) combines three vibrant, metallised shades of berry that are surprisingly flattering on the eye. At the colder end of the spectrum, Urban Decay’s Deluxe Eyeshadow in Fishnet (£12) is an electric purple with cadaverous blue undertones.

On lips, Urban Decay’s daring dagger lipstick (so-called because it has a little dagger on the handle) in Gash (£12) not only has a name worthy of the bands of my youth, it is also a Gothic-chic delight – intense enough to catch the trend, but still a pleasing shade of berry red.

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