There are a couple looks that seem to fit with a particular season: bronzed summer skin, red holiday lips, spring pastels. Thing is, pastels aren’t for everyone — so here’s a spring look that can be adapted to suit anyone, no matter your opacity preference or skill level.
START WITH THE SKIN
Like all spring makeup looks, this one starts with a fresh, even canvas. Start by prepping your skin with a brightening or smoothing primer — we used the whimsically packaged shu uemura UV under base brightening mousse SPF 30 PA++, illustrated in blue as part of the this year’s Spring/Summer ob for shu uemura collection.
Follow up your primer with a light-to-medium coverage foundation (think MAC Face & Body), adding extra coverage only where needed. Brighten the eye area with a highlighting pen, like the classic Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat, then minimize shine in the t-zone by dusting on a translucent or light-coverage powder.
DEFINE THE FACE
Next, use shadows and a hint of colour to add definition to the face. Start with your brows — pick a hard wax pencil (like the shu uemura hard formula pencil) to softly define them in short, soft strokes.
Then, to keep your eyes from fading into the background against a bright lip, add dimension with one light and one dark eyeshadow: we used Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin to prime the eyes and brighten the inner corners, then layered the buttery-smooth Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes in Fuller Fudge overtop, through the outer third of the eye.
Add two coats of a lengthening (and, preferably, volumizing) mascara–we’re crazy about Annabelle Expandable Mascara for short, stubborn lashes,–then blend just a hint of colour onto the cheeks. For a fresh look, flawless cheek without a hint of a sticky finish, we applied YSL Crème de Blush in 07 Rose Quartz with a foundation brush to the apples of the cheek, and blended upwards toward the hairline.
ADD THE LIPS
Finally, it’s time for the star of the show: the lips. The great thing about a bright spring lip is that it isn’t boxed in the way pastel eyes are: whether you like pinks or peaches, opacity or translucence, there literally is something for everyone.
For this look, we wanted to share a bright, “juicy” pink lip with you. Nearly-opaque but still a little more spring than summer, this look layers the super-pigmented Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Plushest Punch underneath the fruity-smelling shine of the new Burt’s Bees Lip Shine in Blush, creating high-impact, low-maintenance lip.
What does your favourite spring lip look like? Let us know @SheSaidBeauty with #SpringLips !
