The seasons are changing and spirits are lifting. Spring is always a great time to refresh your look — to shed those winter layers and replace the autumn and winter hues in your wardrobe with some refreshing pops of color.
And remember to revitalize your makeup, too. Warm weather and sunshiny days require a completely different look from grey winter days.
Spring-summer makeup trends usually bring a splash of color after the long winter months, and 2019 is no exception.The SS19 catwalks radiated dazzlingly bright lips and eyes.
The return of the sunshine was also celebrated with beautiful bronzed faces.
However, if you prefer a natural look, the “no-makeup” makeup look was just as prevalent on the catwalk.
Here’s how to perfect these three key makeup trends for spring-summer:
1. Sizzling Bright Eyes
Some of the boldest makeup looks on the SS19 catwalks came from Rodarte, Marc Jacobs, and Erdem. All went with a single-shade of super bright eyeshadow in the most vibrant color possible.
Don’t shy away from this look just because you usually wear more natural tones. Bold makeup can look great on anyone, as long as it’s well-applied and worn with confidence. A little experimenting and practice are usually all it takes to nail a bolder look.
Here’s how to make bright eyes work for you:
1. Pick your color. Anything goes — hot pinks, lime greens, and turquoise were all spotted on the catwalks. Stick with one shade too, rather than a palette of similar colors.
2. Keep all of your other makeup, such as foundation and lips, as super-natural and nude as possible. By toning down the rest of your makeup, you’ll make your choice of eye color sing.
3. Use a really light primer on your upper eyelids — white, if possible. This will work in two ways. Firstly, it will make the color pop even more. And secondly, it will help keep your color in place as long as you need it.
4. Using a good slanted brush, apply your eyeshadow right across your upper eyelid from corner to corner. Keep going by working your eyeshadow into the crease of the eye and above. Extend upwards and outwards across the length of your eye and up towards your brow bone, as far as you dare.
5. To intensify the color, experiment with wetting your eyeshadow brush. Alternatively, you could add a slick of the same shade under your lower lashes for a dramatic look.
6. Once you are happy at having created a symmetrical look, use a blending brush to soften the outer lines of color.
7. Finish with mascara and perhaps a thin line of eyeliner, but make sure the eyeshadow still does the talking.
2. Shimmering Bronzer
The ‘70s are back with this sun-kissed look. Bronzer adds beautiful, shimmering golden tones to your skin. It’s a luxurious look that’s equally perfect for poolside days and glam nights. After all the popular heavy contouring trends, using bronzer creates a refreshing, lighter look, too.
The key to getting this look right is to make it look effortless, so simplicity is the key. Here’s how to get it right:
1. Pick a shade of bronzer just slightly darker than your natural skin tone. Aim for around two shades darker for the best effect. To be on trend, pick out a beautiful golden bronzer that really shimmers as well.
2. Use a soft, wide brush to apply bronzer to all the places where the sun would naturally kiss your face.
3. Start with the top of your forehead, then go down and around across the temples to the highest part of your cheekbones in a “c” shape. Add a little more bronzer down the top of your nose, and then along your jawbone.
4. Blend well and build up the bronzer slowly.
3. Zero-makeup Makeup
The zero-makeup makeup look is fresh and beautiful. Of course, the fewer products you use for this look, the better. However, to feel confident with the “no makeup” look, there are specific steps to take:
1. You’ll want to aim for skin that looks as flawless as possible. The best way to achieve this without layers of heavy makeup is to take really good care of it. Cleanse regularly and moisturize, too. Drink lots of water and eat a healthy diet rich in vitamins and minerals. This regimen will reward you with much clearer skin.
2. After moisturizing, add a primer that suits your skin’s needs. This will give you as smooth a base as possible to work with.
3. Apply a light foundation in your natural skin tone and blend in with a brush to really ensure it sits beautifully on the skin.
4. Add a light liquid concealer to hide dark circlesunder the eyes and redness around the nose. Again, take the time to really blend this in.
5. For a naturally stunning look for your eyes, it’s a great idea to curl your lashes before adding a simple slick of mascara. This will open up your eyes and make your lashes look amazing without any heavy products.
6. Make sure your brows are tidy and neat, and fill in as necessary, but try to avoid dramatic lines for this look. A brow gel would be the perfect product for beautiful soft lines.
7. If you are worried about looking too pale, add a hint of cream blusher to your cheeks, or a hint of a matte bronzer to your face using the steps listed above.
8. Keep your lips really natural, with the tiniest hint of color or shimmer. A little color on your lips will brighten your eyes, but try to stick to a shade close to your natural color for the most natural look.
Spring-summer makeup is all about having fun and keeping it simple. None of these looks should take too much time to create before you’re ready to go. Focus on having fun with these looks; play and experiment. After all, summer is the season for getting out there and enjoying yourself.
AUTHOR BIO
Toni Malt is the Middle East’s leading international editorial makeup artist and the woman behind the highly anticipated Toni Malt Makeup Academy in the heart of Dubai, now training the next generation of key makeup artists. From minimalistic looks to freestyle artistic creations, Toni’s creative work has been published in top international fashion magazines around the world including VOGUE, ELLE, L’Officiel, Marie Claire, Harper’s BAZAAR, Grazia and Cosmopolitan.
