I will be the first to admit that I am not exactly the most adventurous when it comes to makeup. I am so predictable at times. It’s basically always the same thing. Brown liner, several coats of black mascara, a bit of bronzer. Red lipstick if I have a shoot or something fashion-y, clear lip gloss if I have a date or am seeing friends. (My besties still make fun of my love of gloss, but I can’t help it. I adore lip gloss, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.) Alas, lately I’ve been feeling just a little bit more creative. A little bit. Baby steps. I’ve mastered highlighter and here are five beauty trends for Spring that I actually feel comfortable trying. How about you?
ONE: Colored Mascara // I am LOVING a colored mascara for Spring. Blue is so fresh right now. When I went to London with Sisley, I learned a better (read, more adult) way to wear this trend. Apply two coats of your regular black mascara, and then, while it’s still wet, add a couple coats of blue (or your color) to just the tips. I’ve found it very hard to find a great colored mascara at the drugstore (a pain as this isn’t something you necessarily want to splurge on!) but that is changing with Katy Perry’s new collaboration with Covergirl. There’s a blue mascara in the line and it is amazing. If you want a bolder, even more colorful. look, try a white primer first, like this… or the white primer that comes in this duo.
Splurge Pick: Sisley So Curl Mascara (I realize this is very pricy, but if you can afford it, it’s an incredible product).
All Natural Pick: W3LL People Expressionist Pro Mascara in Blue (as an aside, this is the best all-natural mascara I’ve tried).
Save Pick: Katy Perry Mascara in Perry Blue. It’s not hitting stores til July, so in the meantime, try this.
Image sources: 1, 2, 3
TWO: Pastel Nails // I am boring when it comes to my nails. In the Fall/Winter, it’s always a dark purple or black. In the Spring/Summer, it’s Ballet Slippers or white. I’m branching out. I recently found myself obsessed with OPI’s new pastel polishes… specifically “I am What I Amethyst.” The look brings me back to one of my first beauty obsessions (in high school) – Hard Candy’s pastel polishes. Remember those? They came with a ring around the cap. I wanted a bottle desperately but lived on Cape Cod and online shopping wasn’t a thing yet, so I (literally) would add a tiny drop of food coloring to a bottle of wite-out to attempt to get the look (yes that really happened and no I would not recommend it!!)
Splurge Pick: OPI I am What I Amethyst
All Natural Pick: Butter London in Kip, RGB in Dew (both are not entirely natural but better than most)
Save Pick: ULTA Lilac-ing You
Image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4
THREE: // A Bright, Matte Lip. This won’t win you any points with the boys, but matte is so in right now. My personal favorite is actually the “save” option… L’Oreal’s Infallible Pro-Matte Gloss is pretty amazing. It’s more of a demi-matte – it leaves your lips looking matte but it still feels good and hydrating (the formula contains jojoba oil). The only downside is that they don’t have a good coral/red-orange yet… but the red and fuchsia are pretty major. Stila’s Stay All Day Lipstick is great too… I’ve been using it for years but it does leave my lips a bit dry. Carina is the perfect coral. Same goes for the all-natural option.. Bite’s Cashmere Lip Creams are a bit more hydrating than Stila but also last all night long without fading. I wear “Sherry” quite a bit… it’s the perfect poppy-red-orange!
Splurge Pick: Stila’s Stay All Day Lipstick in Carina.
All Natural Pick: BITE Beauty Cashmere Lip Cream in Sherry.
Save Pick: L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte Gloss in Shanghai Scarlet or Aphrodite Kiss.
Image sources: 1, 2 (June/July ’10), 3
FOUR: Face Gloss Okay, hear me out. I was skeptical to this trend (I initially found it to be way too editorial for the average person – me) but it is just so beautiful on. A bit of shine down the bridge of your nose, your temples, your cheekbones, or even your eyelids. The result is fresh, radiant and very pretty for Spring. It’s next-level dewiness. My pick for getting this trend is Pat McGrath’s new Skin Fetish Set (it also includes a beautiful highlighter which is one of the best I’ve tried, along with the coolest iridescent powder) but it is pretty pricey, so I would also recommend MAKE’s Face Gloss. And on a budget, just use Aquaphor!
Splurge Pick: MAKE Face Gloss, Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Set
All Natural Pick: RMS Living Luminizer (this has a pearlescent finish but it’s so pretty… for a straight gloss, try a bit of this balm).
Save Pick: Good Old Fashioned Aquaphor!
Image sources: 1, 2
FIVE: A Glint of Colored Liner: Note: I would not recommend mixing this with trend number one. The key to mastering colored liner is to keep the rest of your look simple and straightforward. A few coats of mascara, a bare face, and a neutral lip… (or maybe clear gloss). Then, as carefully as possible, apply a thin, (very precise) line of your chosen color to the lash line. It helps if the liner is extra sharp… that will ensure you get a perfectly straight line. As a blonde with blue eyes, I love turquoise or teal. But I think purple looks so pretty with green eyes, and cobalt looks great with brown eyes. You want a little contrast so that the color can really pop.
Splurge Pick: Sisley Eye Twist in Emerald or Amthyst
All Natural Pick: INIKA Liner in Peacock Blue
Save Pick: L’Oreal Silkissime Liner in Cobalt or Teal
Image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4
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