5 Fresh Beauty Looks To Try This Spring

Your closet isn’t the only thing that could do with a spring clean!

Winter is over, and so is our affinity for dark plums and matte formulas. The (hopefully!) warmer weather is just the sign we need to get out of our comfort zone and try something a little different. Whether you’re looking to completely reset your beauty routine or just change it up a little, we’ve rounded up five easy and super pretty makeup looks to take your best shot at.

Read more: A Makeup Artist’s Guide To Picking The Perfect Foundation

The #GlossyEye 

A personal favourite. This “editorial eye look” is not new by any means, but innovations in the beauty market have made it much easier to achieve with very little effort. Gone are the days of goopy Vaseline and too-sticky lip gloss: simply pat on a matte shadow (we’d recommend going for one shade), and layer on an eye gloss, ending just at your natural eye crease. Finish it off with waterproof mascara and you’ll look completely photo op ready!

There are some great options out there from MAC, NYX, and Milk Makeup, but for an option that’s both easy to find in Hong Kong and easy on your wallet, we like this Mirror Holic Liquid Eye in “Eye Glossy Coating” by Etude House ($128) with a doe foot applicator and a light formula that won’t weigh your lids down.

Don’t want to commit to a wet eye look? Try really layering on a very creamy shadow, or simply top up your eye look with a highlighter that has a nice sheen, rather than a glitter/metallic finish.

Mirror Holic Liquid Eye (in “Eye Glossy Coating”), available at Etude House locations across Hong Kong for $128

Berry-Stained Lips

Not quite an ombre lip, this look is also known as a “popsicle-stained” pout and is very similar to a “blurred lip”. It usually makes use of a tint that won’t dry you out, but will still leave a colour that lasts. There are all kinds of formulas out there, from semi-matte powders to oils and balms. Simply pat the product on in the middle of your lips and blot it outwards. You can clean up with some concealer or foundation, layering it over the edges of your lips to make sure the colour doesn’t spread.

We’d recommend any of Benefit’s Cheek & Lip Stains (its Benetint is a cult classic!). For a K-beauty favourite, 3CE’s Soft Lip Lacquer promises to give you an “ultra-intense yet weightless colour payoff”. Not keen on buying something new? You can make always just use something already in your vanity case. To get a dreamy watercolour look, go for a semi-matte like MAC’s Powder Kiss Lipstick or NYX’s Powder Puff Lippie. If you want something moisturising, using a balm or gel will tint your lips with an initial pigment and fade away to reveal a natural but long-lasting “stain”. Try Revlon’s Colourburst Balm Stain or Etude House’s Dear Darling Water Gel Tint.

Coral Shades

Pantone Colour of the Year is Living Coral, a bright hue perfect to add to a springtime look whether it’s on the eyes, the cheeks, or on the lips. Understandably a little bit of a tricky tone, you could choose to commit to the colour and go for a monochrome look, using it on two or more areas of the face, or simply work it into your normal everyday makeup.

Tons of brands carry coral coloured products and you might already have a few in your collection. It’s just a matter of taking that step out of your comfort zone and switching your pink blusher or usually nude-y eyeshadows (we see you!). An easy place to start is MAC’s In Monochrome set, where they take cult shades and give you a matching lipstick, lipglass, powder blush, glitter, and eyeshadows. So how can you wear it?

• On the eyes, you can go for a warmer coral, complementing or muting it with brown tones. Try Etude House’s Play Colour Eyes palette in “Peach Farm”.
• On the cheeks, go for a soft flush of colour. You might already have NARS’ cult classic “Orgasm” blush, which leans slightly more pink, but can still look quite coral.
• On the lips, go bright! Fenty’s Stunna Lip Paint in “Unattached” or Charlotte Tilbury’s Matte Revolution Lipstick in “Sexy Sienna” are perfect to take your look up a notch.

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Technicolour Liner

Admittedly going for a bold lip or an entirely bright eye look can be quite intimidating. Keep it simple and bring a pop of colour to your look by going for a solid technicolour eyeliner. Leave the rest of your face neutral and swap out a black or brown liner for a nice bright hue. Recreate your usual cat-eye, go for a thicker wing, or even try out a graphic liner look by outlining your crease or underlining your eyes or brows.

You can always use an angled shadow brush and eyeshadow, but if you want a really precise tool we like MAKEUP FOR EVER’s Aqua XL Ink Liners for a high-end liquid liner and NYX’s Vivid Brights Liners, for a drugstore option. Feel free to experiment by combining a black liner with a coloured liner, or up the whole look by adding coloured mascara!

80s Vibes

Drawing inspiration from previous decades is nothing new, and we love watching what modern twists makeup artists will give them. The 80s era is a fun one to revisit, and really complements the other looks we’ve already mentioned. We’re talking bright neons and an abundance of colour.

Throw back to that iconic blue eyeshadow look, by going for a one all-over colour lid. Make it wearable by swapping out powdery and too-icy shades for pastels, or jewel tones. This Obsessions Precious Stones Eyeshadow Palette in “Sapphire” by Huda Beauty is ideal for the job. If you prefer colour on the lips, go for something bold and bright! We’ve got our eyes on fuchsia, hot pinks, and (of course!) coral
, all perfect for that floral springtime vibe!