Spring makes us happy for multiple reasons. First, for those of us that live in a cold, northern climate, it signals the return of sun and warmth after the dark dregs of winter (for those of us who already live in a warm climate, it means beach days, brunches, and a busy summer schedule is on the horizon). Second, it’s the season that brings with it new beauty trends that will last us all the way through summer and beyond. In other words, the seasonal renaissance is also our makeup routine’s renaissance.
To get a head start on this spring’s biggest makeup trends, we reached out (who else, but) a professional makeup artist—Victor Anaya, Director of Education and Artistry at Bobbi Brown Cosmetics North America to be exact. Keep scrolling to see the three looks that he predicts will dominate this spring (and beyond). All we can say is start prepping your makeup bags now…
The first makeup look that will be huge in spring is a simple one. It’s also one that’s been trending for a while now (and according to Anaya, it shows no sign of stopping). We’re talking about glowing skin—not obviously highlighted skin, but skin that has a healthy-looking, lit-from-within radiance. “It’s all about creating a subtle glow in all the right areas to make your skin look healthy,” Anaya says. “It begins with the skin; once your skin is primed and hydrated, your makeup products will fall into place and look more like skin. I love the instant glow a hydrating moisturizer will give any makeup look.”
Take Laura Harrier’s glow as another example. It’s fresh and radiant and seems to emanate out from her skin, which creates a luminous base for the rest of her makeup look.
Hailey Bieber is the social media queen of glowing skin. She’s constantly photographed with dewy (or, if you want to use the term she coined, “glazed-donut”) skin.
Anaya says this is his go-to product for glowing skin. “It will ensure I have the perfect canvas before I start with makeup application. It gives the skin a boost of hydration and instantly gives the skin a beautiful glow underneath any complexion products.”
Since this primer is oil-free, it works for all skin types, even those that are acne-prone. It cools and calms the skin, and even though it provides a matte finish, I’ve found that any glowy complexion product I apply over top looks better and lasts longer.
This multitasking product delivers a serious glow to the skin without mica, glitter, or a gray cast. Think dewy, light-reflective skin instead. Thanks to niacinamide, watermelon, and hyaluronic acid, it also improves skin tone and texture.
The next makeup trend is all about going back to the ’70s, which is when the draping trend first started (it went on to become even more popular in the ’80s with celebs like Cher and Debbie Harry taking part). It involves making blush the focal point of the look, applying it on the cheekbones, and sweeping it up to the temples and hairline. “The flushed blush look is on trend and provides instant freshness and lift,” Anaya says. “I’m seeing everyone play around more with blush and where they’re applying it. Cream and liquid blushes are being utilized in many ways and are the focal point of the ‘look.'”
Celebrity Makeup Artist Patrick Ta is known for creating some of the best draped blush looks. This one, on Camila Cabello, makes her look fresh and exuberant. It just goes to show you should never underestimate the power of blush.
Ta also created this full ’80s glam look for Hailee Steinfeld. The key to the draped blush look is committing to maximalism. Swipe and blend your favorite formula with abandon for high impact and big color pay-off.
Once this so-called putty blush settles on the skin, it transforms from a cream finish to a semi-matte powder one. It’s also infused with argan oil and vitamin E to smooth and hydrate skin.
“Pot Rouge is my favorite blendable blush that hugs the cheeks perfectly,” Anaya says. “I love using it on lips too for an effortless, monochromatic look. It’s the perfect texture and formula because it’s so buildable and so easy to get this look.”
This powder blush is one of our favorites. It offers high-impact color with a silky texture.
The final spring makeup trend we can expect to see this upcoming season? Fresh skin, and more specifically, concealer that offers natural-looking coverage and skin-improving benefits. Think flexible, silky, and light-reflecting formulas. “Less is more when it comes to makeup looks and concealers are doing all the work,” Anaya says. “Concealers have become multi-use products that can conceal minor imperfections, tackle under-eye darkness, or be used as your foundation. This is because there are new formulas that are infused with ‘skincare’ ingredients and are blendable and buildable which means you can don’t have to use as much foundation.”
We think Cara Delevingne’s look, which was created by Celebrity Makeup Artist Hung Vanngo, is the perfect example of this trend. Notice how her skin looks smooth and even, yet it doesn’t look heavy or cakey. It’s quite the opposite actually. Her skin looks fresh and radiant.
If you ever need inspiration for this spring makeup trend, just look to Kendall Jenner. The model is known for maintaining a fresh and natural-looking complexion—no matter if she’s pairing it with soft makeup elsewhere or a smokey eye and a bold lip.
Anaya says this is a flexible, skin-loving formula with an artistry-inspired applicator. “It allows you to use it to spot-treat or perfect the entire canvas with such a small amount of product.”
We like this Kosas concealer since it offers the perfect amount of natural-looking coverage without looking cakey or powdery on the skin. It also contains good-for-skin ingredients like caffeine and pink algae extract to fight dark circles and puffiness, hyaluronic acid and peptides to hydrate and plump the skin, and arnica and panthenol to calm blemishes and redness.
We can’t talk about fresh, radiant concealer without talking about this iconic NARS formula. It’s a classic for a reason. It brightens, corrects, and perfects with a creamy, blendable texture.
