When you think of spring and summer, you envision days drenched in colour — the kind that fills you with a quiet sense of joie de vivre. The powder blue sky with milky white clouds, the moss green all around, blushed with petal pinks and shy lilacs, softened by butter yellow sunlight, and traced with the faintest wash of peach and new-leaf green – everything feeling just a little more alive, a little more awake.
Beauty trends this season draw from the sense of joy that defines spring and summer. What we’ve long seen in fashion has now seamlessly translated into beauty as well. From the runway to the red carpet, colour was the main character all along. The pared-back minimalism of beige and basics has taken a back seat, making way for a more playful, almost childlike approach – where the canvas is no longer just art, but the face itself.
That said, buttery, glossy skin remains a priority – the idea is to layer colour onto well-prepped skin, keeping it bold yet luminous.This is where sheer blush comes into play. Lately, deep pigments and “blush blindness” have dominated the approach to cheek colour, but sheer blush blends skincare and colour into a delicate layer that mimics a natural flush, rather than a bold, neon shape on the apples of your cheeks. The product needs to melt into the skin, all while allowing the texture to reveal itself a little, it’s imperfect but natural in a way that doesn’t look opaque. To get this right, skip the powdered versions and embrace tints, creams, and liquids. Start with a well-prepped base so your skin gleams like a glazed doughnut ready for its jelly icing. Instead of framing the face with blush – stretching it from the apples of your cheeks to the eyes – dab it lightly on various high points, gently pressing it into the skin to create an abstract, natural pattern. A touch on the nose adds cohesion. The result isn’t a stark shape but a soft, seamless flush that harmonises with the rest of your glossy, radiant complexion.
Now that blush is being toned down for a more au naturel look, the eyes are taking centre stage. Think back to being a kid on a summer day, going wild with your favourite palette – splashes of green and blue mingling with pinks and oranges, all coming together in playful, whimsical harmony. Gone are the days of the sharp cut crease – today’s eye makeup embraces a sense of ease that anyone can attempt, no master-level skills required. This trend encourages a freehand approach, just as paint comes alive when blended with water and smudged across paper, the goal is to create soft diffusion and let the colours take on their own natural form. Start with a light primer to prep the lids. Apply a sheer base close to your skin tone – think peach, pink, beige, or soft brown. Then, take a contrasting cream colour and gently place it at the centre of the lid, working outward while blending seamlessly with the base. To deepen and unify the effect, add a minimal touch of powder – just enough to bind the colours together – resulting in a true watercolour-inspired eye, effortlessly whimsical and uniquely yours.
