Spring Beauty 2014
Spring beauty 2014: The top trends and must-have products of the season
Ready to refresh your makeup bag? The beauty trends for Spring 2014 are all about colour, texture and letting your skin shine. Gone are last season’s moody berry shades, deep lips and velvet skin finishes. For Spring 2014, the top beauty trends include popsicle-orange lips, eyeshadows in every pastel shade under the sun and a whole lotta love for gold pigments. For those less inclined to pile on the product, good news: the no makeup makeup look is also trending this season.
At Alexander Wang just four products were used backstage, with makeup artist Diane Kendal saying that it was “all about raw beauty.” Hair too gets the no makeup—er, no heat tools—treatment, with natural textures, centre parts and simple, low ponytails all making the list of our top spring beauty trends.
But back the colour—and the cosmetics that make them possible! “Pink is too sweet, too baby doll. Red is too pretty. It had to be a cool-girl colour,” said makeup artist Gucci Westman of the bright orange matte lip she created at Rag & Bone. If you can only buy one new lipstick this spring, make it orange: the zesty hue was also spotted at DKNY, John Galliano and Meadham Kirchoff, among others. As for pastels, spring beauty trends have been long associated with saccharine colours and for 2014 it proves to be quite a versatile one. Ranging from romantic (at Rochas, Suno and Burberry Prorsum) to futuristic (at Prabal Gurung, Giorgio Armani and Fendi) there’s an almost endless number of ways to wear pastel makeup shades. Finally, gold. If its everlasting popularity as a makeup shade is any indication, this precious metal’s desirability has no limits. Still, a little of its brilliance goes a long way. While painting your eyebrows gold à la Christian Dior, isn’t for everyone, Jason Wu and Gucci offer some more everyday-appropriate takes on this spring beauty trend. Ready to get inspired? Click through for 100+ images of all of the top beauty trends for Spring 2014.
Orange Lipstick
“Pink is too sweet, too baby doll. Red is too pretty. It had to be a cool-girl colour,” said makeup artist Gucci Westman of the bright orange matte lip she created at Rag & Bone, which marked the first time a bold lip colour appeared at the show. Westman said the shade was inspired by the “optimism of the World Cup” and the bright colours of Brazil. Olé! We also saw versions of the zesty hue at DKNY, John Galliano and Meadham Kirchoff.
Pastel Makeup
It’s tempting to describe these shades, a major trend of the season, as “safe.” But pastels are surprisingly versatile, ranging from romantic (at Rochas, Suno and Burberry Prorsum) to futuristic (at Prabal Gurung, Giorgio Armani and Fendi, which was a standout with “chemical peach” lips by makeup artist Peter Philips). “The colours are like Ladurée macarons,” said makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury backstage at Prabal Gurung. Bonus: You don’t have to wait in line to get them.
Graphic Eyeliner
Time to unearth that long-lost protractor: The best eyeliner shapes for spring require a little calculation. You could opt for a simple feline flick, but if you’ve got a steady hand, a bold right angle can be all kinds of sexy. Or take a page from the Derek Lam playbook, where makeup artist Tom Pecheux created a two-way navy liner look. The first was a tilted rectangle in the corner of the eye; the second added a thin line along the upper and lower lashes. “I wanted to create an eye that could be built on,” he said.
Eyelashes
Mascara finally reared its wand again, creating a clumpy effect at a variety of shows
Wet Hair
When Paul Hanlon described the drenched hair at 3.1 Phillip Lim as “crustaceous,” it didn’t sound crazy just evocative. “It’s a girl who’s been in the elements,” he said, “a girl who’s been washed ashore.” For Prabal Gurung, Hanlon tweaked the concept a bit: “I thought about this liquid, plastic texture, almost a fetish kind of thing.” And at Julien Macdonald, hairstylist Martin Cullen created slicked-back ponytails with a laminated effect to underscore the show’s alien aesthetic.
Gold Makeup
If its everlasting popularity is any indication, this precious metal’s desirability has no limits. Still, a little of its brilliance goes a long way. If you can’t commit to painting your eyebrows gold à la Christian Dior, maybe you’d consider gilding your part à la Dries Van Noten? OK, fine. Maybe just a swipe on the lids, à la Jason Wu. Done.
Low Ponytails
The ponytail sank to new lows this season. It was ribboned at Nina Ricci, accessorized with leather headbands at Valentino, fastened with metallic barrettes at Marios Schwab and gathered with a white elastic at Altuzarra.
Fresh Skin
“It’s about sculpting the face with light and moisture,” explained makeup artist Pat McGrath, describing the ultra-fresh, hyper-luminous complexion she and her team created at nearly a dozen shows this season. In non-makeup artist speak, it means strategic use of highlighter, face oil and moisturizer mixed together in some combination to brighten the planes of the face, which, when done right, will eliminate the need for the Valencia filter forevermore.
No Makeup
The makeup tables at Alexander Wang were packed with product, which was ironic, as makeup artist Diane Kendal used a total of four items. “It’s all about raw beauty,” she said. That involved focusing on skincare, curled lashes and groomed brows. At Chloé and Jil Sander, it was about creating the slightest effect by contouring cheeks or blending brown liner with moisturizer. Hair, too, was meant to look nonchalant, but there were plenty of nuances. At Proenza Schouler, hairstylist Paul Hanlon (who used conditioner as a styling aid) described the centre-parted, slightly wavy hair as “lank, but very, very clean,” and “simple, but not simple to do.
Must-have Products
With so many spring beauty trends to inspire, your beauty bag deserves an upgrade. Whatever the trend, these makeup artist-approved eyeshadows, lipsticks and skincare products will help you get the look. As for hair, natural texture and simple ponytails are made all the better with these sleek styling picks.
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