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January 13, 2022 at 06:30AM

I’ll be honest. I’m rarely sold on makeup trends. While it’s fun to sit down and play with makeup, the truth is so few of us actually have the time to do so. If you ask me, the beauty of makeup is that it doesn’t really follow trends. Instead, it is a tool for everyone to use to help them feel a little bit better, and no two people’s tastes are the same.  

So, yes, I’ll say it: Runway-inspired makeup trends just don’t do it for me. It seems as though every time I learn a new makeup trend (hello, contouring), we’re on to the next. I like my makeup trends to be easy, adaptable and fluid enough to work year after year. So this spring, I’m keen to change the narrative. While I know that trends will come and go, I’m on the lookout for makeup trends that work for everybody (and don’t cost an arm and a leg to keep up with).

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The idea of fresh skin for spring certainly isn’t groundbreaking, but you’ll be pleased to know it’s not going anywhere for spring/summer 2022. “I love the no-makeup makeup vibe, and I am so excited that natural skin is here to stay,” says Rachel Hardie, Nars senior artist. “Now is the time to use products that are good for the skin with ample skincare benefits,” she adds. 

Swapping full-coverage foundations for lighter tints has long been the main makeup swap for spring/summer. However, this year, it’s worth looking for formulas that enhance your skin’s natural appearance too. “After the past couple of years of lockdowns, people have fallen back in love with their natural looks,” says Jamie Coombes, international pro artist at Dior Makeup. Look for foundations that contain glow-boosting skincare ingredients for a true “your skin but better” finish.

If, like me, you’re looking to have a little bit of fun with your makeup this season, this is a great way to do so. “Adding an unexpected pop of colour is really fun and easy to do,” says Hardie. While super-colourful, time-consuming eye shadow creations might not be for you, colour can be added in so many different ways. A dab of popping pink on your lips with an otherwise bare face is the perfect way to feel pulled together when you’re short on time. Personally, I’m itching to give coloured liner a go. “It’s subtle enough to wear every day. Use a wet angled brush with a single shadow, and follow the flick from the corner of the eye,” explains Hardie.

Now here’s a makeup trend I can get on board with. Any sort of brow grooming is high-maintenance. From plucking and waxing to shaping and styling, brows take up a lot of our allocated beauty time. The good news is, come spring 2022, we don’t have to bother if we don’t want to. “Brows have taken more of a natural stance,” reveals Hardie. “We’re talking brushed-up and groomed with minimal product to give a youthful, clean finish that frames the face effortlessly.” If you don’t fancy leaving your brows totally au naturel, simply brush them up with a spoolie and run a non-crunchy setting gel through them to give them in place.

Few things say healthy springtime glow quite like flushed, glowing cheeks. “Flushed cheeks will definitely be a focus for 2022,” says Coombes. And while the change in weather tends to cause a natural glowy flush come summer, there are a whole bunch of easy-to-use cream blushers around that can help you get the look in the meantime.

If you’re not entirely sold on the idea of blusher being back, you don’t have to part with any cash to dip your toe into the trend. “I like to use lipstick. Add a small amount to the ‘cheek’ of the palm of the hand (the fleshy part under the thumb), rub together with the other palm and roll over the cheekbones for a flush of colour,” advises Coombes.

One of the easiest ways to dabble in new makeup trends is with lipstick. Not only can the products be inexpensive if you want them to be, but they can always be wiped off with ease should they put you too far out of your comfort zone. And while popping brights are usually a go-to for spring/summer, this year, there’s no reason to leave your favourite browns behind. “Dark nude lips are making a revival, especially with an added lived-in effect,” says Coombes. 

Keep lips moisturised in the warmer months by opting for balmy, moisturising textures, or for the evening, team a bold matte finish with bare lids and a bronzed complexion.

For those like me who aren’t au fait with eye shadow application, I bring good news. One of the most “on-trend” eye looks for spring 2022 is set to be translucent shadow. “It’s as though your makeup has worn in a little bit. Add a sheer layer of neutral shadow straight to the lid and line the lash with a kohl liner for soft, subtle definition,” says Hardie.

“Plumped lips that aren’t too saturated will be big in 2022,” says Coombes. While we like to think of lip gloss as a nostalgic trend synonymous with the ’90s, when you actually think about it, it wasn’t the aesthetic of gloss that went out of fashion—it was the product. There’s no denying the glossy lips are something everyone wants; we just didn’t want to have to deal with the gross stickiness. But nowadays there are a whole bunch of glosses that are beautifully wearable (and won’t act like a hair magnet). Look for formulas that contain nourishing oils to help keep tackiness at bay.

Author Shannon Lawlor | Whowhatwear
Selected by CWC