Spring Makeup Trends

'Life Imitating Art', ...Can Work Out Beautifully

New spring makeup looks fresh off the runways... how exciting. The artistry displayed in the shows, what goes on backstage, and in the coverage by the fashion and beauty media, is creative, exciting and inspiring. There is only one little problem. The designer looks on the runways can be a little hard to pull off in the real world, even by the most enthusiastic fashionista.

Yes, I do agree with Oscar Wilde's contention that we are all looking for ways to express ourselves, and imitating art allows us a beautiful form to do it...And clearly the fashion and beauty media agree with that thinking in their excited reporting on season after season of shows and new looks.

However, even the most enthusiastic fashionistas will raise their eyebrow in wonder (more frequently than not), as to what to take away from the 'new looks'.

I would like to will help you edit through the brilliant art, and enthusiastic fashion reporting, to find the key design elements that you can use in your spring makeup look (and keep you on the cutting edge of fashion and beauty trends).

Spring Makeup Trends 2011

May 2011

March brought us 'Fashion Weeks' from London, Paris, Milan and New York and along with them, beauty and makeup trends for Spring 2011...fuscia eye shadow at Nina Ricci, dark black green smoky eyes at Chanel, metallic gold eyes and glossy dark purple lips at Louis Vitton, etc

Dramatic use of color is an understatement this spring at many of the shows. Here, is a quick run down of the strongest design elements this spring.

faces generally, soft, fresh, dewy, natural with pink, peach and/ or bronzer used like blush; Chloé, Chanel, DKNY, Michael Kors (stepped it up with sun kissed glow)
eyes bright shades in shadows confined to upper lid bright copper, fuscia; Dior, Nina Ricci, Carolina Herrara, Derek Lam, OR gorgeous creamy browns and taupes for softer definition; Chloé, Lanvin, Versace
lips- soft nude or natural looking lip shades was the most dominant lip look, super glossy Lanvin, Chloé, Chanel OR super bold mouth in coral and reds; Dior bright red mouth paired with bright shadow, Gucci bright red-orange mouth with neutral eyes, Marc Jacobs
skip- avoid the spring makeup extremes; Yves Saint Laurent- bleached brows, bare shiny eyes, dark red lips. Vera Wang- matte, colorless non dimensional face. Louis Vitton overly gold, heavy dramtic eyes paired with dark purple glossy lips. Chanel- extremely dark smoky eyes in black and deep green shades.

spring makeup tip Also important to remember is, that getting the essence of this season's spring makeup looks is more than using the right elements, it's also the combination of elements that create a style.

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Here is a great spring makeup 2011 daytime look, that captures the key beauty styles elements for this season (and will transfer into your world beautifully).

Combined style elements in this look are the brown, cream, 'sepia' or taupe defined eyes (seen at Chloé, Lanvin, Versace), with the fresh sculpted face scene at ( Chloé, Lanvin, Micheal Kors) and the glossy nude/ natural toned lips( Chloé, Lanvin, Versace + many more).

spring makeup palette Spring Palette 2011

Spring Makeup 2011 Fusion
Blend Of Chloé, Lanvin and Michael Kors

Spring Makeup 2011 EYES

At Chloé, eye definition was created with shades of "chocolate brown and sepia-toned creams on the lids and along the lower lashes", blended well for soft finish and then black mascara, according to makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury.

Lanvin went with taupes, and bumped up the upper eyelashes with two sets of false lashes, and taupe shadow under the lower lash line with mascara...according to Pat McGrath (famed catwalk pro makeup artist). Two sets of false lashes a realistic daily spring makeup measure?...Not really,... so take away the idea of dramatic presence of pretty upper lashes which can be realized by using a lash curler, primer, black lengthening mascara, and black pencil.

NARS eye pencil, black
Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow - 609 Earth Reflection (soft gold, bronze, golden pink, dark brown, and golden pearl)- Sephora shows Rosy Tan but actually Earth Reflection
OR; 030 Incognito (matte beige, golden pearl, matte peach, taupe shimmer, and warm brown shimmer)
DIOR Show MAXIMIZER (for longer more full lashes)
DIOR Show Mascara black

Spring Eye Makeup 2011 Create the look with these quick steps:

1. Creamy light brown or taupe from upper lash line, blended into brow bone.

2. Deeper brown or taupe in crease, in arch shape sweep back and forth (do not sweep all the way to inner corner).

eye liner technique 3. Angled eye liner brush, take deeper shade tightly under lower lash line. Smudge brush that lower lash line shadow.

4. Black pencil tightly along upper lash line, from 2/3 of the way to inner corner, extended out just beyond outer corner (short angled mini strokes between lashes work best.) At outer corner, extend line a touch on a slightly upwards, diagnol line). Use angled brush to blend line to soften and smudge into lash line.

5. Carefull Curl lashes...gently squeeze once closer to base, and once closer to tips for a more natural round curl (not a 90 degree angle).

7. Several coats black mascara paying attention to gripping with want at base of lashes, jiggling wand to grab as many lashes as possible as you pull through tips. Work the lashes with spoolie to break apart clumps and tangles so the lashes are parallel, long and tapered. Wait a minute for top to dry before doing the lower lashes, pinch off too much length on lower lashes.

8. Clean eye area for speckles, smudges, shadow dust, for a clean polished eye and eye area.

Dior 5 Color Eyeshadow Rosy tan at Beso.com

dior show mascara black at Beso.com

NARS eye pencil black at Beso.com

Spring Makeup 2011 FACE

For the face, Chloé updated a bronzer technique that creates a more sculpted, softer sun-kissed face. Using a large fluffy brush, sweep bronzer over the apples of the cheeks and up towards the temples with a touch on the forehead (according to makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury and reported by Angelique Serrano). Highlight the cheekbones for full 3D effect. Again everything blended well for soft finish.

You can also 'bump up' Chloé's soft bronze sculpted finish with more of as "post-vacation glow" (according to makeup artist Dick Page) as seen in the spring makeup of Michael Kors. Do this by adding a natural 'flush' on the apples of the cheeks in earthy pink and a little more bronzer around the face. You be the juge on the degree of "sun kissed"...but don't go overboard, you will kill the look...remember the technique is more about soft sculpting for three dimensional beauty, and the overall color of your face still needs to match the neck down.

Makeup to complete this look?

Guerlain Terracotta Light Sheer Bronzing Powder in Blonde (01) soft suntan tones or Brunette (02) bronze tones.
Guerlain Teracotta 4 Seasons
NARS Multipurpose Stick in Maui (earthy pink ) on apples of cheeks and along cheek bone
Nars Blush Orgasm(peach pink) or Dolce Vita(dusty rose)

Spring Makeup 2011 LIPS

Lips To compliment the above spring makeup sculpted bronze beauty-

Chloé's combination with something pink like Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss Pink Beige
Gorgeous wet glossy look with Dior Addict Ultra Gloss in Twin Set Pink 157 (light peachy pink shimmer) or Beige Tweed 227 (pinky beige shimmer)
Bobbi Brown Lipstick Soft Coral
If you are a fan of bright mouths, and bold enough to try this out, a bright coral or pink (Fendi) or red- orange mouth, will work well with the above neutral eyes, soft sun kissed skin and be part of the spring makeup trends for 2011.