Spring Make-up Update

For spring make-up we’re seeing the prettiest pastels, from soft peach to coral and from sheer lilac to aquamarine, with powders and creams that go together beautifully.

Here’s your guide to what will work for you, with tips from the world’s leading make-up artists.

Try the new nudes

Pink is out. Soft and pretty peach, tawny apricot and coral are your new must-have shades.

How to wear it: “It’s all about being comfortable rather than following specific rules,” says Lancôme’s artistic director for make-up, Aaron de May. The key is to play up your favourite facial feature, but tone down the rest of your look. Brighten your lips and soften your blush, or go bolder with blush, but wear the look with subtle lips. Match dramatic eyes with muted lip colour. This way you’ll maintain a beautiful balance.

Buys to try: MAC Eyeshadow in Jest, R210; Clarins Blush Prodige in Soft Peach, R385; Estee Lauder Pure Color Sculpting Blush in Wild Sunset, R595.

ALSO SEE: How to wear the latest shimmer powders and concealers

The fresh way to wear blush

“It’s less about colour on the apple of the cheeks and far more about contouring,” says Val Garland for YSL.

How to wear it: “You need to really push colour in the hollows of the skin to highlight your face shape.” Once you’ve contoured your cheeks, add a fresh peach colour to the fullest parts of your face, making them look rounder and younger too.”

Buys to try: Perfect for the handbag is Catrice Blush Artist Shading Palette R92.95, which has a highlighter, blush and contour in one. If you’re looking for a fab highlighter take a big fluffy blush to Avon Illuminating Face Pearls, R169,90; Clinique Blushing Blush Powder Blush in Innocent Peach, R385, is the perfect apricot blush that looks so fresh. L’Oréal Le Blush True Match in Nectarine, R2169,95, is beautifully subtle on the skin and great fun is The Body Shop Lip & Cheek Stain in Dutch Tulip, R150, which doubles up as a blusher.

ALSO SEE: Spring fragrances for you to try

Add a touch of lilac to eyes

Lilac is this season’s eyeshadow alternative if you’re tired of neutral colours. In fact, it’s the new power pastel says make-up artist Pat McGrath. A youthful colour that brightens and adds radiance to most skin types.

How to wear it: “lilac is very pretty on everyone,” says Val Garland. “This season, more than before, it’s all about eye sculpting. It’s not about a line in the socket. Many women will remember that in the 70s you’d have seen that hard, exaggerated line, but now it’s all about blend, blend, blend. Textures are more malleable than ever and they make make-up melt into skin.”

Buys to try: Bobbi Brown Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow in Lilac, R360; Givenchy Le Prisme Quatuor in Tentation, R890.00, R145; Urban Decay Moon Dust Eyeshadow in Last call, R350.
Another great way to make your eyes pop is to apply false eyelashes. Think it’s difficult? Watch our beauty ed’s easy how to video below:

Try a new eyeliner

For a stronger eye, add a flash of vibrant shadow along the lash line. “It’s the way real women wear make-up,” says make-up artist Pat McGrath. “With just a flash of colour rather than a laboured application.”

How to wear it: Turn your smoky blue or green shadow into your favourite eyeliner by brushing it against the lashes. Applying it with a cotton bud, which is more compact than a brush, will leave no residue and stops shadow from falling down quite as much. Powder, as liner, brushed close to the lashes, looks softer than a line, and so much more youthful.

Buys to try: Revlon ColorStay Eye Liner Jade, R179; Rimmel Exaggerate Smoke n’ Shine Automatic Gel Eye Liner Blue Steel, R99,95; Wet n Wild Color Icon Brow & Eyeliner Turquoise, R34,95

ALSO SEE: Top 10 self-tanning tips you need to know

Wow with a new lip colour

If you’re keeping the rest of your face subtle, rich lips in a range of pinks, reds and corals are so right. Kick your make-up regime out of a rut by adding a denser, creamier bright lip colour. “Lips are taking centre stage this spring,” says Terry Barber for MAC.

How to wear it: We’re seeing strong colour, a defined cupid’s bow – and all surprisingly uplifting. Brace yourself and get ready to work pinks, reds and corals into your look. “Lipstick, when it’s worn as a statement in its own right, looks really fresh and young,” says Pat Mcgrath. However, past a certain age, a little colour that’s blotted down so it looks lived in will work better. Keep eyes bare with a touch of brown mascara and add a little blush for a youthful flush.

Buys to try: NYX Chunky Dunk Hydra Lip Sex On The Beach, R109,95; Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Lipstick in Classic Coral, R275.00; Woolworths HydroLips Lipstick in Cubana Coral, R130; Bobbi Brown Sheer Lip Color in Hot Raspberry, R345.00.