Walk into Sephora, through a department store's makeup floor, CVS' beauty aisle -- no matter where you shop for makeup, you'll notice pastels everywhere.
While spring makeup typically includes lots of color, this season it's all about pastels -- lilac lipsticks, petal pink blush, and even minty green and butter yellow eyeshadows are the "it" colors right now. While we've always loved this trend in theory, our initial reaction was horror: How are we going to pull off these colors without looking like a 5-year-old who put on her makeup using Barbie's stash?
If, like us, you'd love to indulge in the pastel makeup trend but fear it's too tough to pull off, here's some refreshing news: Pastel makeup is actually one of the easiest trends to wear, says celebrity makeup artist Geoffrey Rodriguez.
"Since you're not mixing any shades and you're just applying a very simple wash of the color on your features, there's virtually no room for error," he says. The catch, however, is to apply pastel colors in a soft way.
Finally, a trend that doesn't require skill or camping out in front of our bathroom mirror. We're officially on board. Are you?
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Lilac lips
Lilac is one of the easiest pastels to wear, says Rodriguez, because "it complements both warm and cool tones, like a neutral color." He says the key to wearing this trend is to commit to the color and go all the way -- monochromatic that is. "By wearing lilac on your lips, lids, and cheeks, you don't have to wonder about coordinating -- you look put together immediately," he says. Here are his suggestions on how to wear the shade:
Eyes: Apply lilac eyeshadow over your entire lid to the crease. (Rodriguez likes Dior 5-Colour Designer All-In-One Artistry Palette, $59.) Then draw a thin black line on your upper lashline for definition.
Cheeks: Wear a soft wash of rosy blush with a hint of lilac undertones on the apples of your cheeks. Try Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Chased, $24.
We know what you're thinking: You're going to end up looking like a McDonald's Shamrock Shake. Rodriguez says minty green eyeshadow, while definitely a bolder look, can be worn no matter what your skin tone. Proof: Pale-skinned Kristen Bell, olive-toned Kim Kardashian, and darker-skinned Rihanna all have worn the emerald hue without ending up in a "What Were They Thinking?" roundup. Here's how you can wear this hue:
Eyes: Apply Stila Eye Shadow in Cha Cha, $18, all across your lid, in the inner corner, and along your lower lashline. Then draw a thick black line along your upper lashline, winging it out for a retro spin, says Rodriguez. Finish with lots of black mascara.
Cheeks: Apply bronzer on the hollow of your cheeks, on your temples, and along your hairline. A sun-kissed bronze will provide a base for the green to pop.
Lips: Wear a browny nude lipstick to keep the focus on your eyes.
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Sherbet orange eyeshadow
You've probably heard a million times now that tangerine orange is the color of the year. If the 2012 hue is too bright for your taste, try a soft pastel orange, which has the same flattering effect without the "look at me!" vibe. Not only is the sunny hue surprisingly flattering, "it'll especially look fresh and gorgeous on blue eyes," says Rodriguez, because the two shades are opposites on the color wheel. He shares how to wear pastel orange below:
Eyes: Apply a slight wash of color over your entire lid and the inner corner. Try Make Up For Ever Eyeshadow in Pearly Orange, $19. You can choose to build the color or go beyond your crease if you want to go bolder. Then you can opt to apply a warm brown eyeshadow to your upper lashline and into your crease for a "chic modern interpretation of the smoky eye," says Rodriguez. Finish with three coats of black mascara.
Cheeks: Apply a sweep of orange hued bronzer on your cheeks and temples for a sun-kissed glow.
Lips: Apply a sheer orange-hued lip gloss to keep your face bright and monochromatic.
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Periwinkle blue eyeshadow
When it comes to periwinkle, think disco circa 1975 (but trust us, it won't look like a bad time warp). We like Sephora Collection Colorful Mono Eyeshadow in Swimming Pool, $12. Light-skinned celebrities like Ginnifer Goodwin have been spotted wearing this trendy hue, but Rodriguez says it also looks exceptional on darker-skinned women. "Rich, dark skin coupled with blue eyeshadow looks so chic," he says. Here's how to pull off periwinkle blue:
Eyes: Layer the shadow over your entire lid to the crease and the inner corner. Then swipe it on your lower lashline. "Keep it simple, close to the eye, and very soft," says Rodriguez. "Similar to where you would apply a neutral beige base."
Cheeks: Keep the focus on your eyes by wearing a light wash of pink or taupey-colored blush.
Lips: Finish with a petal pink lip gloss. But if you're dark-skinned, Rodriguez recommends completing the look with a dark berry lip gloss. "Women with color look stunning with a darker lip."
Walk into Sephora, through a department store's makeup floor, CVS' beauty aisle -- no matter where you shop for makeup, you'll notice pastels everywhere.
While spring makeup typically includes lots of color, this season it's all about pastels -- lilac lipsticks, petal pink blush, and even minty green and butter yellow eyeshadows are the "it" colors right now. While we've always loved this trend in theory, our initial reaction was horror: How are we going to pull off these colors without looking like a 5-year-old who put on her makeup using Barbie's stash?
If, like us, you'd love to indulge in the pastel makeup trend but fear it's too tough to pull off, here's some refreshing news: Pastel makeup is actually one of the easiest trends to wear, says celebrity makeup artist Geoffrey Rodriguez.
"Since you're not mixing any shades and you're just applying a very simple wash of the color on your features, there's virtually no room for error," he says. The catch, however, is to apply pastel colors in a soft way.
Finally, a trend that doesn't require skill or camping out in front of our bathroom mirror. We're officially on board. Are you?
