ANN/THE STAR – This season’s makeup trends are embracing both softness and boldness, merging ethereal beauty with daring details.
Spring 2025 is all about effortless elegance with a twist – think berry tones, pops of blue eyeshadow, blurred lips, and the return of imperfect, smudged eyeliner that adds a soft-meets-sharp effect to any look.
BLUSH GETS A CONTOUR UPGRADE
While bronzer remains a go-to for defining facial features, blush is stepping into the spotlight as a subtle contouring tool. Inspired by pop icon Dua Lipa – often seen sporting a rosy flush – make-up artists are shifting blush placement higher up the cheeks, sweeping towards the temples to create a lifted, youthful effect.
For those looking to streamline their beauty routines, multi-use makeup products are gaining popularity. These all-over tints can be applied to lips, cheeks and eyes, allowing for cohesive, monotone looks without breaking the bank.
According to Allure.com, powder blush is also staging a comeback. After years dominated by cream and liquid formulas, the classic powder finish is making waves for its ability to deliver an airbrushed glow and soft luminosity. It’s the perfect product to achieve the diffused, romantic flush seen on stars like Ariana Grande, Sofia Carson and Hunter Schafer on recent fashion runways.
Whether you’re leaning into dreamy minimalism or adding bold accents, this season’s trends offer something for every beauty enthusiast.
BERRY AND CHERRY HUES
Shades and products inspired by these sweet fruits are shaping up as the breakout colour of 2025.
Late last year, deep berry tones were on all the runways and store racks and now they have seeped into lipstick, blush and eyeshadow.
Plenty of cherry-lacquered lips have been spotted at fashion shows and red carpets, while social media is exploding with cherry cola-coloured makeup.
Apply cherry or berry hues to the apples of your cheeks for a warm glow, or apply a dash across the bridge of your nose for that sunkissed effect.
LIGHTER THAN AIR
A new viral aesthetic known as cloud skin is a soft, semi-matte finish that gives your skin an ethereal look.
Think Cate Blanchett’s Galadriel from Lord Of The Rings with her flawless complexion that gave off a soft focused look.
According to Cosmopolitan.com, cloud skin is somewhere between ultra-dewy skin and a matte complexion.
You can achieve this look beginning with a good skincare routine: a mix of hydrating, plumping and pore-minimising products, followed by buildable, blurring complexion makeup.
BLURRED LINES
Ultra-precision is out for Spring, and beauty in imperfection is in.
Slightly smudged lips and eyeliner have been spotted on many a celebrity and can be applied to our daily routines.
Imperfect liner in any colour works on just about everyone, a look achievable with an eyeshadow stick or a thin liner.
Don’t limit yourself to the upper lid, as smudging out some colour on the lower lashline will add some dimension to the look.
When it comes to lips, the blurred variety is everywhere, having appeared on many a recent runway.
There’s no need for painstakingly applying lip liner for this look: simply dab on any lipstick and blur the edges out with your fingers.
BARELY-THERE MAKEUP
Lightweight looks have exploded in popularity on the heels of the ‘no-mascara makeup’ TikTok trend.
The no-make-up makeup look goes well with those who prefer a more natural look without the fuss of reapplication.
According to whowhatwear.com, the key to achieving this look is to apply product only where it’s required as this will allow your skin to shine through.
Blur out blemishes with concealer, use minimal products for soft contouring and enhance your skin with very light coverage foundation, light blush or none at all.
STILL GOT THE BLUES
Recent runways saw an array of rainbow-coloured eyeshadow styles, but blue has remained a popular choice almost halfway into the year.
Ranging from powdery mattes to frosted metallics, navy and pastel blues with a green tinge have been making waves across the beauty industry.
Baby blue eyeshadow, a hallmark of 1980s pop stars has been brought back to life by the likes of singers Sabrina Carpenter and Selena Gomez. – Nasa Maria Entaban
