Spring is for Pop & Sparkle

Living largely in the world of product releases, I often forget that spring doesn’t actually officially kick off until March 20th (and ends June 21st!)–plus I live in Arizona, where our winter is many regions’ spring.  It’s always hard to think spring when it’s January 15th and feels so close to the holiday season (aka winter).

To stretch my creative muscles a bit, I’ve been thinking about what would my spring makeup bag look like; what products would I reach for more often, if any.  I’ll happily wear whatever strikes my mood, but I also enjoy playing to the season, too–it’s like decorating with pastels for spring or bringing out garlands of leaves and pumpkins during autumn.

These are some of my top picks for spring looks, and how I selected products was creating a mix of budget-friendly and higher-end favorites, cool and warm-toned shades, and paying attention to depth. There’s no way to make every single pick work for all skin tones, so I tried to feature enough that, at the very least, these might inspire you to search through your own stash for something similar!

I’m thinking about also posting my dream spring makeup edit (you know, like if I wasn’t testing new products on the regular!) that would be just based on my personal preferences and coloring–let me know if something like that would interest you!

Eyes

While I love the idea of pastels during spring, I find that they are more misses than hits when it comes to how they translate in makeup products, so the way I like to spin that is by using them as brighter pops of color anchored by more grounding shades.  I also find that brightening using sparkly products placed on the inner corner/tearduct area or underneath the lash line are easy ways to incorporate something extra, particularly for those who may be less comfortable with brighter color.

Shades like Frog and 104 Blue White are perfect for layering over a myriad of other products and brightening the inner tearduct area (or try it as a halo eye on the center of the lid).  Big Ego and Topaz Flash are shades I’d tend to apply on my lower lash line for an extra pop.

Cheeks

Every spring, there’s a slew of new foundation and concealer releases, and there is a definite emphasis on skin-like finishes–a little dewier, a little glossier–and my favorite type of finish is luminous when it comes to cheek colors and highlighters.

Dolly, which has a softer sheen, slightly less warmth compared to Drop of a Hat, which is a cream-based formula and has a bit of more of a sheen.  Fig Pop is fantastic for a skin-like finish and a warm, pop of orange-coral.  Faux Sure is the most shimmery in the group but buffs out so beautifully on skin.

Wrapped Candy is the most shimmery in this group, and it is a cooler-toned shade though it is the least cool-toned of the four–I’d expect it to run a little pinker/cooler on those with cool undertones.  Plum Pop and Lush & Libido more have a similar, satiny sheen, but Lush & Libido is lighter and more blue-based.  B204 is lighter and brighter without having a strong white base, so it will work for more skin tones than some bubblegum pink blushes.

Dew You is a liquid highlighter that offers a warm, golden glow to skin that works well mixed in with foundation, layered over bare skin or base products, and isn’t so yellow/orange that it isn’t workable for cooler undertones as well.  Spotlight is cream-based but lightweight and thin, and it has a similar effect on skin as Dew You but in a platinum hue.  Rocket Science adds shimmer and pearl with a hint of lavender in a cream-to-powder formula.

Light (01) is a subtle highlighter that adds shine and luminosity to skin without overt shimmer, and it doesn’t have a strong, white base and isn’t powdery, so it can work on deeper skin tone BUT really, the formula is fantastic and Medium (02) and Dark (03) have similar effects on darker skin tones so swap the concept based on your skin tone!

Lips

For lips, it’s a mix of finer pearl and luminous, glossier finishes with medium (or buildable) coverage that give lips a smoother, plumper look and help them feel hydrated while temperatures are still warming up (well, for some of us!) along with sparkling, easy-to-wear glosses that work alone or layered over other products for extra shine and twinkle.

Products Mentioned