Watercolour makeup is one of the dreamiest trends you’ll see this spring

Spring is almost here, and with the change in temperature, we reckon our makeup is due a refresh, too. One look that’s on the agenda is watercolour makeup, according to a top celebrity makeup artist.

“I’m seeing the rise of ‘watercolour makeup’,” notes global makeup artist, Nikki Wolff, who counts Sabrina Carpenter, Yara Shahidi, Simone Ashley, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Dua Lipa and Gracie Abrams among her celebrity clients.

What is watercolour makeup?

The name conjures pretty, pastel, watercolour paintings that capture dreamy landscapes or romantic portraits by blending sheer washes of colour over a canvas and the makeup equivalent follows a similar aesthetic. Nikki describes watercolour makeup as “soft, blurred pigments that look like they’ve melted into the skin. Instead of heavy layering, it’s all about diffused edges and sheer, ethereal blended colour across eyes, lips, and cheeks. It’s a fresh take on wearing colour that feels dreamy yet attainable.”

Why choose watercolour makeup?

Now that spring is about to hit, pops of pastel and cheery colour are making their way back into our makeup bags. But, if you’re not a neon girl and you err on the more minimalist end of the spectrum, watercolour makeup introduces a daintier more subtle way of incorporating pretty shades of pink, lilac and baby blue.

How to wear watercolour makeup?

Below we’ve rounded up some of our favourite ways to wear watercolour makeup…

Lilac-wash eyes and glazed pink cheeks

Stained glass blue eyeshadow

Melted pink blusher

Sheer cherry blush

Diffused cornflower blue eyeshadow

Tonal pastel

Draped pink eyes and cheeks

Lavender haze eyeshadow and flushed pink cheeks

Cloudy blue eyeshadow

Buttery pink blush

Glazed lilac eyes and cheeks

Blurred blue eyeshadow

Peaches and pinks

For more from GLAMOUR’s Senior Beauty Editor, Elle Turner, follow her on Instagram @elleturneruk

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