Spring is almost upon us once again, and we at Authentic Beauty are gearing up for another season of gorgeous makeup looks.
Spring 2012 is all about embellishment, from clothes and hair accessories to makeup. Extra little touches add layers of interest, creating looks that are multidimensional and striking. Glowing skin, shimmery highlighted tear ducts, flushed rosy cheeks, smoky metallic eyes, and boldly colored lips flooded the runways of New York, Paris, and Milan.
One recurrent trend we are seeing a lot of is the bold red lip. Designers like Jason Wu, Zac Posen, Christian Dior, and Anna Sui all showed variations of this classic look. Our version for Spring 2012 pairs a sheer, juicy poppy lip ( most similar to the lips at Zac Posen, see left), with a softly gilded lid.The eternal catwalk classic, the smoky eye was also in full force. This season’s versions played with rich metallic tones- either tempered by a nude lip (Armani, Pucci, Rodarte) , or done in a 1980s style with a bold red lip. At the Rodarte show, makeup artists crafted a shimmering navy smoky eye, citing inspiration from Van Gogh’s “A Starry Night” (see right). Our version of this trend? A navy lid, tempered by a warm peach below the brow, paired with a cleanly contoured cheek and cafe au lait lip.
A look that seems to pop up again, year after year, is that of minimalist makeup. This year’s versions showcased a couple of different takes on minimal makeup; ethereal, glowy skin with flushed cheeks (Louis Vuitton, Versace, Tracy Reese, Viktor & Rolf, Elie Saab). or velvety perfected skin with LOTS of 
bronzer, a la Michael Kors and Bottega Veneta.
bronzer, a la Michael Kors and Bottega Veneta.Our take for spring pairs radiant skin with a flushed pink cheek and rosebud lip. It is inspired not only by the runways, but also the quietly elegant beauty of Kate Middleton.
The winged liner also had quite a bit of representation on the runways this season- designers like Dolce & Gabana, Betsey Johnson, and The Blondes, showed versions of this 1960s-inspired modern classic. Our version pairs velvety skin with a winged black eyeliner, chiseled cheekbones, and a pale nude lip. While Brigitte Bardot did it first, this look has become Adele’s signature look, and is beautiful on any and all skin/eye/hair colors.
For the first look at Authentic Beauty’s Spring 2012 collection, “A Beautiful Escape”, come to Champagne & Shadows Friday February 24, from 6-9PM. All are welcome, so grab your friends and join us for champagne, bites, complimentary makeup touchups, and lots of fun!
