The spring skin report
Think fresh, flattering and pleasingly easy to achieve – pro make-up artist Nikki Wolff shows you how to put your best face forward for spring. Glow this way…
believable bronze
What makes this season’s base trends stand out is their wearability factor – focusing first and foremost on healthy-looking skin. ‘This unified, sun-swept bronze is instantly more natural looking,’ promises Nikki. ‘Simply take your bronzer past the usual points of cheekbones and temples, sweeping the same colour across the eye socket and even down on to the shoulders. This way, no matter what you’re wearing [for example, anything collarbone-baring], it doesn’t look like lots of make-up, but rather an all-over, natural glow.’ In terms of formulations, Nikki ‘loves the effect of a liquid, cream or tint’.
faking it
The beloved Instagram filter, only better – and far more realistic. ‘Whatever you use on your brows is usually a good tone for creating your own faux freckles. So, take your brow pencil or gel and eyeliner brush and dot softly across the nose and upper cheeks. Next, tap over the dots with your finger and continue tapping along where the sun hits. As well as blending, this technique picks up a little of the product and redistributes it, resulting in an imprint of a freckle that ends up looking far softer,’ advises Nikki.
gloss over
If you want to amp up the glam factor of your natural bronze look, add gloss into the mix. ‘Taking a gloss over the eyes and lips, leaving the cheekbones as before, will give you a more full-impact effect with minimal effort and maximum results,’ promises Nikki.
shining stars
A wave of new-gen highlighters hit the shelves last year – ones that swerve Instagram-level shimmer in favour of a balmy, dewy shine that makes you look energised and fresh. ‘Just don’t forget the skincare prep,’ cautions Nikki. ‘It’s the most important step for a healthy-looking glow. If your skin texture isn’t hydrated before applying your base, you won’t be able to achieve the level of radiance you want.’
a perkier blush
Forget ’80s high-shimmer powders – this is blusher for the wellness era; one that makes you look as if you’ve spent hours cramming in antioxidants and yoga sessions. For this, Nikki favours cream formulas. ‘Take your two middle fingers, press on to the hollows of your cheeks and blend up from there. Reserve your cheekbones for bronzer and highlighter,’ she advises.