After spending most of the year wearing tracksuit pants and going makeup-free, the combination of summer and the festive season heralds a new opportunity for us to dress up and experiment with makeup once again.
As far as beauty trends go, the holiday period is set to be bright and bold, with colour and texture taking the front seat. Now is the time to dig out your eyeshadow palettes and lip colours, or invest in a few new pieces for your summer beauty wardrobe.
According to MECCA’s head of artistry, Tony Baumann, eyes are where it’s at this season, with sherbet shades front and centre. To experiment with your eyeshadow look, consider replicating a rainbow vibe that is perfect for your next holiday soirée.
“Mecca Max Locking Eyes palette is your go-to for this trend so press on the blue with either your finger or a brush so you have maximum coverage on the lid,” Baumann said. “Take the yellow and contour through the inner crease till it hits the bridge of the nose then blend peach and raspberry together for the socket and extend outwards for a nod to the ’80s.
“Line with Shiseido Lilac Lotus along the lash line with a subtle wing that fades into the shadow. Feather hair-like strokes using BDB universal Brow pencil through brows for natural yet defined brows, brush upwards.”
If you’re ready to jump on the bold bandwagon, here are a few products we’ll have in rotation over the coming weeks and months.
MECCA MAX Locking Eyes Eyeshadow Palette, $42
This 30-pan palette is the perfect mix of muted and bold shades, making it a versatile addition to your beauty collection. Depending on your mood, you can swipe shades of aqua or pink over your lids, or opt for bronzed, metallic tones for a more subtle but no less lovely effect.
Shiseido LacquerInk LipShine, $42
If you prefer leaving your lids bare, consider letting your lips do the talking with a brilliant and bold lip colour. Shiseido’s range of LacquerInk LipShine products come in a range of vivid shades, with Plexi Pink a particularly pretty colour.
MECCA MAX Zoom Liner, $16
Up your eyeliner game with one of MECCA MAX’s highly pigmented Zoom Liners, which come in 12 shades — three of which are metallic and nine that are semi-matte. These liners are super blendable and allow you to get creative when it comes to lining your eyes.
Ere Perez Natural Almond Mascara in Mauve, $34
Ere Perez’s Natural Almond Mascara was the product that kicked off the brand in 2004. Just recently, the brand released a new version of the cult product — a purple mascara perfect for the summer season. The mauve-indigo shade brightens your lashes and provides an understated pop of colour when you don’t want to go to the effort of eyeshadow.
The product itself is smudge-proof, water-resistant and long-lasting, making it perfect for all-day wear. The addition of natural almond oil also helps to strengthen and lengthen your lashes.
Trinny London Eyetallics, $40
Not everyone loves loud colours but you can still make a statement with bold textured products instead. Trinny London’s Eyetallics range is the perfect way to add sparkle to your eyes and create a multi-dimensional effect without the need for colour. Coming in four metallic shades, our personal favourite is the emerald colour called Juno, which is perfect for holiday parties.
For tips on blending the product, founder Trinny Woodall says: “Use your fingertips to press the product in and tap it back and forth to blend. Eyetallics give a fabulous result on their own, but you can also layer them on top of your favourite Eye2Eye shade for a soft, multi-dimensional effect.”
