A bright colour? For spring? Groundbreaking.
While not exactly reinventing the cosmetic colour wheel, there’s something striking about the new guard of colour we’re seeing in beauty this season. Over at Chanel, spring/summer 2025 is all about “carte blanche to create technicolour make-up looks”, whilst Dior Make-Up Creative and Image Director Peter Phillips designed the house’s Glowmania spring collection around sheer, pastel shades that can be built up “from cute and delicate to bold and strong”.
In other words, there’s every incentive to splash out on colour this season—but as for how to apply it? There’s no prescriptive trend. Rather, express your mood as you see fit—from an all-over, monochrome look or clashing colours to pastels that radiate from your mien more softly.
“Colours leave their own unique mark on a style, an era,” reads a press release from Chanel for their new collection. “They form a playful language that weaves a common thread through the various mediums of creation.”
Soft and steady
Vogue Singapore reached out to Kat Zhang, make-up artist and creative director of The Suburbs Studio, and Rolana Lim, make-up artist, for their pointers on incorporating coloured make-up within everyday beauty.
“If you are new to coloured make-up, start with something soft and easy to wear,” says Zhang. “A tinted lip gloss is a great way to add a bit of colour without feeling like you are doing too much. Shades like pink, coral and even sheer lavender feel natural and fresh.”
Both Zhang and Lim vouch for the power of adding even a small flash of colour to your eyes for maximum impact. “Keep it playful and effortless,” Lim says. “Coloured eyeliner is the perfect place to start. It doesn’t have to be too bold. A small dot in the centre of your lash line or a short flick at the outer corner can add just the right touch.”
Beyond pops of pastel and sheer, glossy finishes on the lips and lids, Zhang advises that monochrome make-up is having a moment. “This means keeping the eyes, cheeks and lips in the same colour family,” she shares. “A peachy eye with a soft coral lip? A full mauve monochrome moment? Super chic and effortless.”
Making it last
How about when it comes to choosing a colour that’s best suited to your individual colouring? “If you have dark brown or black eyes, you can wear almost any colour,” Zhang shares. “However, greens, blues and cool pastels will create the most striking contrast. Meanwhile, if you have blue or green eyes, warm tones like coral, soft peach and lilac will really make your eye colour pop.”
For those with a deeper skin tone, pastels like periwinkle, vibrant corals or golden green will stand out beautifully, according to Zhang. And for those with a neutral or medium skin tone, “soft pastels with a bit of warmth like pink or apricot will be the easiest to wear.”
As for pairing colours, while this season’s beauty zeitgeist advocates for applying according to your whims, Lim has some pointers for balance. “If you’re going for bold shades, pairing complementary colours such as teal and orange will make the look pop,” she explains. “For something softer, stick with analogous shades like pinks and purples; they blend effortlessly.” And if your eyes are the focus, Lim suggests keeping the rest of your make-up look more neutral to give your look “a polished finish.”
However you choose to apply your colour, for Lim “a well-prepped base makes all the difference for long-lasting colour and fresh-looking makeup.”
