7 major spring beauty trends to know about, from sparkly eyes to blunt bobs
These are the hottest backstage hair and make-up looks of the season, says Katie Wright.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Spring/summer 2023 is all about optimism and individuality, according to the backstage beauty pros who worked their magic on models at the catwalk shows.
From shimmery make-up in bold hues to cool girl hair, the top trending styles of the season offer the chance to customise and create your own unique look.
As we head into spring, these are the trends to try now…
1. Sparkle and shimmer
The SS23 catwalks were awash with all things sparkly, from diamante-lined lids at Halpern to glitter eyeshadow at Mark Fast and face jewels at Edward Crutchley.
Tap into the trend in a subtle way with shimmery eyeshadow in a metallic hue, or stick a smattering of diamante jewels in the corner of your eyes.
2. Pink
The pink craze continues this season with lips in every shade from bubblegum (at Vivienne Westwood) to fuchsia (Paul Costelloe) to magenta (Carolina Herrera).
Eyes daubed with matte cream shadow in punchy pink shades took the trend to the next level at Paul & Joe in London, and Alice + Olivia in New York.
What shade should you choose? Embrace your inner Barbie with a powder pink, or go for grown-up glamour with a rich raspberry.
3. Slicked-back hair
Bringing a sleek, chic look to long and short styles, slicked-back locks was the biggest hair trend to emerge from the spring fashion weeks.
Go for glossy and polished – as seen at Victoria Beckham and Michael Kors – wet-look like Huishan Zhang and Molly Goddard, or pushed to one side like the models at Bally.
4. Barely-there brows
You may have heard that pencil-thin brows are back, and yes, Bella Hadid was spotted with skinny, drawn-on eyebrows during Paris Fashion Week, but you don’t have to go that far.
Make-up artists at Missoni and Dries Van Noten gave brows a naturally groomed look, while at Victoria Beckham brows were lightened slightly to match the muted tones of the eye and lip colours.
5. Plum pouts
One of the more surprising trends to emerge from the spring shows, plum and berry lip colours were seen at Chanel, Molly Goddard, Versace and more.
Team a satin-finish lipstick with matte skin and minimal make-up for a summer-ready look.
6. Airbrushing
No, not flawless foundation or digital trickery – we’re talking rainbow bright eyeshadow and blush that looks like it was applied with an airbrush, as seen as Chet Lo, Etro, Marni and Christian Cowan.
One of the more daring spring/summer trends, you can recreate the effect by buffing a bright powder or cream blusher high on your cheekbones and up onto your temples.
7. Blunt bobs
Gone are the days when every model walking a show had identical, super-long locks.
Now, designers value individuality. Bobs are a massive catwalk trend, from the wavy crops at Alberta Ferretti to the bleach blond wigs at Paul Costelloe, and glossy, blunt locks at Coach and Fendi.
Celebrities like Lily Allen and Hailey Bieber have recently unveiled bobs, but make sure you talk to your hairdresser about what style suits your hair type and face shape before going in for the chop.