Ethereal vibes, blurred lines, ‘cloud’ skin: Try out these top makeup trends

Blues in all hues are making a comeback in many an eyeshadow palette. Photo: Sephora

Makeup trends for Spring 2025 are pretty varied, and they are all about striking the perfect balance between natural beauty and bold twists.

Think ethereal vibes with a daring edge – berry hues, blue eyeshadow, blurred lips and more.

Imperfect eyeliner and smudged looks are also making a major comeback, adding that just-right mix of soft and sharp to your makeup routine.

Blush contour

While bronzer remains a popular way to give your face more definition, soft contouring can be achieved with the right application of blush.

Take a page out of Dua Lipa’s beauty routine – the singer is rarely seen without rosy cheeks.

Blush placement is shifting, with more experts recommending applying it higher towards the temples to give your face more of a lift.

If you’re on a budget and don’t fancy purchasing yet more makeup, you’ll be glad to know that many brands have introduced all-over makeup products that can be used on your lips, cheeks and eyes for a monotone look, or to be used at separate times.

Barely-there makeup enhances your skin with very light coverage foundation, soft contouring and almost no other makeup. Photo: Rare Beauty

According to Allure.com, powder blush is also making a comeback, after liquid and cream options dominated the market for a few years.

The magazine notes that powder blush can give skin an airbrush effect and a little luminosity, and is also a great way to re-create the diffused, romantic looks seen on Ariana Grande, Sofia Carson and Hunter Schafer on recent runways.

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Berry and cherry hues

Shades and products inspired by these sweet fruits are shaping up as the breakout colour of 2025.

Late last year, deep berry tones were on all the runways and store racks and now they have seeped into lipstick, blush and eyeshadow.

Plenty of cherry-lacquered lips have been spotted at fashion shows and red carpets, while social media is exploding with cherry cola-coloured makeup.

Apply cherry or berry hues to the apples of your cheeks for a warm glow, or apply a dash across the bridge of your nose for that sunkissed effect.

Lighter than air

A new viral aesthetic known as cloud skin is a soft, semi-matte finish that gives your skin an ethereal look.

Think Cate Blanchett’s Galadriel from Lord Of The Rings with her flawless complexion that gave off a soft focused look.

According to Cosmopolitan.com, cloud skin is somewhere between ultra-dewy skin and a matte complexion.

You can achieve this look beginning with a good skincare routine: a mix of hydrating, plumping and

pore-minimising products, followed by buildable, blurring complexion makeup.

Blurred lines

Ultra-precision is out for Spring, and beauty in imperfection is in.

Slightly smudged lips and eyeliner have been spotted on many a celebrity, and can be applied to our daily routines.

Imperfect liner in any colour works on just about everyone, a look achievable with an eyeshadow stick or a thin liner.

Don’t limit yourself to the upper lid, as smudging out some colour on the lower lashline will add some dimension to the look.

Cloud skin is somewhere between ultra-dewy skin and a matte complexion. Photo: Kosas

When it comes to lips, the blurred variety is everywhere, having appeared on many a recent runway.

There’s no need for painstakingly applying lip liner for this look: simply dab on any lipstick and blur the edges out with your fingers.

Read more: Ask The Expert: Want to give your skin a beauty boost? Do it with face masks

Barely-there makeup

Lightweight looks have exploded in popularity on the heels of the “no-mascara makeup” TikTok trend.

The no-makeup makeup look goes well with those who prefer a more natural look without the fuss of reapplication.

According to whowhatwear.com, the key to achieving this look is to apply product only where it’s required as this will allow your skin to shine through.

Blur out blemishes with concealer, use minimal products for soft contouring and enhance your skin with very light coverage foundation, light blush or none at all.

Still got the blues

Recent runways saw an array of rainbow-coloured eyeshadow styles, but blue has remained a popular choice almost halfway into the year.

Ranging from powdery mattes to frosted metallics, navy and pastel blues with a green tinge have been making waves across the beauty industry.

Baby blue eyeshadow, a hallmark of 1980s pop stars has been brought back to life by the likes of singers Sabrina Carpenter and Selena Gomez.