How to Wear the Biggest Hair and Makeup Trends of Spring and Summer 2020
Something about the sun shining brightly on a more regular basis makes people more inclined to try new beauty trends during the spring season. This hasn't been scientifically proven, but it's my own hypothesis as a beauty editor of six years. Add in the fact Euphoria helped put fun looks from the runway on a mainstream stage and more people than ever before are experimenting with makeup.
We teamed up with makeup artist Raisa Flowers to explore the best eye and lip trends for spring to show you the boundless possibilities of makeup.
"Makeup is makeup," Flowers tells Allure. "Makeup is for fun. Makeup is just a way of just expressing yourself. For me, makeup is just the ability to enhance someone's beauty in a different type of way." And I couldn't agree more. The watercolor, neon, and graphic liner looks she came up with are truly a visual feast.
Not only is your makeup the best accessory for your spring outfits, but your hairstyle can also be — no matter what your hair texture may be. "Hair has become now it's so liberated," hairstylist Guido Palau tells Allure. "This is a time when [people] can go out with natural hair, and it's fine. They don't have to spend their hours waving the hair and primping it into some idea of conformity. This is a time of expression for people that they can be who they want to be in everything."
Why not explore the possibilities with looks created by hairstylist Rubi Aguilar Jones? She transformed models Bibi, Lua, Gabrielle, and Kanta's hair for the shoot with refashioned retro cuts and dreamy adornments.
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Photographed by: Francesca Allen; Stylist: Taylor McNeill; Makeup: Raisa Flowers; Hair: Rubi Jones; Nails: Elina Ogawa
Francesca Allen1/7Watercolor Shadow & Inverted Texture
Makeup: As you gravitate toward colorful eye shadow palettes this spring, keep in mind that you don't have to commit to just one vibrant hue per look. You can dip into as many pans as your heart desires to turn your lids into mini watercolor masterpieces. That's what makeup artists did before models walked the runway at Angel Chen and Jason Wu Collection. Several celebrities have also been fans of the look lately. So when we tasked Flowers with doing the same, she gleefully dove into the Sugarpill Cosmetics Fun Size Palette.
As delicate as the shadows appear, Flowers applied them with force. "I took every color and pushed it into the skin to make the color show up more because the lighter you go, the more time it's going to take for you to build that color," she explains.
To ensure the pigments were as bright as possible, Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion was smoothed onto Bibi’s lids first. Then, Flowers pressed on the vivid shadows with a stiff flat top brush. The Sigma Beauty P80 Precision Flat Brush is a good option. The best part: No blending skills are needed. "I didn't want [the shadows] to be everywhere," she explains. "Once you blend, it spreads. I wanted it to be more stagnant."
Nothing about the Rorschach Test-like placement was random. Flowers wanted the high-intensity shadows to be reflected on each eye for cohesiveness. "Sometimes, when you wear so many colors on the eyes and they're all over the place, it can be a bit confusing," she says. Also, keep in mind that you don't have to use as many colors as she did, either. Two or three work just fine.
To keep your makeup from looking chaotic, Flowers suggests balancing out your colorful eyes with a nude lip product and a light sweeping of a blush that complements your skin tone.
Hair: Ask hairstylist Vernon Francois what's on trend in the natural hair world, and he'll tell you displaying afro hair in retro-inspired styles is having a moment right now. "The soft rolls I created for Lupita Nyong'o at the 2020 SAG Awards were a nod to '40s Hollywood glamour," he lists as an example. Consider the flattops of the '80s, too.
To create a modern version of the gravity-defying style, Jones carefully picked out Bibi's hair. Then, she molded it in the inverted shape by wrapping it in a mesh scarf before diffusing it. As she did so, she misted Bibi's hair with hairspray over the mesh to avoid using as much product as possible.
For those who plan to wear their hair down some days, Jones recommends getting a haircut that is shorter in the back toward the nape of your neck and longer around the crown of your head. "It's a good way to even grow your hair out if you're trying to," she adds.
Francesca Allen2/7Double-Decker Falsies
Makeup: False lashes are usually makeup's last touch of drama, but this spring, they can be your whole look. On days when you're rushing out the door to an event, consider skipping liner and shadow in favor of a full-fringed fantasy à la Gucci — just glue and go. "All it takes is two pairs of lashes: a top and bottom pair," Flowers says.
For Flowers' iteration, she first affixed strips of faux mink along the roots of the lashes. Business as usual. If you need some suggestions, try the Kiss Lash Couture Faux Mink Little Black Dress or the Ardell 3D Faux Mink Lash #853.
Bottom falsies are what make this look truly tick, and Flowers strongly encourages them for any occasion. "If you want to boost up your look, I say bottom lashes are a go," she says. "People wear them all the time, but we don't notice because they're so blended in with their lashes."
Flowers went with a pair of webbed, spider-like falsies from Danessa Myricks Beauty. Sadly, they are no longer available, but the BH Cosmetics Studio Pro Lashes in D-301 are a great alternative.
Instead of gluing them along the lower lash lines, Flowers prefers to place them slightly under them to avoid irritating the waterline. This placement creates a brightening, "open-eye effect," too, she adds.
Brushed-up brows filled in with the Glossier Brow Flick accompanied the lashes, as well as a swirl of peach on the apples of the cheeks. For Lua's lips, Flowers toned them down with concealer before slicking on a lip balm. "You can wear a lipstick with it, but it's going to take the look to another level," she notes.
Francesca Allen3/7Embellished Eyes & Curly Bangs
Makeup: The firecracker lids at Pyer Moss, whimsical pastel sparkle at Marc Jacobs, and disco shimmer at House of Holland helped set the stage for Flowers' extravagant cobalt embellished eyes. All prove more is more, and you might as well commit to the Pantone Color of the Year, Classic Blue, while doing so.
For Gabrielle's eye shadow, Flowers overlapped five different products to achieve the dreamy metallic cobalt hue. The first one was the blue from the Sugarpill palette. Next, she deepened the color with a wash of the MAC Satin Eyeshadow in Triennial Wave. Then, Blitz Aquamarine from the now-out-of-stock Pat McGrath Labs Bliz Astral Quad Eyeshadow Palette in Nocturnal Nirvana was pressed onto the lids with Flowers' fingertip for intense shimmer payoff.
To further amplify the glitz, a combination of a teal glitter and a holographic one was tapped on top of the shadows "to make it look wet and like there's a gloss on there," Flowers explains. And if that weren't enough, Swarovski crystals were arranged symmetrically on each lid to complement Gabrielle's eye shape.
Instead of contouring Gabrielle's cheeks with a classic sculpting shade, Flowers reached for the MAC Glow Play Blush in Grand (a rich peach). Adding it to the hollows helped bring Gabrielle’s cheekbones forward. "When you're doing glittery eyes like this, it's important to make sure that your face has some depth," Flowers explains.
For Gabrielle's lips, Flowers lined them with a dark brown pencil, like the Lipstick Queen Visible Lip Liner in Rich Cocoa, before topping them with a creamy coordinating lipstick.
Hair: Bangs and curls may seem like a contentious duo, but when executed and styled with the right steps, they're a stunning power couple. Trust me.
Because curls tend to spring up more some days than others, ask your stylist to cut your bangs in a triangle shape above your forehead about an inch or an inch and a half longer than the place you want them to lay. (Grazing your eyebrows is the most flattering, according to Jones.) This will give them "a little bit of wiggle room for your curls to have a mind of their own sometimes," she explains.
After washing your hair, your typical product routine will work in your favor. Jones recommends applying your oils, creams, and gels to the rest of your hair first. Then, rake through your bangs with "whatever's left on your hands, where your hands look a little shiny, there's product on them but not necessarily a blob," Jones says. "That is more than enough for your bangs alone."
For days you don't wash and need help taming rogue coils, a curl refreshing spray will help you tame the beast on your head. Jones says just spraying it on your roots is all you need to get your bangs in place again.
Francesca Allen4/7Modern Mullet & Neon Lips
Hair: The mention of a mullet may irk some and excite others, but trust Guido Palau when he says, "It's fun, it's ironic, and it's edgy. It can be really extreme, or it can be kind of soft and pretty."
What separates mullets of 2020 from David Bowie and Billy Ray Cyrus's signature style are bangs. "They're a little bit wider and deeper, so your eyes go straight to the front of someone's hair," Jones explains. The section of hair in the front part of your hair — from your ears forward — is cut short with layers like any other mullet. However, the layers are blended with the longer part of your hair, so the difference between the party-in-the-back and the business-in-the-front sections is less extreme than mullets of the past.
If your hair has any sort of wave, Jones says this cut is best for you and will help accentuate your texture.
Although monthly bang trims will keep the modern mullet in peak condition, you can hold off on appointments. Your hair will grow into another throwback cut. "The layers are all blended so well together that it turns into a bit of a '70s curtain-y shag," Jones says.
Makeup: The neon makeup trend doesn't have to be focused on your eyes. You can bring it to lips for a concentrated shock of fluorescence.
Flowers built up the bright color by laying down a base of deep-pink lipstick in the center for depth and intensity. Inc.redible's Listen Hard Girl Neon Lip Paint in She's Arrived (a dayglow pink) was layered on top next. Then, she added the orange shade called I'm Hot RN around the outer rim of Lua's lips.
You don't necessarily have to go through this whole process for neon red lips, though. Flowers did so to add depth and intensity to the look. Feel free to go for a single shade if you don't have time — or patience.
To balance out the rest of your face with the brightness of the lip shade, Flowers suggests sweeping on bronzer if you have a lighter skin tone or contour if you have a deeper complexion. Other suggested additions: winged liner and highlighter on the cheekbones and inner corners of the eyes.
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Francesca Allen5/7Rope Braids
Hair: I swear rope braids look more complicated than they actually are to execute. All you need is patience, and they'll come to you as easily as a standard three-strand braid.
Jones created a half-up-half-down take on the trend that's made appearances at both the spring and fall/winter 2020 shows. Ulla Johnson, Self Portrait, and Johnathan Simkhai are just a few designers into the look.
To begin, Jones smoothed back of Kanta's hair with an oil like the Aveda Nutriplenish Multi-Use Hair Oil for peak shine and a Mason Pearson brush before gathering the hair on the top of her head from behind her ears up into a ponytail. This section, as well as the bottom one, was split into two even pigtails.
Next, she twisted both of the top two pigtails to the right and braided them together by coiling them together to the left. To keep the rope braids as sleek and flyaway-free as possible, Jones coated the pigtails with hairspray before twisting them.
Then, she secured the ends to the pigtails below them. Before twisting those sections, Jones secured fabric to each one and incorporated it into the twists for fun flair.
Francesca Allen6/7Accentuated Inner Corners
Makeup: If drawing on winged liner every day is part of your routine, I don't blame you. You took time to master your technique, might as well flaunt it. You can spice up the classic look with spring, though, by extending the line to a new territory. "I love inner eye accentuation because it makes your eyes look super catty," Flowers says. "It makes it more structural."
The classic flicks for this look were painted on with the Suva Beauty Hydra Liner in Fanny Pack and a superfine liner brush. Next, Flowers brought the line inward along Kanta's lash line about three quarters. Then, she traced the perimeter of her tear ducts with the same neon green and added dashes under the arches of Kanta's brows. Easy enough, right? You can also skip the wings and only line your inner corners for a more geometrical vibe.
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Francesca Allen7/7Pearls & Galaxy Lips
Hair: Pearl is the most abundant gem of 2020. (Yes, it's a gem, I looked it up.) Not only are pearls popping up on hair, but you'll also see them dotted all over faces and nails. Placement is your prerogative — lining braids as seen at Andrew GN, tracing your part like Lucy Boynton's Oscars look, or even sprinkled all over your head like the models for Alice + Olivia and Rodarte. Another possibility: top twists with freshwater pearls like Jones did.
To create the structured lattice pattern, Jones created tiny ponytails around Bibi's hairline with thin hair ties and gel. Then, Jones split each one in half with a tail comb and connected it with the half next to it to create a bricklay-like formation. For the back of Bibi's hair, Jones raked Oribe's Styling Butter Curl Enhancing Crème through her curls to give them shine and moisture.
Raiding your grandma's jewelry box isn't necessary for collecting pearls for your hair. Instead, you can visit a trimmings shop like Jones did or shop half pearls on Amazon. You can even simply pin back your hair on a pearl-topped clip from Kitsch or Baublebar.
Makeup: Everyone may not fully be on the black lipstick bandwagon, but Flowers believes in the future, people will wear black lipstick like it's as classic as red. And if you look to Max Mara and Marques’Almeida, you’ll notice the goth shade truly works for any season.
A fun way to ease into black lipstick for spring is layering a glitter-infused gloss on top of a matte liquid lipstick, like Milani’s Amore Satin Matte Lip Crème in Leather. "Liquid lipstick is better when you're using gloss because it doesn't move around as much," she explains.
Flower’s shimmery gloss of choice: the Pat McGrath Labs Lust: Lipgloss in Astral Moon Flower. Combined with black lipstick, it gives lips magical results of astronomical proportions. "It looks like she has the universe on her lips," Flowers muses.
If black lipstick is just not speaking to you, perhaps deep plum will do. Pair it with either the same blue gloss or one flecked with pink shimmer like the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer in $weetmouth.
To bring a subtle reflective quality to Bibi's eyes, too, Flowers smudged Nudestix Nudies All Over Face Color Bronze + Glow onto them.
