Minimalist Skin, Y2K Gloss and More Spring Beauty Trends to Know

Hello, high brows, luscious lip glosses and Very Peri everything.

We still have a few months of parka wearing, driveway salting and wind chill calculating ahead of us, but the countdown to spring (and the chance to ditch our beloved puffers) is on. And just like our wardrobe, our beauty routine deserves a little seasonal refresh, too. As we say goodbye to winter, the season’s warmer hues and our dry skin, we welcome fresh complexions, bold accents and the sense of optimism and reinvention that spring brings. To prepare, we asked Essie’s global lead educator and celebrity nail artist Rita Remark and Maybelline New York’s lead makeup artist in Canada, Grace Lee, about the top spring 2022 beauty trends (and how to update our makeup and nail kits accordingly).

Skin is in

This is the reminder you’ve been waiting for: stop skipping your nighttime skincare routine. You don’t want to be caught slipping when complexion is the main character this spring. Lee anticipates that minimalism will be the foundation philosophy when things warm up. “It’s all about achieving good looking skin without having to apply heavy layers of foundation,” says Lee. To nail the your-skin-but-better-look, she recommends stocking up on a mistake-proof tinted base and applying it only where really needed to keep things looking light. For beauty minimalists-in-training, consider it the ultimate one-step base layer that can easily take the place of a primer, foundation, concealer and highlighter.

Move over matte

Gloss is back in a big way. There’s something very Y2K about finishing off your look with a shimmery lip gloss, and since the early aughts is very in ATM, this trend is perfectly timed. You can even incorporate the wet look effect by bringing the gloss up to your eyelids. Since lacquered lips can still get dry (it’s a thing, and it’s the worst), this hydrating formula is a must-try since it leaves behind a long-lasting, high-shine finish, and is just as moisturizing as a balm.

Pretty Peri, please

“Unlike some previous years, the Pantone Colour of the Year for 2022 is an exceptional shade for nails,” says Remark. Pantone’s newly created hue, Very Peri, is a lilac blue that feels vibrant and hopeful without being over the top. Plus, it’s garden-inspired, and spring florals will always be a thing, Miranda Priestly be damned. “Periwinkle is so wearable and the perfect winter-to-spring transition colour,” Remark adds. If you’re averse to extra bold manis but still want to incorporate a bit of Very Peri, ask your manicurist for Lavender Water by Gelcare. If you’re down to go all in, this vibrant purple-blue is the shade to try.

The higher the brows, the closer to God

Lee anticipates that “full, uplifted brows” will be the shape du jour this spring. So if Omicron is causing you to feel rudderless without your regular brow touch ups, this one’s for you. Get the look by softly filling in your brows, then brushing them upward with a strong-hold brow gel. This one fluffs your brows with an oomph that rivals a fresh brow lamination, plus it’s packed with good-for-you ingredients like Vitamin B5 and hyaluronic acid to keep them full and healthy.

Bold lips only

When we asked Lee what’s on her beauty trends moodboard for spring 2022, she said it’s full of vibrant colours. “There’s way more pop than I’m used to,” she shares, “but, I think that it’s because I want to see more vibrancy now.” On top of the already popular bold eyeshadow trend, she predicts that underneath our masks, we’ll be sporting high-frequency lip shades. Expect a wave of reds, pinks and magentas, such as the lip looks we saw at Giambattista Valli and Michael Kors. For a bold lip that won’t be completely rubbed off by your mask, try a stain formula — just be sure to give it a little bit of time to dry-down before heading out.

Space-inspired tips

Remark predicts that spring’s must-have nail art will be all about the great outdoors…and perhaps the great unknown.  “Think constellations, geodes, and watercolour effects,” she explains. For a milky way-inspired mani that you can DIY, all you’ll need are two nail polish colours, tweezers, a small sponge, and a dotting tool (or anything with a tiny tip, like a toothpick.) Remark says to start with a dark base, like navy or black, then sponge on (try using a small piece of a cosmetic wedge) a pastel shade with tweezers. To add stars to your constellation, apply a metallic silver with your dotting tool or use a glittery topcoat.