Turn up at your Spring Festival celebrations with an auspicious rosy glow, all set to ring in good fortune and positive vibes. While Chinese New Year might find you dressed in your lucky colours, applying bold, sultry red, or sensual pink to cheeks, eyes and lips will have you turning heads at parties this month and throughout the Tiger Year.
Blushes
Begin with your usual primer, concealer and foundation before moving on to the fun part: dressing the face with a vibrant vermilion like Dior’s iconic Rouge red or a blushing pink lemonade.
First up: turn your cheeks into in-the-face statements. Bringing its fierce femme-fatale intensity to this vital area, French luxury house Dior’s Rouge Blush comes in 14 shades of red. Whether you’re looking for a flawless matte, satin or iridescent glow, build up from a soft start to a bold finish. Inspired by Rouge Dior lipstick, the ultra-pigmented formula of this long-wearing powder blush delivers a healthy, ravishing complexion. Simply swipe downwards from the top of the cheeks and blend in a circular motion on the apples for that perfect rosy touch.
For a natural flushed look, look no further than Japanese cosmetics company Shiseido’s Camellia Compact limited-edition blush. This two-in-one compact offers red, pink and white pigments that can be used individually or blended together to suit any skin tone. While the red and pink shades add blush to the cheeks, white serves as a highlighter; dab it on the high points of your face – the brow-bone, tops of the cheekbones, bridge of the nose and Cupid’s bow.
Also Read: Roar into the Year of the Tiger with these luxury timepieces
Eye Shadows
Moving on to the eyes, Toronto-based beauty brand MAC pulls out all the stops with its Art Library: Flame-Boyant eyeshadow palette, which enables you to create effortless, next-level smoky eyes. A brush and sponge tip will work effectively when illuminating your eyelids and below your eyebrows, but here’s a professional tip: use a clean finger to apply the product across the curvature of the (closed) eyeball for a more precise application.
Cruelty-free cosmetics brand Hourglass’ Scattered Light Glitter Eyeshadow proffers its Rapture – Cranberry shade for a shimmering alternative. Applying sheer at first swipe but building into a more intense colour, the shadow is flecked with speckles of glitter for a multidimensional shine. It’s a tantalising look for any occasion, be it a date night or fun-filled evening out with friends.
Lipsticks
To finish, sensual red lips shout bold, undeniable femininity. And no-one does red better than Parisian fashion designer Christian Louboutin of red-soled stilettos fame. The Sooooo…Glow lipstick line presents 15 ruddy shades, including the crimson Red Show, seductive Tapis Rose, and deeply saturated Purple Plume. All have built-in moisturising elements to ensure a comfortable, hydrating sensation on the lips. Apply the first coat for a sheer coverage, then develop a more vibrant, intense colour on the second. Round off your Tiger-red regimen with your favourite setting spray and you’re good to go out on the prowl!
Competing for your attention is also the incredible Lunar New Year collection by international-favourite Charlotte Tilbury. Created in collaboration with three incredible Asian celebrity superstars, their re-fillable lipsticks in tiger designs are not only high in fashion, looks and lip-care but also click the sustainability boxes (which are so important in 2022!) The K-romance lipstick is a perfect berry-rich stroke of confidence, Only Muse is a peachy nude for those day time soirees whilst the Walk of a Star is a matte-berry rose made to feel you like the queen you are!
Also Read: Your Chinese New Year 2022 gift guide is here!
Eyeliner & Mascara
No makeup look is complete without adding volume and drama to the eyes. For a subtle thin line or a wildly feminine cat’s eye in the Year of the Tiger, celebrated fashion designer-turned-beauty brand Marc Jacobs has released a Highliner Liquid Gel Eyeliner in a rosy pink Glamaroon shade. Boasting an extremely long-wearing, waterproof formula with a luminous metallic finish, the product glides impressively along the lash line with little effort. And as easy as it is to glide on, the formula just as easily wipes off before drying for effortless correction.
A stroke or two of mascara on the lashes will bring an extra dimension to the eyes, and Volume Disturbia Mascara by French luxury brand Givenchy offers a flawless finish from base to top and a staying power of 24 hours. Blended with vitamin E, this smooth, gentle, nourishing, clump-free formula protects as well as strengthens the lashes for an absolutely attention-grabbing gaze.