Pastels are obviously synonymous with spring. The soft shades show up in gardens, on Easter eggs and, thankfully, in our wardrobes. Which is great since it provides a welcome change from the dark, somber tones of the colder months. But don’t stop there. Because trying out pastel makeup looks is a cool way to embrace the season.
Pale pink, lavender, baby blue, mint, soft yellow, peach… We could certainly go on and on since there are so many gorgeous pastels to play around with. They look beautiful when applied to one feature or brushed almost all over the entire face. Forget the dated pastels of yore. Today’s stellar shades offer soft, sheer washes of color. Not to mention rich, heavily pigmented options. That way you can really bring the drama. No matter the formulation, these spring-friendly shades supply a real ethereal finish that any mermaid or unicorn fan will find simply irresistible. The charm factor is only increased when pastel makeup is combined with a pastel outfit.
It’s officially spring so it’s officially time to celebrate with pastel makeup. Look for your favorite sugared almond shades below and take inspiration from the runways on how to wear them all season long.
Images: Imaxtree
25 Pretty Pastel Makeup Looks for Spring
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Pop of Pink
Highlight your eyes with pastel pink shadow confined to your inner corners.
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Pastel Pout
Try using a pastel pink lipstick to create a spring-worthy blurred lip.
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Icy Lavender Shadow
Showcase pastel eyeshadow with unique placement. Apply an icy lavender eyeshadow in the crease of the eye from the inner corner to the eyebrow arch. Then dab a touch on the outer corner. It's thoroughly modern and has a fairy-like effect.
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Sherbet Orange Lashes
Colored mascara was a big trend on the Fall 2018 runways. It's also perfect for spring. Sherbet orange mascara will brighten the eye area more than black ever can. Can't find orange mascara? A liquid eyeliner can be carefully applied to lashes.
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Light Green Liner
Highlight just the inner corners of your eyes with a gorgeous lime liner.
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Painterly Pastels
Why stop at one pastel shadow when you can rock several? A mix of pink, orange and purple will really make your eyes pop.
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Baby Blue Shadow
Embrace this season's hottest eyeshadow color, pastel blue, by sweeping it from the lids right back over the eyebrows into the hairline. Balance the bold eyes with coral-red lipstick. It may not be a pastel, but it still works with the shadow.
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Periwinkle Shadow
Add a slightly shimmery shade of periwinkle above your eyes and on your cheeks to get your glow on.
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Aqua Lashes
Swipe on aqua mascara AND matching shadow for a pretty pastel pairing. Throw in some fuchsia shadow to enhance the effect.
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Seafoam Shadow
Tried blue? Experimented with green? How about seafoam? It's another stunning pastel that's worthy of a place in any makeup bag. While branching out, try a new eyeshadow shape that starts after the inner corners and extends up to the brows.
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Lilac Shadow
Embrace multiple pastel shades at once for a romantic look. Frosted lilac eyeshadow on the inner corners of the eyes contrasts with the warmth of the orange on the outer corners. Leave brows and lips au naturel for a soft, ethereal finish.
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Petal Pink Shadow
Yes, pink can be a flattering eyeshadow color. Sweep a warm pink shadow on the lids, extending it slightly into the creases. That's it. If you have to do anything else, apply lip balm to keep lips free of flakes.
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Pastel Lashes
Instead of automatically putting the pastel color on lids, take a more unconventional approach by applying it to lashes with a colored mascara followed by a good dose of sparkle.
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Minty Mouth
Fans of unconventional lipsticks can expand their collection with a chalky mint shade. It makes teeth and the whites of eyes look extra bright. Don't want to invest in the unique lippie quite yet? Mix a green lipstick with a white one, or even a bit of light foundation, to recreate the pale green hue.
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Magenta Shadow
Not sure which pastel makeup colors work together? Besides taking cues from the runways and Instagram, look to flower gardens. This magenta eyeshadow and rose lipstick nod to the gorgeous blooms of springtime.
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Pastel Blue Shadow
Bright red and pastel blue? It works. For a cohesive finish, dab on a coral-red lip balm for a just-bitten effect.
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Just Peachy
Look beyond the expected baby blues and pinks and try a light orange look. It's a close cousin to our favorite neutral eyeshadows, but has a freshness that wakes up the entire face. So apply it to lips, eyes and cheeks. Just a wash on each feature is plenty.
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Powder Blue Shadow
Choosing the right formula is essential for any pastel look. For optimal romance, select pastel eyeshadows, like this powder blue one. The understated finish allows for experimenting with other products. In this case, we have strips of false lashes and a swipe of red lipstick.
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Lavender Shadow
Love colored highlighter as much as soft eye makeup? Merge the two looks by sweeping an iridescent purple eyeshadow from the inner corners of the eyes right back into the hairline. Then diffuse the lines so there are no obvious edges. Finish the shimmering look with a touch of frosted lip gloss.
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Peach Shadow
Look closely because there is just the faintest wash of peach on the eyes. Some may think it won't make a huge difference, but it does. Dab on a pale orange eyeshadow with fingers for a soft finish. As for the rest of the face, just apply a bit of concealer to any areas of unevenness and you're good to go.
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Yellow Shadow
Out of all the colors of the rainbow, yellow is probably the least represented in our makeup bags. Make up for lost time with a sunny shadow applied from the lash line to below the brow.
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Matcha Eyes
Love the color of a matcha latte? Take a cue from negative space eyeliner and apply a shadow in the crease, but not on the eyelid. Skip mascara so the unique eyeshadow shape remains clearly visible.
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Teal Shadow
Can't quit liquid liner? Mix it into a pastel makeup look. Combine a shimmering teal eyeshadow with exaggerated flicked liner. To take it to the next level, apply a bit of sparkle on lids and slick clear gloss on lips.
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Bubblegum Liner
Skip black and enhance the shape of eyes with a millennial pink pencil along the top and bottom lash lines. Glossy lips play off the graphic lines while sticking with the oh-so-pretty finish.
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Lilac Shadow
Pastels may be soft, but they can still be dramatic. Use a pigmented lilac cream eyeshadow on eyelids, extending the product to a pointed shape at the outer corners. It will have the same elongating effect as a cat eye, but with a fresher finish. Pale pink blush and a rosy lip color add to the springtime vibe.
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Robin's Egg Blue Liner
A pastel green eyeshadow will definitely brighten the eye area. Take the spring theme home by lining the waterline with a robin's egg blue eyeliner. Pink blush and glossy lips will prevent color overload.
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Lilac Lips
Red lipstick works for all seasons but lilac is the perfect shade to signal the start of spring. Balance the lipstick with a beige eyeshadow. Want more color? Try cotton candy pink nail polish.
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Mossy Shadow
Once you start using pastel eyeshadow, it may be hard to go back to blacks and grays, especially after seeing how gorgeous pastels look when paired together. Purple and green enhance all eye colors when worn individually, so together they really make peepers pop. Try a moss green shadow with soft purple. Strips of false lashes will add more drama.
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Mauve Shadow
Going out? Save the sooty smoky eye for another time and play around with bold sweeps of pastel eyeshadow. Apply one color across the lids and a contrasting shade on the bottom lash lines. Literally sweep the color across eyes for a dramatic effect.
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Baby Blue Shadow
It is time to quit hating on blue eyeshadow. Try an icy shade applied from lids to eyebrows. Do not add mascara. We repeat: no mascara.
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Baby Blue Shadow
Even just the tiniest dab of pastel color can awaken the face. (Remember that after a late night out.) Perk up eyes with an opaque blue eyeshadow focused on the lids and black mascara applied only to the upper lashes.
