APRICOT MAKEUP
IS THE COLOUR
TREND TO WATCH
February 6, 2024 – by Cat Quinn
The coquette aesthetic is everywhere; and with the flood of pink bows, silk lace-up corsets and rosy blush comes a new complexion trend: Pearl Skin. Marked by diffused pearl pigments that blur and refract light – as opposed to glitter particles that reflect light – it gives the face a decadent and refined glow inspired by the precious gem.
Unlike other glowy skin trends, pearl makeup is not about creating a wet shine, but rather a radiant finish that beautifully contours the face without glare or hot spots. “It’s a whole new luxury in luminosity,” says Terry Barber, M·A·C Creative Director of Makeup Artistry. “It’s a magnificently dressed, premium skin-first look.”
Often accompanied by shimmer eye makeup and frosty lips, Pearl Skin is intentionally decadent and tongue-in-cheek as it reclaims a classically pretty look for the female gaze. “Pearl Skin makes me think of 18th century portraits,” says Barber. “It’s very regal and ornate skin with a gorgeous plumpness and luminosity that feels a little coquette.”
Unlike other glowy skin trends, pearl makeup is not about creating a wet shine, but rather a radiant finish that beautifully contours the face without glare or hot spots. “It’s a whole new luxury in luminosity,” says Terry Barber, M·A·C Creative Director of Makeup Artistry. “It’s a magnificently dressed, premium skin-first look.”
Often accompanied by shimmer eye makeup and frosty lips, Pearl Skin is intentionally decadent and tongue-in-cheek as it reclaims a classically pretty look for the female gaze. “Pearl Skin makes me think of 18th century portraits,” says Barber. “It’s very regal and ornate skin with a gorgeous plumpness and luminosity that feels a little coquette.”
Lip Pencil
$40.00
An ultra-precise lip liner in a wide range of creamy shades designed for shaping, lining or filing in lips.
Frost Lipstick
$40.00
A Lipstick formula with smooth, medium buildable coverage, high pearl and a semi-lustrous finish.
Lustreglass Lipstick
$44.00
A lightweight, raspberry seed- and organic extra-virgin olive oil-infused lipstick that delivers sheer and shiny colour with a long-wearing, lustrous finish.
Eye Shadow
$35.00
A saturated pressed powder eye shadow in four textures featuring even more pigment-packed payoff.
SHOP APRICOT MAKEUP
Swap out your “I’m Cold” pink blush for a flush of “I’m Warm” apricot rouge.
Tap Glow Play Blush in That’s Peachy onto your cheeks and lips for a monochromatic look.
Glow Play Cushiony Blush
$56.00
A bouncy, buildable blush that provides glowy colour in a lightweight formula with skin-conditioning ingredients.
Squirt Plumping Gloss Stick
$40.00
A plumping gloss stick that nourishes and conditions lips with translucent colour and non-sticky shine.
HOW TO GET THE TREND
LOOK 1: Forget what you know about neutral makeup looks by using orange blush and peachy lipstick shades for an apricot crush aesthetic.
- Even skin tone with Studio Radiance Serum-PoweredTM Foundation.
- Line upper lash lines using Brushstroke 24-Hour Liner in Brushblack, extending slightly past inner corners.
- Tap Glow Play Blush in That’s Peachy onto apples of cheeks using fingertips, blending upwards. Tap excess product onto the centre of lips for a flush of colour.
- Sweep Extra Dimension Blush in Just A Pinch along cheekbones using a 109S Small Contour Brush for a soft apricot glow.
- Smooth on Squirt Plumping Gloss Stick in Hazard.
Studio Radiance Serum-Powered™ Foundation
$76.00
A moisturising, softly luminous and skin-enhancing serum foundation that delivers +209% instant hydration, medium buildable smoothing coverage and lasting radiance.
Glow Play Cushiony Blush
$56.00
A bouncy, buildable blush that provides glowy colour in a lightweight formula with skin-conditioning ingredients.
Extra Dimension Blush
$56.00
A liquid-powder blush with prismatic reflections in five shimmering shades. Impact ranges from sheer crystallized light to a highly polished metallic effect. Lasts up to 10 hours.
Squirt Plumping Gloss Stick
$40.00
A plumping gloss stick that nourishes and conditions lips with translucent colour and non-sticky shine.
Sweep on Extra Dimension Blush in Just A Pinch for a warm glow.
Sculpt an apricot lip look by pairing Lip Pencil in Chestnut with Squirt Plumping Gloss Stick in Hazard.
LOOK 2: Give cheeks a warm glow with draped apricot blush and glossy lips.
- Prep and hydrate your complexion with Hyper Real SerumizerTM Serum-Moisturizer Hybrid.
- Even skin tone with Studio Radiance Serum-PoweredTM Foundation.
- Tap Powder Kiss Liquid Lipcolour in Resort Season onto high points of cheeks using fingertips, blending upwards.
- Sweep Extra Dimension Blush in Just A Pinch overtop for a luminous finish.
- Line lips with Lip Pencil in Chestnut, then smooth on Squirt Plumping Gloss Stick in Hazard.
MAC Hyper Real Serumizer™
$108.00
A serum-moisturiser hybrid that balances, retexturises and strengthens the skin barrier for a petal-soft canvas with lit-from-within radiance.
Studio Radiance Serum-Powered™ Foundation
$76.00
A moisturising, softly luminous and skin-enhancing serum foundation that delivers +209% instant hydration, medium buildable smoothing coverage and lasting radiance.
Powder Kiss Liquid Lipcolour
$49.00
A liquid lipcolour with a whipped, mousse-like texture that delivers soft-focus moisture-matte, comfortable colour with ten hours of hydration.
Extra Dimension Blush
$56.00
A liquid-powder blush with prismatic reflections in five shimmering shades. Impact ranges from sheer crystallized light to a highly polished metallic effect. Lasts up to 10 hours.
Lip Pencil
$40.00
An ultra-precise lip liner in a wide range of creamy shades designed for shaping, lining or filing in lips.
Squirt Plumping Gloss Stick
$40.00
A plumping gloss stick that nourishes and conditions lips with translucent colour and non-sticky shine.
Pair Extra Dimension Blush in Just A Pinch with Glow Play Blush in That’s Peachy for the warmest apricot glow.
Try Lustreglass Sheer-Shine Lipstick in $ellout for the perfect peachy-pink lip look with a shiny finish.
LOOK 3: Swap pinks and reds for orange blush and peachy lipstick shades.
- Even skin tone with Studio Radiance Serum-PoweredTM Foundation.
- Tap Glow Play Blush in That’s Peachy onto apples of cheeks using fingertips, blending upwards.
- Sweep Extra Dimension Blush in Just A Pinch along cheekbones using a 109S Small Contour Brush for a soft apricot glow.
- Line lash lines with Eye Kohl in Teddy, then blend out lines using shades Da Da Issues and La Vida Mocha from the Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette: Future Flame.
Studio Radiance Serum-Powered™ Foundation
$76.00
A moisturising, softly luminous and skin-enhancing serum foundation that delivers +209% instant hydration, medium buildable smoothing coverage and lasting radiance.
Glow Play Cushiony Blush
$56.00
A bouncy, buildable blush that provides glowy colour in a lightweight formula with skin-conditioning ingredients.
Extra Dimension Blush
$56.00
A liquid-powder blush with prismatic reflections in five shimmering shades. Impact ranges from sheer crystallized light to a highly polished metallic effect. Lasts up to 10 hours.
Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette: Future Flame
$112.00
A fiery 12-pan eye shadow palette innovated with one-swipe, pure pigment payoff for limitless chic to heated looks.
Lip Pencil
$40.00
An ultra-precise lip liner in a wide range of creamy shades designed for shaping, lining or filing in lips.
Lustreglass Lipstick
$44.00
A lightweight, raspberry seed- and organic extra-virgin olive oil-infused lipstick that delivers sheer and shiny colour with a long-wearing, lustrous finish.
Terry Barber, M·A·C Creative Director of Makeup Artistry, shares his perspective on the Apricot Makeup trend.
