Spring is finally knocking, and with it comes a refreshing shift with new spring nail trends and hair trends, not to mention spring 2025 makeup trends.
After months of winter's deep, rich tones, it's time to brighten up and breathe fresh energy into our makeup. And thankfully, 2025's spring makeup trends are both wearable and fun. From soft-focus skin to long-wearing lip stains and monochromatic makeup to graphic eyeliner, our social feeds, the runways, the data and the experts have spoken. This spring is all about effortless, radiant skin, playful accents to the eyes and innovative formulations that make our makeup go the extra mile. Think dewy skin, playful cream blushers, effortless lip oils and eye shadow looks that you don't require a makeup artist qualification to replicate. This is all about ease.
Whether you’re experimenting with graphic eyeliner or embracing the return of glossy lips, spring’s makeup trends are here to reinvigorate your makeup bag with a fresh energy. Here’s everything you need to know about the biggest makeup trends for spring 2025, according to all of our in-the-know sources.
1. Fairytale Punk
Out of all the spring/summer 2025 beauty trends we saw on the runways, one leading look was ethereal skin juxtaposed with grungy, smudgy eyes. Yes, eyeliner is firmly back on the agenda as a leading spring makeup trend this year, according to Jamie Coombes, Dior makeup international pro artist. We're wearing it with pared-back skin—think skin tints or natural-looking foundation to keep your complexion fresh and dewy whilst letting the eyes shine.
"This makeup look [below] was showcased at the Dior spring/summer 25 Haute Couture show, created by Peter Phillips, creative and image director for Christian Dior Makeup," says Coombes. "This beautiful spiky brow made the look flawless, with luminous skin using Dior Forever Skin Perfect (£48), a soft nude rose blush using Rouge Blush Colour & Glow (£48) and Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil (£33) on the lips, creating a very soft, romantic, edgy look," he says.
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When it comes to eyeliner, nothing quite compares to Victoria Beckham Beauty's Satin Kajal Liner, which comes in an array of classic and on-trend hues in matte, shimmer and glitter formulas.
This foundation stick imparts skin with a dewy, second-skin finish—even Hailey Bieber uses it.
A sweep of a brow gel ensures brows are fluffy and full without detracting from the eyes. Merit's is a firm favourite of ours to bestow brows with a subtle tint whilst holding them in place.
2. Lip Stains
With Google searches for long-lasting lip stains up over 5000% in the past month, it's clear to see that lip stains will be big news for spring 2025, and it seems we're all currently looking for a low-maintenance option that can stay put all day, from your morning coffee to your evening dinner reservation. After many lip stain innovations coming out from Korea, there are now several innovations to choose from in the UK.
From the viral Wonderskin lip stain to the new NYX Lip IV Gloss Stains (£10) and Sacheu Stayn Lip Liner (£12), there are multiple ways to reap the benefits of lip stains. Whether you want a liner that truly lasts all day or a bright lip that won't smudge, these formulas go above and beyond with no top-ups required.
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NYX's glossy stains impart a glassy sheen which stains the lips, so you can enjoy the colour payoff once the gloss has faded.
A favourite in the Who What Wear UK team, Wonderskin Wonder Blading Lip Stain truly goes the distance. Simply apply it as a liquid lipstick (it applies blue, but don't be alarmed—it wipes off) and once dry, you can remove it to reveal perfectly stained lips. It comes in so many flattering hues too.
3. No-Makeup Makeup
Another trend Coombes predicts we'll see a lot more of is no-makeup makeup, and we're already on board with it. And as the days become brighter and longer, it only feels natural to switch to more lightweight formulas, and with the trend for "no-mascara makeup" taking off on TikTok, it seems we're bidding farewell to bold lashes for now.
"I use minimal products and moisture-packed skincare to create quenched, plumped, glowing skin," says Coombes, who explains that the key to achieving this look is to apply product only where it's required to allow your skin to shine through. In other words, enhance, don't mask. "Apply it where needed and pinpoint blemishes with concealer, enhancing your natural beauty with the lightest coverage," he says.
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Ilia's Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 30 has a loyal fanbase for its magical ability to conceal redness, blemishes and dark spots whilst ensuring your skin still looks like yours, just better.
A lip oil adds just enough to your look to make you feel put together. I adore Summer Fridays' formula, which feels like silk on the lips and delivers long-lasting hydration with a subtle tint.
This look is all about letting your skin shine. Rather than applying a heavier concealer, use the Lisa Eldridge micro-concealing pencil, which allows you to be precise in your application for undetectable concealing.
4. Lip Sculpting
Alongside lip stains, we're also seeing the return of sculpted, contoured lip looks for spring 2025. Google searches for lip liners are up 31%, and thanks to an influx of new launches, achieving a sculpted lip look couldn't be easier. If you want to cheat a fuller pout, then Rhode Peptide Lip Shape will give your lips a naturally contoured look with its soft and creamy formula.
After something more long-wearing? Makeup For Ever Artist Color Pencils (£20) are popular for a reason—Anywhere Caffeine and Endless Cocoa are two beloved neutral hues for lining your lips. And if that wasn't enough, MAC's iconic Lip Pencils (£20) now come in new '90s-inspired shades, and there's a perfect nude for everyone.
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When I spoke to Hailey Bieber ahead of the Rhode Peptide Lip Shape launch, she told me that Twist was her favourite shade and that she regularly wears it with her Pocket Blush in Piggy (£24) as her go-to daily lip combo. Now I'm obsessed too.
Make Up For Ever's lip liners often sell out as soon as they're restocked, so act fast if you find them. The shade Anywhere Caffeine is a celebrity-makeup-artist favourite, and the creamy formula truly does last for hours on the lips.
You really can't go wrong with MAC lip liners. There's a shade to suit every look and skin tone.
5. Monochromatic Makeup
Much like we've seen the fashion set enjoying wearing one colour head to toe, the same thing is happening for beauty this spring, when, according to Coombes we'll be matching our blush to our lip colour, and even our eye shadow. The overall result feels seamless, and in springtime shades such as poppy and lilac, this is a pretty way to inject some colour into your makeup look.
"Think single colours in vibrant corals, nudes or soft pinks, which are used to achieve a look that complements the skin tone," says Coombes. "The colour is harmoniously applied over the eyes, lips and cheeks using creamy, fluid pigments. It creates a smooth monochromatic look." Look for creamy formulas that can be effortlessly swiped onto cheeks and lips.
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The blusher in this set has a marbled pigment (inspired by the sfumato painting technique, which softly blends colours) which imparts a pretty flush to cheeks, whilst the matching lip balm ties the look together with a satiny glow.
Everyone on the Who What Wear UK team owns a Merit Flush Balm, which is the most versatile and hardworking product in our makeup bags. Swipe onto cheeks and lips for a sheer hint of colour which easily blends with your fingertips.
I've recently been wearing Dior Addict Lip Glow and Rosy Glow Blush in the shade Cherry, and I'm obsessed with the springtime flush this duo gives to my lips and cheeks. Plus, the products react with your skin's pH to deliver a truly natural-looking flush to your lips and skin.
6. High-Shine Lips
Following in the footsteps of glass skin and liquid hair, lips are now enjoying the glassy treatment, with lip gloss feeling fresh again as we welcome in the spring months. "For spring 2025, lips are hydrated and plumped with high shine," says Coombes. "Use mirror glosses or [shiny balms] in nude to lollipop shades. The new Dior Addict Lip Glow (£33) paired with Dior Addict Lip Maximiser (£33) is a great power duo to create this look."
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With its balmy texture and array of juicy shades, this balm is perfect for bestowing your lips with a healthy sheen and a veil of colour.
If you want more pigment payoff, Fenty Beauty's lipsticks leave lips drenched in colour with a luxuriously glassy lacquer.
We can't talk about glossy lips without mentioning Hourglass Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balms, which are a hybrid between a gloss and a lip balm, coating lips in a mirror-like shine.
7. Blurred Skin
Whilst we typically see dewier complexions resurface in the spring, all signs are pointing to "blurred" skin making a major comeback—think soft-matte yet radiant skin that doesn't look flat. "The skin is blurred with a luminous matte-satin finish," says Coombes. "A sheer application of matte liquid or stick foundation refines the texture and balances the complexion." And thanks to innovations in makeup, matte foundation needn't be cakey or lifeless on the skin. A new era of foundation sticks and blurring balms will leave your skin velvety, just in time for when the temperatures rise and shine strikes.
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Neither a foundation nor a concealer, this makeup stick is like a correcting ballpoint pen that melts into the skin with a creamy matte finish.
For a natural matte finish with medium, buildable coverage, I reach for Ilia's Skin Rewind Complexion Stick, which leaves skin naturally radiant.
This velvety balm from Vieve lends skin a soft-focus finish whilst providing buildable medium coverage.
8. Graphic Eyeliner
Our wildcard spring 2025 makeup trend? Bold, graphic eyeliner. And it's one we predict will be big news long into summer too. "Graphic liner is coming back in geometric and bold shapes in various colours, accentuating the eye shape with creative graphic lines," says Coombes.
Whether you opt for a '60s-inspired accent in the crease of the lid or go with a traditional wing, there's a look to suit every mood. Keep it classic with black and brown, or get experimental with bold colours. Kohl liners are ideal for creating a soft smudge, whilst liquid eyeliners will give a crisp line as you accentuate your eyes.
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When it comes to liquid eyeliners, it's hard to find one better than this. It's inky black in pigment, glides on and creates precise lines every time, whether you're going for a subtle wing or a bold accent.
For long-lasting wear, you'll find many makeup artists recommending gel formulas. They apply smoothly and last all day and night without smudging or fading.
Why not try a bold hue? We're tipping blue eyeliner to be big news for spring.
9. Cool-Toned Metallics
It's official: metallic eye shadow is back on the agenda, and according to Coombes, it's cool-toned silvers, purples and blues that will have a major revival. "It's a nod to the '90s and '00s with a modern twist," he says. "Light washes of cool metallic eye shadows in electric blue, silver or purple over the eyelids look great paired with a fresh, natural complexion to complement the look."
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With a mix of shimmering metallics and transparent glitters nestled amongst wearable neutral mattes, this is one palette that will see you through several looks.
Infused with real crystals, Victoria Beckham Beauty Lid Lustres give the prettiest sparkle to the lids. I have my eyes on this rich shimmering blue shade.
How beautiful is this lilac hue from Glossier? The cream formula leaves a subtle sparkle on lids without creasing.
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