How To Nail ‘Strawberry Sheen’, The Next Big Makeup Trend
March 3 | 3 minute read
Words by Izzy Wight
When dreaming up this glowy, strawberry-tinted look for MECCA’s March Campaign, makeup artist Gillian Campbell wanted to create a “blurred mask effect” by layering creamy balms, matte shadows and sheen-y highlighters. “There is a timelessness that comes with monochromatic colourways,” they explain. “I think [these] soft blush tones are very feminine and powerful.”
It’s easier than you think to achieve a ‘strawberry sheen’ – the expert can attest. We tapped Gillian to break down this look, step by step.
To avoid product fallout disrupting a just-applied base, Gillian recommends starting with your eyes. Using a fluffy brush, buff a rose gold shade all over the lids, across the bridge of the nose (skip this step for a less editorial look) and under the eyes. The ‘Honeymooner’ shade from the NARS Afterglow Tempting Eyeshadow Palette or the MECCA MAX Single Shadow in ‘You Know It’ would both work here.
Repeat this process with a pearlized highlighter like Urban Decay’s Face Bond Luminizer Liquid Highlighter in ‘Space Cowboy’, and follow with a pale matte pink shadow under the brow bone and a mid-toned pink in the crease (both can be found in Morphe’s M2 Ready in 5 Eyeshadow Palette). “Buff the same colour through the inner corner and under the eye,” Gillian says.
Next, add depth with a layer of deep purple shadow in the crease and a dark pencil liner (black, plum or dark brown) in the upper waterline. “Smudge it in with a pencil brush, working the liner between each lash to make the lashes look fuller,” Gillian says. Finish with a lick of black mascara, concentrating on the root of the lash for density, and a coat of brow gel to keep stray hairs in place.
As for complexion, the brief is simple: “minimal foundation and concealer where needed”. The most crucial step, according to Gillian, is to colour correct under the eyes to counteract dark circles. Start with a priming corrector like Stila’s One Step Correct and blend concealer over the top to “seamlessly meld the tone in with your skin colour.”
Add a pink-toned blush on the apples of the cheeks and layer a highlighter just above for glow. Line your lips with a deep, cool-toned liner (like MECCA MAX’s Pout Pencil in ‘Classy’) and blur the edges with a pencil brush for a messy-on-purpose effect. Dab some highlighter on your cupid’s bow for dimension and finish with a coat of your favourite high-shine, plumping gloss.
