New pretty cheek trends to try in 2017: Sun Stripping and Draping

It may only be January but summer’s not too far off in our minds! Beauty trends are shifting to Spring/Summer 2017 slowly but surely. Given that most of us are still recovering from our holiday high, here are two quick and easy cheek trends to warm up our look and summer-ize our style.

Sun Stripping

Say what? This technique aims to get a glowing, just-got-home-from-the-beach look without actually spending that much time out in the sun. The name comes from the "stripe" you get from cheek to cheek going across the nose, which is where the sun usually hits your face first. Some areas on the forehead and the chin are also darkened a bit to avoid a stark contrast. When doing this look, go for shades closest to how you naturally tan to make it look natural. For example: if you have fair skin that reddens under the sun, choose a light reddish powder that mimics how your skin would look after a day at the beach!

All you need is a fluffy brush for applying and blending, and a matte contour powder that is close to your natural tan. It's advisable to avoid bronzers (which is different from contour powders) for this trend since those usually have shimmers that will make the strip super obvious. To get the look, simply sweep the contour powder from one cheekbone, across your nose and onto the other cheek. Lightly blend out to diffuse any harsh lines. Easy, right? Some gurus also draw in fake freckles using eyeliner, eyeshadows, or brow powders.

For this look I used Pink Sugar x Project Vanity These Lips Don’t Lie Lip Crayon in Love at First Swipe (P399 at the PV store), Pink Sugar Lip and Cheek Tint Sugar Tint in Sugar and Spice (P349 at department stores), and Too Cool For School by Rodin Shader (P640 at Althea). You can also try the trend with NARS Bronzing Powder in Laguna (P1,950 at NARS) and Pink Sugar Sweet Cheeks HD Cheek Color in South Beach (P499 at department stores).

Draping

This throwback technique from the 80’s is making a comeback and a very convincing argument in using blush to contour the face! It creates a flushed look that naturally follows your face's bone structure and gives a more lifted effect to your features. Compared to the usual face contouring, this looks softer since it uses washes of blush instead of dark contouring powders. As such, you’ll need two shades of blush in the same color family to create this look.

Using the more subdued shade, apply blush starting from your temples following a C-shape to your cheekbones. Blend on top with the brighter shade. Sweeping from the temples to your cheeks should create a more evenly-dispersed color but if you feel like you’ve applied too much, you can soften the look with some powder. To keep your cheeks as the focal point of your look, apply a light wash of the same blushes to your lids.

I used NARS Blush in Deep Throat and in Orgasm (P1,650 each at NARS) but you can also use a cream blush palette like the handy L’Oreal Paris La Palette Lip and Cheek (P800 at department stores) for a naturally flushed finish.

Are you as excited for summer as we are? Which trend will you be trying out?