The lazy girl’s guide: Spring 2018 makeup collections round-up

Or, the attack of the PINK. I realize that the traditional big seasonal limited edition is an endangered animal (all hip and trendy brands come out with themed releases whenever it damn pleases them). Nevertheless, I think we all like the opportunity to see the big brand, luxury releases in one place. So here it is, the Spring 2018 makeup collections round-up, including all the high-end releases with every info and swatches you’ll need to decide what to buy. You’re welcome!

Dior – Glow Addict

Dior thinks the old adage ‘if it ain’t broke’ etc. is true and goes all out, as they are used to do in their seasonal collections. We get bombarded with every makeup product imaginable – brow gel, eyeliner, nailpolishes, highlighting powders, blush and three different textures of lipsticks (Rouge Dior Matte, Rouge Dior and Rouge Dior Liquid) – in pink. I wouldn’t have been surprised if they had thrown in Barbie’s Dreamhouse. It’s that pink.

Peter Philips’ makeup looks like a five-year-old fell into her Great Aunt’s stash. The palettes swatch badly (swatches from Chicprofile), the highlighter (swatches and comparison) can be seen from outer space (is that something the Dior woman is buying?), and the blush seems a pink chalky mess. The nail polishes include one dark aubergine (gasp!). Pass.

YSL – Pop Illusion

YSL on the other hand, informs you straight up that their collection is inspired by a psychedelic dream world. In truth, their creative director fell into a wormhole and emerged into 2016, when Serenity and Blue Quartz were the colours of the year. Consequently, the eyeshadow palette is made up of blues, yellows and pinks (and swatches badly – via BritishBeautyBlogger).

Things go from bad to worse with a lip palette containing five shades of the Rouge Pure Couture and Rouge Volupte Shine formula. Lip palettes are never a good idea. (Why fiddle around with a palette when you have a perfectly nice lipstick in your handbag? Also, they dry out, collect nasties, and just no.) Orange and blue nail polishes, and Full Metal Shadows. Who is supposed to wear this?!

Guerlain – Glow in Love

Guerlain was transported back to when Asian Kawaii stuff was the new shit, and decided that heart-shaped lipsticks are where it’s at. Dudes, yes, totally, but only when they come with a drugstore price of a ‘novelty’ product! I mean, I love Etude House as much as the next girl, but their cutesy products come with prices that are easier to stomach than Guerlain’s. These sheer, balm-like lipsticks seem nice, but then, I don’t want to pay 37$ for nice.

The Meteorites Compact is rather sheer (I swatched it), a bit glimmer-y, and rather a finishing powder. Will it look chalky on darker complexions? I bet. (Swatches of powder and lipsticks from Vogue Taiwan.) Also, three colour correctors (CC Glow Correctors) are proof that Guerlain is a little bit behind – colour correcting was soooooo 2016, daaahling! Pass.

Chanel – Neapolis: New City

I wouldn’t have thought that Chanel’s Luca Pica would return my belief in humanity (aka in well-turned out collections that have a cohesive theme and aren’t neither PIIIIIIIIIINK! nor CUUUUUUUUUUTE!). But here we are. Inspired by Pica’s hometown Naples (Italy), the collection doesn’t disappoint. It manages to bridge the pastel spring trend with strong products and a cohesiveness that runs through the whole thing. Lipglosses, for example, are sheer and easter egg coloured, but manage to fit into the whole collection and look good with the star product, the eyeshadow palette.

Kudos, too, to not releasing a highlighter or blush-type star product, but an eyeshadow palette that houses nine (!) shades in wearable, but strong colours, that look lovely paired with the bright nail polishes (swatches and comparisons from Ommorphia) or lipsticks. You can come up with either neutral or colourful looks, soft or strong ones with the palette made up from browns, peaches, greens, blues, and golds. It’s a lovely thing with mattes and shimmers that somehow reminds me of the ABH Subculture palette colourwise. Soft coral lipsticks, a coral blush, some moody eyeliners, a dark green cream eyeshadow, and we’re done. (Swatches from Temptalia.) Thank you, Lucia.

Lancome – French Temptation

Lancome has slowly turned from French elegance to just one step away from kiddie makeup when it comes to their packaging. I’m all for cutesy, but when met with high-end prices, I want the packaging and the product to reflect those prices. So, no, Lancome, I don’t need a macaron-shaped blush for 40$. (Swatches from BritishBeautyBlog.) The whole thing looks a Barbie tea party and poor Lily Collins’ makeup resembles a demented clown. (Apologies to all clowns and Lilly, you derserve better.)

I haven’t found many swatches of products, sadly. Two cushions seem to be of the colour correcting variety, the eyeshadow palette houses 10 sugar-sweet crayon-like colours, and then, there’re also mini crayons for eyes in pastel shades that are cheekily named ‘Chubby’. Those pastels with a high amount of white are hard to pull off when you aren’t 16 with a skin of an English rose or an ebony princess. Of course, there’re also some pastel nailpolishes, and a lipgloss with rose petals in it. Next!

Clarins – Color Fix

Clarins is apparently as tired of the whole pink thing as I am, so they threw out a (pink, obvi) eyeshadow palette, two balmy, pinkish lipsticks, and six (colour-correcting) primers, and went back to bed. I mean, I totally get you, Clarins, but give a girl something to work with, ok?!

The palette is super-generic (really, that could be Essence or Maybelline), and primers?! Seriously? I can’t see that those bring something new to the table, and right now, you can get colour correctors from drugstore to high-end. Your favourite brand likely does them. Pass.

Givenchy – Couture Outlines

And now for something completely different! Givenchy has put out smaller, edgier collections lately. They always tread a thin line between edgy and wearable, and while, for example, their Holiday ‘Star’ eyeshadow palette was completely wearable, this one is a bit heard to stomach. The four shades are set directly next to each other, which will make them muddy in the long run, and are also hard to combine: White, brown, blue, and orange, all matte. (Swatches via BritishBeautyBlogger, also there’re some in this video from Fleur de Force, starting at 7:45.)

The promo makeup looks Black Swan-ish, and if that’s your thing, that’s great. The cushion looks great, matte lip shades are looking good, the black gloss deepens the lipsticks and makes them glossy, and the matte balm looks interesting. Not bad, although I’m strangely unmoved. At least, no pink in sight.

Nars Spring 2018

Even Nars didn’t spare us from the pink epidemic. They just call their pile of pink ‘luminous nude’. I haven’t ever seen something as lacklustre from NARS ever, but here we are: A terracotta liquid blush (for deeper skintones), a ‘highlighting blush’ in a baby pink, four lipglosses ranging from red to pink to nude, and two Velvet Glides (eyeshadow sticks) in shimmering light grey and greyish lilac. (Swatches at Temptalia.) Good products, but come on, NARS. I expect better from you.

If you’re missing MAC’s traditional big spring collection, they haven’t graced us with any information about that at this point. I would’ve loved to include that as well. Alas, it wasn’t to be.

Tl, dr; what should I buy?

No question, the Chanel eyeshadow palette is the star of spring 2018. Skip all other eye products.

For blushes, we have a lot of ok ones – the cutesy macaron from Lancome, solid choices from Nars and Chanel.

Highlighters – only Dior came out with some, so maybe we’re on the waning side of the highlighting craze? On the other hand, colour correctors seem to be on the rebound.

Lips are interesting, because them seem to be either matte or super glossy and sheer, with not much in between. I’m not in love with any of them, but of course, you can’t go wrong with a Chanel lipstick. If PINK!1 isn’t your jam, this isn’t the season for you, like it isn’t for me. I feel you, sister.