While we may not be jostling with the crowds in Chinatown or throwing a huge gathering this year, Chinese New Year is still one of the best times to glow all out (pun fully intended!) when it comes to our festive hair and makeup looks.
Whether you love a minimal monochrome makeup or a bright bold lip, there’s a look for you on this list. Here are 11 of our favourite Asian celeb-inspired hair and makeup looks for CNY 2021, and tips to achieve them.
When you think of a statement lip for CNY, the first colour that comes to mind is usually red. That said, take one scroll through the ‘gram and you’ll find a hot new lip colour dominating your feed – peach.
Unlike red, peach lipstick adds a subtle warmth to your complexion and is considered to be one of the most “universally flattering” hues. If you’ve chosen a brown-based peach lippy like youthful-looking Taiwanese interior designer Lure Hsu, you can let your pout do the talking by finishing the look with a matte foundation
You can also follow Lure’s lead and extend the same peachy brown colour palette to the rest of your face.
We hate to be the bearer of bad news but loosely brushing your hair and wrapping a hair tie around it is not going to get you Patty Hou’s casual-chic hairstyle. However, it’s incredibly easy to recreate her roughed-up boho-glam hairdo.
Ideally you should be working with day-old hair that has more of a grip. If you’re working with clean hair, create texture by curling your tresses. For added lift at the crown, take a small section of hair and lightly backcomb the roots before smoothing the hair down. Gather your hair into a high ponytail. The messier, the better!
Pro tip: Insert a u-shaped pin into the base of the ponytail to add volume and lift.
Enter the year of the ox with a sultry smokey eye.
To recreate local actress Rebecca Lim’s bold SQ-girl style eyeshadow look, start by applying a grey mid-tone shadow all over the lids. Next, line your upper and lower lash line with a jet-black eyeliner. Choose a gel formula that wouldn’t budge even after a long day of visiting! Layer a dark tone shadow in a charcoal colour and blend it halfway up the lid. Smudge out with your fingers to get rid of any harsh lines. Layer 3 to 4 coats of mascara to complete the look. Finally, apply a sparkly silvery shade in the centre of your eyelids for a festive flourish.
Fuchsia lips are surprisingly easy to pull off and help to brighten complexion immediately. The key to nailing the look is finding a lipstick that complements your skin tone.
If you have fair skin like idol Victoria Song, go for a super vibrant and bright shade that will perk up your complexion without looking over the top. Medium complexions can opt for a coral-based fuchsia to bring out the warmth in your skin. Darker skin tones will look flawless with fuchsia lip colours with a hint of violet.
(Read also ““Find Yourself” A Sharp Shirt Just Like The Ones Worn By Victoria Song“)
The 20-year-old Taiwanese actress is the queen of the no makeup, makeup look. This look features a luminous complexion that is natural with a hint of coverage.
To get that radiant complexion, mix a drop of illuminating primer or lightweight face oil into your foundation. Nana completes her look with a slight flick of brown eyeliner at the outer corner of each eye, coordinating peachy pink lip and coral blush.
Craving a bolder look? This just-ran-a-mile rosy cheeks look seen on singer Rainie Yang will suit any house visit. The key to nailing that all-over flush is to sweep your blush on your cheeks, temples, and underneath your brow bones.
Bonus: Dust powder blush over a generous stain of cream blush for a burst of pigment that will last all day.
Orange-red lipstick is a refreshing option this festive season for those who are looking to try something different than the conventional blue-toned red lipstick colours.
Chinese actress Tiffany Tang completed her orange-red lips look with pops of blush in the same colour family and eyeliner to define her peepers.
For two stunning hair trends in one, pull inspo from Hong Kong singer-songwriter G.E.M who is seen sporting accent braids alongside diamante hair barrettes. For a more grown-up and understated look, place your braids farther back to blend in with the rest of your locks like G.E.M did here.
Hong Kong singer-actress Charlene Choi makes tiny tendrils look all kinds of wonderful. She’s wearing her hair in a low laidback pony with two perfectly placed wavy tendrils to frame her face.
An under 5-minute hack that will elevate your look? Wrap the front sections of hair framing your face around a curling iron in alternating directions, pulling on them while they are hot to loosen the curls.
Not a fan of wearing red outfits during Chinese New Year? You can still honour the tradition by rocking a stunning red eyeshadow look.
Once relegated to lips, cheeks and nails, the bold hue is strangely wearable and flattering on Asian skin tones. To recreate Cosmic Girls Cheng Xiao’s fiery eyeshadow look, apply a red cream shadow as your base, smudging with your finger all the way to the brow bone. Next, layer a powder shadow in the same family all over the lids, focusing on the outer corners of the eyes. With the same blending brush, bring the colour down to the bottom lash line. Line your eyes to add definition.
Going full glam during the festive season is only to be expected. The best part? It doesn’t take much to do. Conceal any blemishes or imperfections with a concealer and damp sponge, top off with your favourite bright red lipstick, and you’re good to go.
