9 Summer beauty trends to try now
And everything you need to ace them


Poolside Slick
The trickiest but most high-impact style, the wet look, is a summer classic we can never stop revisiting. Models at Hemant and Nandita, Vineet Bahl and Roberto Cavalli all sported glossy drenched roots that extended to straight ends. Backstage, hairstylists finger-combed roots for height and volume. Still wary? Work your way towards the trend with a sleek bun.
Try the trend:
BBLUNT Gel Oh! Natural Hold Gel, Rs 450
Babyliss Pro V Fast & Furious Straightening Iron, Rs 8,475

Badass Braids
Wispy braids and milkmaid plaits have had their time in the sun. S/S ’16 brings the focus to super tight, punk braids (Kim Kardashian is already on board) like the fishtails at Kavita Bhartia, the sporty plaits at JW Anderson and Víctor Alfaro’s French braid-ponytail hybrid. Load up on shine spray, slick back the baby hair and you’ve got a keeper.
Try the trend:
Kérastase Laque Couture Medium Hold Hairspray, Rs 2,600
Toni & Guy Glamour Moisturising Shine Spray, Rs 900

Aqua Everything
Blue was a big trend last year, and it continues to reign this summer too. Going by the ski mask-like shadow at Chanel, Missoni’s blocks of azure and the hints of cobalt liner at 3.1 Phillip Lim, it looks set to remain the most popular shade in everyone’s eyeshadow palette.
Try the trend:
Clinique Lid Pop in Aqua Pop, Rs 1,450
Chanel Illusion D’ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow in Ocean Light, Rs 2,400
Rimmel London Scandaleyes Waterproof Gel Eyeliner in Blue, Rs 570
FACES Canada Longwear Eye Pencil in Persian Blue, Rs 449
Lakmé Eyeconic Kajal in Royal Blue, Rs 275
ColorBar All Day Waterproof Eyeshadow Stick in Moss, Rs 850

Plain Jane Manicure
Get respite from the overheated nail art trend with basic, stripped-down manicures this season. Everything from skin-tone nudes to sugary pastels were seen at DSquared2, Missoni and Prabal Gurung, while Gucci and Naeem Khan dressed washed-out manis with neon and glitter tips.
Try the trend:
Nykaa Pastel Nail Enamel in Crème Brulee, Rs 149
Sephora Color Hit Polish in Satin Corset, Rs 700
Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Polish in B Girl, Rs 660
Marks & Spencer Autograph Ultimate Wear Nail Colour in Pale Peach, Rs 699
Max Factor Glossfinity in Rose Romance, Rs 395

Gym Skin
Glossy, luminous skin is a result of smart strobing, not a sweaty sesh on the treadmill. Make-up artists ditched foundation for primer or concealer and swiped cheeks with bronzer and warm blush shades. Anavila, Eka, Derek Lam and Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna, brought that endorphin glow to the runways.
Try the trend:
Revlon PhotoReady Skinlights Face Illuminator in Peach Light, Rs 850
Shiseido Perfect Hydrating BB Cream, Rs 3,000
Lancôme Lip Lover in Rose Des Cygnes, Rs 2,100
Sephora Colorful Blush in So Surprised, Rs 1,170
L’Oréal Paris True Match Le Crayon Correcteur in Vanilla, Rs 799

Red mouth
Matte red mouths win the battle of nude versus bright. Céline, Jason Wu, Prashant Verma and Samant Chauhan sent out models with bold lips in shades of tomato red and scarlet. Daubed on, it creates a rock ’n’ roll vibe, but for a definitive statement, etch the lip with a pencil first.
Try the trend:
Maybelline New York Color Sensational Lip Gradation in Red 2, Rs 500
ColorBar Take Me As I Am Lipstick in Sensuous Red, Rs 900
Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick in Red Ego, Rs 2,300
L’Oréal Paris Moist Matte Lipstick in Pure Scarleto, Rs 995
Photographs: Arsh Sayed, Sarang Sena (Backstage), Imax Tree/David Gallizio (Backstage), Styling: Reshma Rajiwdekar, Beauty Assistant: Anjan Sachar

No-fuss hair
Finally a catwalk look we can all easily achieve. Our favourite summer hairdo requires that you wear your natural hair texture with just a touch of shine serum. There’s no artful tousle or delicate tonging, just off-centre partings and natural kinks. Don’t believe it? Look to Versace, Gucci and Emilio Pucci for inspiration.
Try the trend:
Philips EssentialCare Hairdryer BHD006, Rs 1,695
L’Oréal Professionnel Mythic Oil Rich Oil, Rs 950

Graphic Liner
Going by the bajillion graphic versions of the black liner this season, almost anything goes. You could go the Gauri and Nainika way with amplified square edges or off-kilter like Fendi and draw a thick black line along your brow bone. Or make like Payal Pratap and Jeremy Scott and steer it towards an exaggerated cat-eye.
Try the trend:
Maybelline New York Volum’ Express The Falsies Mascara, Rs 475
Chambor Smooth-On Eye Liner in Carbon Black, Rs 695
Lotus Herbals Make-Up Colorkick Curved Liquid Eyeliner, Rs 725
Lakmé Absolute Gel Addict in Must Have, Rs 800
Bobbi Brown Long-wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink, Rs 1,730

Lazy knot
Make sure your updo game is strong but more casual for summer with twisted versions as seen at Ikai by Ragini Ahuja, low-slung buns at 11.11 or the loose-ended chignons at Bottega Veneta. Shed the overworked sharpness for a more post-yoga vibe. We suggest you work up a scruffy texture before you pull your hair back, and learn to love the flyaways.
Try the trend:
L’Oréal Professionnel Wild Stylers by Tecni Art Scruff Me, Rs 700