4 makeup looks for spring racing season

And all of them couldn’t be easier to achieve!

Beauty Crew Editor / January 11 2017

Spring racing is in full swing, and if you’re attending a race day - whether it’s Derby Day, Melbourne Cup Day or just enjoying a casual afternoon at the tracks - chances are you’re going to want your makeup to look on point.

We spoke to Tobi Henney, L'Oréal Paris Makeup Director for Australia, for her top tips on creating a stunning race day look that’s sure to impress.

Her first piece of advice? “You have to remember with spring racing, these makeup looks are in broad daylight, so you don’t want to go in too hard with smoky eyes and too hard on the contouring. Your makeup should be soft and feminine and beautiful.”

With that in mind, here are four different makeup looks you can try this racing season.

1

Classically elegant

This look is “all about clean lines and elegance. It’s simple and low maintenance, and a bit of liner will help dress it up,” says Henney. To achieve this, Henney recommends ensuring your skin is smooth and polished, with highlighter to give your skin a natural radiance (don’t forget the inner corners of your eyes and Cupid’s bow). Then, fill in and brush up your brows, and finish with winged liner to add that touch of glamour. You can also follow Jennifer Hawkins' lead by using a neutral eyeshadow to create the winged finish.

Try: Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner

Jennifer Hawkins race day makeup
TOP TIP: To give your wing a crisp finish, Henney suggest using a cotton tip with micellar water and gently swiping up.

2

Fun and vibrant

There’s nothing quite like a bold red lip to make a statement with your race day look, and Henney’s top tip for pulling it off this season is to “keep everything else quite clean.” Instead of creating a big eye makeup look, opt for a soft wash of a champagne eyeshadow, with a darker matte shadow in your crease line. Then curl your lashes and apply a couple of coats of mascara, focussing on the outer lashes to give your eyes some lift.

To find your perfect red, Henney suggests those with fairer skin use a blue-based red, while those with medium or darker skin tones pick an orange-based red. If you’re not sure about your red, pick a universal colour that has equal amounts of orange and blue tones.

Try: L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Collection Exclusive Red by Eva for all skin tones, MAC Lipstick in Russian Red for fair skin, and Dior Rouge Dior Couture Colour from Satin to Matte in Trafalgar for medium skin.

Isla Fischer red lipstick

3

Pretty and feminine

"This look is really minimal; it doesn’t have to be too much,” says Henney.  The key to this makeup is using cool pink on both your lips and cheeks, and Henney says the trick to getting it right is to “keep it really soft,” adding that “you don’t need a heavy smoky eye. Use cool brown tones on your eyes instead. You don’t want to go into the charcoal range of eyeshadows when you use cool pinks, because it’ll be too much, especially in the daytime.

Try: L’Oréal Paris Infallible Blush Sculpt in Soft Rosy.

Anna Heinrich Race day makeup

4

Golden bronzy glow

When the weather’s warming up, you can’t go past a glowing, bronze makeup look, and to keep it fresh for your spring racing activities, Henney suggests applying your bronzer all over your face with a large powder brush, and finishing the look with a natural lip and groomed brows. She says, “Aim for a light, natural brow. Use a brow powder and an angled brush to fill in the hair in upwards strokes and then use a clean mascara wand to brush it through and blend it out a little bit.”

Try: Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Powder Bronzer

Jodi Anasta race day makeup

Racing season involves long days, so you need your makeup to last. Here are our top tips for makeup that'll stay flawless for hours.

Images: Getty

Carli was BEAUTYcrew’s Editor from launch in 2016 until May 2020. You can find her words right here on BEAUTYcrew, and previously on beautyheaven.