5 romantic makeup looks to steal this Valentine’s Day, courtesy of Elsa Hosk, Zara Larsson, Linda Hallberg and more

An eye-catching yet easy Valentine’s Day makeup is the trusty red lip, painted in the most fiery scarlet shade. If you’re unsure whether you should opt for a warm, cool or neutral crimson, a quick trick – as shared by Yves Saint Laurent’s makeup artist Jenifer Pascha – is to look at the veins on your wrist under natural light. This should help you find the tone that suits you the best: blue or purple undertones indicate cooler reds, while green undertones signal warmer hues. 

This year, we’re taking a page out of Swedish supermodel Elsa Hosk’s playbook and pairing our statement lip with subdued eyes to let the poppy pout steal the spotlight. Go for matte or slightly shimmery nude shades for your eyeshadow, complete with a hint of mascara. Regarding lips, prep is key: cleanse, exfoliate and moisturise first, and follow up with a lip primer if you have one. Outline with a matching lipliner for a defined look, then fill in with your lipstick. Perfect the edges with a small concealer brush dipped in concealer or foundation. Don’t forget to blot and reapply to make the lipstick last longer – ready for those potential kisses.

Related: Jasmin Saario on the beauty secrets behind her covetable glass skin

Valentine’s Day is synonymous with shades of pink and red, and for those seeking to incorporate them into their makeup, let renowned Swedish makeup artist Linda Hallberg be your first port of call. Hallberg often experiments with vibrant pigments in her beauty looks, and we’re particularly bewitched by the lustrous pastel pink and iridescent hues on her eyes, with darker berry tones swathing the lips.

Taking cues from Hallberg, you’ll want to keep your base lightweight, with a dash of highlighter on the cheekbones to play into the luminous look. Prep your eyelids with a primer, and apply your sparkly pastel eyeshadow – we recommend one of the palettes from LH Cosmetics’ ‘Shimmer Saga’ collection – with a blending brush for a soft, blurred effect or the tip of your finger for more punchy pigment. Don’t be afraid to mix your shades, and for the ultimate impact, add eyeshadow to the inner corners of your eyes and along the lower lash line. Finish off with delicate strokes of mascara. For the lips, look for richer shades of pink, with a darker lipliner central in recreating Hallberg’s ombré pout.

A sleek cat-eye is a certified makeup classic, but the sultry feline flick feels especially fitting for a magnetic date-night look. Half-Swedish celebrity makeup artist Ash K. Holm prefers her winged eyeliner razor-sharp, and it’s a sensuous style we’re tapping into this Valentine’s Day.

For ultimate precision and longevity, reach for your black liquid or gel eyeliner and an angle or fine-tip brush. After priming your eyelids, start by lining your upper lashline and determining the angle of your wing – a good rule of thumb is to follow the natural curve of your lower lashline, extending it upward. A piece of face tape can also help in achieving a crisp flick. Once done, refine and clean up any mishaps with a small brush dampened with makeup remover. To replicate Ash K. Holm’s look, pair your cat-eye with voluminous faux lashes and warm brown eyeshadow, mirrored in the muted nude lip.

Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera rocked it first in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and recently, this makeup look has enjoyed a resurgence along with the rest of the Y2K craze: the icy eyeshadow. However, our frosty Valentine’s Day inspiration – mirroring that February chill – comes courtesy of a Nordic pop phenomenon: Zara Larsson.

You’ll need: a shimmery white or pearl eyeshadow (pale blue also works), a blending brush and a white eyeliner. Like glistening snowflakes sprinkled across your eyelids, apply a generous amount of eyeshadow in the inner corner of the eyes, blending outward for an ethereal, diffused glow. Tightline your lower lashline with the white eyeliner for an extra oomph of coolness. Larsson tied her look together with a touch of black mascara and a subtle winged eyeliner – though you can skip the latter and extend the glimmering eyeshadow towards the outer corners for a full sub-zero effect.

Related: Zara Larsson’s icon era: “Why would I ever doubt myself? Like, I’m amazing”

When in doubt, going for an understated yet elegant nude glam is always a winning choice. Plus, it’s pretty quick and easy to achieve. Pinned on our Valentine’s Day beauty mood boards for this look is Norwegian content creator Tsutsumi Hoang, universally envied for her impossibly glowy skin, which takes centre stage in her radiant soft glam.

To recreate this look, chances are you already have everything you need in your beauty cupboard. For a dewy base, hydration is key, best achieved by exfoliating the skin first and following up with a lightweight yet deeply hydrating moisturiser. Prep the skin with a primer (mix in a drop of highlighter for a boosted glow) and apply a sheer, skin-like foundation or a tinted moisturiser for a fresh-faced finish.

The subtle glam eyes call for neutral and earthy eyeshadow – think pale gold, warm beige, rich chocolate and muted taupe – paired with a few sweeps of mascara (opt for brown for an even more natural look) and brown eyeliner if desired. Muted peach lips and a dusting of bronzer along the cheekbone provide the finishing touches for this timeless look.