Upon discovering in March that we were fated to endure 6 more weeks of winter, I whipped up this springy veil in hopes of encouraging some warmer weather. I chose simple colors, but any color combination will work for this.

You will need:

• A selection of medium/small brushes
• Small-pore sponges
• A thin base color (Paradise white is great for the translucent effect, and mixes well)
• An opaque color, same as your base (I used DiamondFX white, but I recommend Wolfe white)
• Another color to compliment your base (I used DiamondFX purple, a personal fave)
• Non-toxic glue stick or wax (totally optional)
• Reference images (also optional, but will help with your illusion)

Start out with a clean slate. Wipe your face down with witch hazel, a baby wipe, or another gentle cleanser to remove excess oils, and pull your hair back. If you have unruly eyebrows like I do, use a water-based glue stick to flatten and tame them a little. Or, you can conceal them completely (I didn’t).

Use a wet (not damp) cotton swab to create a thin layer of white paint. I used Paradise white for this. If you’re working on yourself or in a non-professional setting, you can use your fingertip. Go over your brows thinly to create the effect of a veil. Be extra careful around your lids, and avoid them altogether if you’re painting someone else, or if you aren’t comfortable.

Use a medium-small brush to define the bottom edge of your mask. I used scallops, but you can use a flat line if you like. Google “lace” for reference images.

Now, use the smallest brush you can find to start detailing. I’m now using Diamond FX white, which has great pigmentation, but can be kind of gloppy. I’d recommend Wolfe white for this instead. Try to keep your patterns fairly uniform, but don’t worry about this too much.

This white is awfully boring. Let’s add some color and depth. I used equal parts Diamond FX purple and Paradise white for this lovely lavender. Apply the paint to your forehead using a quick dabbing motion and blend it into the white. Then, take your medium-small brush and add some color to your details.

For roses, I like to create sort of irregular, concentric semi-circles. Continue this pattern along your hairline for the effect of a crown.

Using your small brush, connect your rose petals with tiny lines. For the sake of the walk-through, I’ll call this technique “laddering.” You can add more to your design wherever you want to.

Continue your rose motif where you can, but don’t overdo it. A little floral goes a long way. However, in this case, more complex your design, the easier it will be to fill in later, so feel free to go wild with more abstract designs. Be sure to distribute your colorful highlights evenly.

For the lacy part, paint “w’s” and “m’s” to mimic the structure of a chain-link fence. You can also crosshatch, but it will detract from the effect of looped fibers. Where you have patterns, use the laddering technique.

Add some color to your lips if you like. This can make your design a little more cohesive.

Carefully apply a white or lavender eye makeup to your lashes using a clean mascara brush. This is optional, and I don’t recommend doing this on other people, especially children.

Fill in any gaps with the chain-link pattern.

Voila! You’re finished. I purchased these contact lenses from maplelens.com.