Dial up the drama
Fall’s biggest makeup trends emphasise strong eyes, radiant skin and bold lips.
MINIMAL glam, bold eyes and red lips – these trends, and more, make up the endless possibilities of Fall makeup.
Events, parties and gatherings are back in full swing, and it’s the perfect time to check up on the latest makeup styles and products out there.
Mandatory mask-wearing is moving towards a thing of the past, following the government’s recent announcement that masks are only an absolute must in certain places (clinics, medical facilities, school buses etc.).
A win for lip colour, this doesn’t mean that eye makeup is taking a backseat. On the contrary, the top trends for fall makeup are very much zoning in on the eye area, introducing creative new ways to make your peepers pop.
Graphic eyeliner
Dior’s makeup for the Fall 2022 collection presented in Seoul played with variations of eyeliner, creating a line that was simultaneously softened and graphic, by playing with the discontinued effects of broken lines.
These soft-edged lines gently emphasise the outer corners of the eyes, continued on the lower eyelid and broken in the centre.
Following the shape of the eyes, you can also echo these by drawing a line in the crease of the upper eyelid.
Dress your eyes in tweed
A Chanel special, the “It” eyeshadow palette of the season draws inspiration from the emblematic tweed fabric.
The idea is to blend different hues to create a bold result, for example fiery brick orange with the depth of an intense aubergine brown, illuminated by the subtle shine of a satin coral and the reflections of an amber gold.
Experiment with pinks and mauves to create a satiny and iridescent look, or try out natural brown shades with beige tones.
Metallic eyeshadow
Want your eyes to look as shimmery as that sequined dress you’ve been eyeing for this year’s New Year’s Eve party? Then give the foil effect a go.
In a makeup feature on bustle.com, makeup artist and cosmetics brand owner Alexa Persico recommends experimenting with foiled or metallic eyeshadow that give off a reflective shine similar to that of aluminium foil.
And no, we’re not talking about glitter that will get all over everything, as foiled eyeshadows can be applied smoothly to the eyelids and are a great way to elevate your eye makeup.
Razzle-bedazzle
Anyone old enough to have experienced a time when TV shows were interrupted by commercials probably remembers bedazzling, an oh-so-tacky trend of decorating everything from denim apparel to cardigans by stapling them with rhinestones, studs and patches (using a home appliance called The Bedazzler).
While that trend has pretty much faded into oblivion, bedazzling your eyes is all the rage this fall.
Spawned by the series Euphoria, bejewelled eyes involve using stick-on face jewels that you can place all around your eyes, the more dramatic the better!
Blue hues
Go crazy with blue this Fall, in all shades from baby blue to electric blue. Layer different shades on top of each other, or combine blue with other bright colours like pink, neon green or gold.
Why stop at eyeshadow? Line your eyelids with blue instead of black, and give blue mascara a try while you’re at it!
Goth looks
Forget about perfect eyeliner for a minute and (though not completely, it is and always will be in style), and give smudged eyes, and goth-inspired makeup a go.
“Dark smudgy, graphic eyes, and dark lips from navy to deep aubergine reflected the mood heading into the Fall/winter 2022 fashion shows,” said makeup artist Daniel Martin in a story on Instyle.com. “The ‘90s trend is spilling into the season, so why not embrace it?”
One idea is to use navy eyeliner as a lip liner under red lipstick to give the appearance of a deep base hue, and to give your lipstick a pop.
Burnt blush
Summer makeup trends revolved around that sun-kissed, healthy glow, which is also trickling into fall. Applying minimal blush is still very much in, especially for daytime.
The trend, however, has also evolved into “burnt blush”, a look that is very on trend right now.
According to Allure.com, the trend is “more about the colour than looking like you didn’t wear enough SPF to the beach”.
Look for blush colours in terracotta, brick, and peachy shades rather than rose or grape, and picture the changing colours of leaves.
Apart from applying these hues to the apples of your cheeks, blend across the bridge of your nose and under your eyes to bring warmth to your complexion.
Blurred lines
According to Instyle.com, blurred lips are joining the bold matte lip as a beauty staple.
A low-maintenance and effortless pop of colour, the site recommends using Chanel’s Rouge Allure Ink Matte Liquid Lip Colour, and applying it with a fluffy eyeshadow blending brush to achieve this finish.
The article states, “This easily builds sheer layers of colour to create a lasting stain, and you can control the level of pigment desired.”
Go with the glow
Minimal glam is here to stay, and glowing, radiant skin is a huge component to this trend.
What makes this trend even better is when Oscar-winning actress Julianne Moore and her daughter Liv Freundlich appear in a campaign for glowing skin, using Hourglass’ new ambient soft glow foundation.
Look into highlights that can give your cheekbones and browbones a golden glow.
Flawless finish
This is a great trend to adopt if continuous mask-wearing has given you maskne blemishes and you feel the need to cover them up.
Go for a concealer that gives your skin a radiant glow, and apply it sparingly to the inner corner, under, and outer corner of the eyes.
You can also pull up towards the temple for an instant lift effect.
Clean makeup
The clean-faced aesthetic is still going strong, with dewy skin still topping the list of trends for fall.
Of course, the best way to achieve natural, clear-looking and smooth skin is to invest in good skincare products, hydrate often and eat well, but there are plenty of ways to get this look if you are less-than-blessed in the porcelain skin department.
Set aside matte, full-coverage foundations and super thick concealers and try out skin tints and lightweight formulas.
Many are also embracing their skin as it is, getting rid of the idea of fake-looking thick foundation in favour of skin that looks more natural.
Very red lips
There’s no time like the present to embrace the return of red-hot lipstick, from lighter cherry hues to deep burgundy. Always remember to use a lip liner first to prevent your lipstick from bleeding into the rest of your mouth area, and for lasting results, look for lip stains that stay fresh-looking all night.