Is your next eyeshadow written in the stars?!
It may sound bonkers, but zodiac beauty is 2019’s hot new trend
For make-up inspiration this year, look to the stars — or, more precisely, to your stars. Zodiac-themed beauty might sound an unlikely marriage of concepts, but it is proving to be a big hit both on the High Street and online and is a popular way to choose eyeshadows or body washes.
As a veteran beauty writer, it is fascinating to see this combination of astrology and beauty emerge against the backdrop of a growing interest in ‘alternative’ therapies, including aromatherapy and the healing power of crystals.
These were popular in the Nineties, but less so in the more rational Noughties. Now mystic pursuits are making a comeback.
‘People have been looking up to the stars for generations,’ says leading clairvoyant and crystal expert Emma Lucy Knowles.
‘Through the internet, we have more access to sharing ideas. This is one reason for the rise in people’s interest in crystals, essential oils and mindful practices. People are always looking for answers and astrology provides a map to help us make decisions.’
Even if those decisions are just how to fill your make-up bag.
The portents of this trend began in 2016, when beauty expert Krista Madden launched her My Sign range of eyeshadow palettes with revolution Beauty. ‘Bespoke beauty and personalisation was becoming popular,’ she says. ‘Zodiac signs have colours and gemstones associated with them.
‘I have worked in beauty for 25 years and this connection of make-up colours and our star signs hadn’t been done before. I tried to compose 12 palettes which looked different, but were true to the characteristics of each star sign and still wearable.
‘Even where you had a colour such as red for Aries, or yellow for Leo, it was offered in a shade people would want to use. Even those who don’t believe in astrology are interested in what their palette looks like.’
So, whether or not you are into astrological divination, here’s how you can harness the beauty of the stars . . .
LATHER UP AND SMELL HEAVENLY
Fresh Zodiac Soap, £14, johnlewis.com JoHN Lewis seems too sensible a company to succumb to astrology, but then again, it has a stellar reputation for knowing what the customer wants.
This range of gorgeous soaps have been created exclusively for John Lewis by cosmetics brand Fresh, and were a sell-out success over Christmas. But don’t worry, they are now all back in stock in store and online.
Star rating: Shining. The soaps are beautifully wrapped in illustrated paper, each with a unique scent selected just for that sign.
Some scents are more obvious than others. The water sign Pisces, for example, enjoys ‘the sheer aquatic floral scent of waterlily’, while modest Virgo gets a clean citrus scent with revitalising hesperides grapefruit.
PLANETS ALIGN WITH A PERFECT POUT
Fresh Zodiac Sugar Lip Treatment Advanced Therapy, £21.50, fresh.com FrESH has also given its lip balm an astrological spin. This is enriched with sugar to hydrate the lips and make them look smoother and plumper.
Star rating: Dim. It’s not as successful as the soaps — it’s the same clear balm in all of them, but with gorgeous zodiacthemed drawings on the casing.
EYE-POPPING STARRY BESTSELLERS
My Sign eyeshadow palettes, £1.50, revolutionbeauty.com You might think following your star sign would be an unusual way to pick eyeshadow, but these are bestsellers. They come with a base, highlighter and five colours. The shades range from watery greens (Aquarius) to plums and browns (Scorpio). Star rating: Luminary. The 12 palettes have been thoughtfully created to match each star sign. The My Sign collection now also has a dozen zodiac lip glosses grouped into Earth, Air, Fire and Water collections (£2.50). Fire — Aries, Leo and Sagittarius — boasts the boldest colours.
NAIL YOUR PREDICTIONS
Zodiac nail polish, £2.75, claires.com EACH of the varnishes in this range is assigned to a different star sign.
Star rating: Dull, but the glittery varnishes are pretty enough. Shades include amethyst for Gemini (those who are ‘curious, intelligent and loving’) to turquoise for Aries (‘courageous, confident and optimistic’).
GET IN TUNE WITH THE ELEMENTS
Spongelle Zodiac Body Buffers, £11.95, spongelle. co.uk THE sponges are packed with body wash, which lathers up. They’ll last for at least 15 showers.
Choose from Fire, Earth, Water or Air — each element is associated with three zodiac signs. Star rating: Twinkling. The Fire buffer boosts your spirits with a fragrance of spiced neroli. Earth (Capricorn, Taurus and Virgo) has a lavender and sea salt scent, while Water (Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio) gets lotus — the flowers grow in water — and Air (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) has delicate tuberose.
A SPARKLING ASTROLOGICAL GIFT
Pai Zodiac Gift Boxes, £32, free people.com FouNDEr Sarah Brown has built Pai skincare (which borrowed its name from the Maori word for ‘goodness’) on organic ingredients that won’t aggravate sensitive skin, and her zodiac gift boxes follow suit.
As she says: ‘They enable you to give a personalised present without any of the stress of getting it horribly wrong for those with skin sensitivities.’
Star rating: Sparkling. The Earth, Fire, Air and Water kits contain a mini bottle of Pai’s cult rosehip Bioregenerate oil, which suits all skin types, along with an astrologically relevant gift.
Passionate fire signs get a neroli and ginger candle to help them unwind. Water signs have a gentle hydrating cleanser, while the air sign gift includes a calming day cream. results-driven earth signs receive a fast-acting rapid radiance mask.
overall, these are quality products and smell fantastic.
COSMIC COLOUR COMBINATIONS
BH Cosmetics Zodiac Palette, £22, urbanoutfitters.com THIS offers 24 eyeshadows set in a starburst shape around one central highlighter. The matte colours and shimmering metallics mean you can create some wonderful colour combinations.
But while there are two colours assigned to each star sign, the palette’s relationship to the zodiac is much less personalised.
Star rating: Faint glow. But the quality is truly terrific.