From glassy skin to flushed cheeks and feathery brows, here’s what’s new in beauty for the coming season, and what products to add to your beauty kit now.
Glowing skin is always in style, especially radiant skin with that glossy sheen. Of course, it starts with a good skincare routine and ensuring the skin is prepped before applying makeup. The goal for now is creating glass skin, which is all over the catwalks and trending in beauty circles. ‘When I think of glass skin, I think of Maison Margiela. It just exploded; everyone wanted glossy skin,’ says Ida Forsback, makeup artist at MAC Cosmetics. She emphasizes that prep work is the key to achieving this look: ‘If you want this finish, what you put underneath is more important than what you put on top.’ The finish should be skin that looks like skin—hydrated and at its healthiest.
The hero: MAC Strobe Dewy Skin Tint - Foundation
Why you need it: Illuminating, tinted, and sheer, this dewy pigmented moisturiser with light-reflecting effects is your first step to glass skin. Infused with skin-boosting hyaluronic acid, shea butter, and vitamin E, and with 16 shades to choose from this gel balm will make your skin glow in a flash.
Rosy cheeks are always a winner as they instantly make the skin look fresh and radiant. While it’s been around all spring and summer, the ‘flushed’ look is still a huge trend for autumn. ‘The flushed cheeks trend is so big now, and I’m all for it,’ shares Ida. She highlights that this trend is not just about the colour but also about the placement and texture, giving the skin a juicy appearance. ‘We’ve seen blush placed high on the cheeks, but now it’s slightly lower, hugging the face more naturally,’ she adds
The hero: Stila, Convertible Color Petunia
Why you need it: An award-winning, and cult favourite amongst celebrities, this cream colour is a sheer tint with enough colour to brighten and add a gorgeous glow without looking too done. It's very blendable, so it’s easy to build up the colour to suit your skin tone.
Blurred lips are all you need to know about lips for now and is another makeup trend that doesn’t require complicated application. It’s low maintenance and not too precise, which is great for applying on the go. ‘The blurred lip trend is perfect if you’re afraid of colour because you can apply and smudge it out without it being too intense,’ explains Ida. This look is flattering on everyone, providing a wearable, effortlessly chic style that feels as if you just quickly did it on the go.
The hero: Clarins, Water Lip Stain
Why you need it: This adds just the right amount of colour and gives a lovely matt finish without drying out the lips thanks to its water-like texture and plant ingredients for hydration. It’s long wearing and the fact that you can tailor the colour intensity means it will suit all skin tones.
With 2024’s makeup trends embracing a less-is-more approach and moving away from being too precise, for eyes, it's all about cool tones with a simple wash of colour. ‘One of my favourite trends right now is the cool tone,’ Ida says. She notes that this trend stems from the 90s and involves using shades like blues, greys, and blacks for a more effortless, sexy look. ‘This trend is more about making you look cool and sexy with minimal effort, applying a grey shade up to the brow bone breaks the rules in a nice way,’ she adds.
The hero: Maybelline, Palette The Nudes
Why you need it: With 12 shades, you can blend until your heart's content. From sand, beige, brown, and gold, you can switch up your cool-tone eyes and mix and match the shades as you like. An eyeshadow brush will help blend and keep the colour even over the eyelid.
This season, it’s all about the natural, subtle brow on the runways, so say goodbye to the bold, blocky brows of the past. Think feathery, not fluffy. ‘I love feathery brows—leaving a bit of negative space makes them more interesting,’ Ida says. She recommends starting with a brow gel before filling in, which helps achieve a natural and flattering look that’s easy to maintain.
The hero: MAC, Eye Brows Big Boost Fibre Gel
Why you need it: It adds volume, lasts 24 hours, and thanks to the added colour in the formula it creates fuller, denser brows thanks to the small synthetic micro fibres that build up, define, and shape the eyebrow hairs.