At Maison Margiela’s spring haute couture show, “alien” skin captivated the attention of beauty aficionados around the globe — and the mysterious look dreamed up by makeup artist Pat McGrath made just about everything else in the makeup-sphere seem down-to-earth. “It's painterly, it's fluid, it's free,” says makeup artist Romy Solemani about the supernatural glow that broke the internet. This spring, that same approach of bold creativity will carry into our makeup routines. Now is the time to “be a little bit more experimental,” says Solemani.
Wear neon lipstick instead of your neutral pink; reach for the most dramatic mascara (or, better yet, fake lashes); and add sparkles to any look just because. Allure has established that the word “trend” has little meaning in this ever-evolving age of TikTok and makeup artists agree: “‘Trends’ have very short lifespans now,” says Diane Kendal. “Something could be a trend for a week or even a day, whereas before, a trend would be much more seasonal.” After seeing so many different things come and go, makeup artist Violette says she “feels a bit rebellious against [trends] because it's dictating how we should do makeup. I want people to think, how do I feel today? What am I in the mood for? Be your own artist, your own muse, and have fun with makeup.”
All this said, we still love a little inspiration. Keep scrolling to discover the makeup looks earning a place on our spring moodboards.
Meet the Experts:
- Romy Solemani is a New York-based makeup artist.
- Diane Kendal is a New York-based makeup artist and ambassador for Rabanne Beauty.
- Violette is a makeup artist, founder of VioletteFr, and the creative director of Guerlain makeup.
- Sil Bruinsma is a New York-based makeup artist.
- Hiromi Ueda is a London-based makeup artist and ambassador for Giorgio Armani Beauty.
- Morgane Martini is a Paris-based makeup artist and ambassador for Christian Louboutin Beauty.
- Priscilla Ono is a makeup artist and ambassador for Fenty Beauty.
- Tasha Reiko Brown is a makeup artist and ambassador for Chanel Beauty.
Tie-Dye Eyes
Admittedly, we love the effortless appeal of a wash of one shadow on our lids — but after seeing splashes of colors framing models’ eyes on the spring runways, we are inspired to reach for our makeup brushes and do more. Simply color-blocking two vibrant shadows — either stacked on lids or by adding a second pigment along the lower lash line — makes a statement. At Prabal Gurung's spring 2024 show, makeup artist Sil Bruinsma did both techniques using neon hues from the MAC Connect in Color Palette. To take it up another notch, Brunisma “topped eyelids with [MAC Clear Lip Glass.]” Allure loves the new Prada Beauty Dimensions Multi-Effect Refillable Eyeshadow Palette, each with five shades destined to be mixed and matched.
Colorful looks don't have to be executed in shocking hues to be impactful, though: “I prefer slightly muted colors or pastels,” says makeup artist Hiromi Ueda, who created a show-stopping mosaic around the eyes at Giorgio Armani’s spring show. She calls it “modern minimalism,” when you have “full makeup on the eyes, lips, cheeks, everything — but just in a more muted color palette.”
Larger-Than-Life Lashes
Clumpy, spidery, feathery lashes that command eye contact are an easy way to bring on the drama. At Marc Jacobs's fall 2024 show, Kendal stacked faux lashes on the top and bottom lash lines with the help of Duo Lash Glue. What made them look so doll-like was how they were prepped: “We coated the lashes with black nail polish to give that really ‘cloggy’ look,” says Kendal. Layering on several swipes of mascara has a similar — and slightly more wearable — effect. “Some of my favorite mascaras to get [a big lash moment] are the Christian Louboutin Lift Ultima Mascara — because its small brush allows you to get the lashes from the roots — and Maybelline Volum’ Express The Falsies mascara, which has been a staple in my kit,” says makeup artist Morgane Martini, who is an ambassador for Christian Louboutin.
AN EYE-OPENING TIP:
Loud Lips
Pantone may think Peach Fuzz is the color of the year, but when it comes to our lipstick, we will be going for a touch of electric lime. Or maybe metallic pink foil. “People want to experiment and play with color,” says Kendal. She suggests doing your top lip in pink and bottom lip in red,” or use one of the dark colors on the outer colors and then fill the lips in with a lighter color.”
And of course, a classic bold crimson lip isn’t going anywhere. “You can never get tired of a red lip, bold or defined, it just creates magic. It’s like wearing high heels, it instantly makes you feel sexy and empowered,” says Martini.
Metallic Accents
Shimmery makeup doesn’t require big plans. Trace a line of glitter along your lashes, stick on face gems, or bedazzle your brows, as seen on the runway at Jean Paul Gaultier by Simone Rocha’s spring couture show. Brands like Simihaze Beauty have made embellished eyeliner easy thanks to their pre-designed stickers that hug the lash line with some glitz, no messy glue necessary. A sprinkling of Best-of-Beauty-winning Half Magic face gems acts as the perfect accessory to make a basic smoky eye or winged liner shine.
Supernatural Skin
“The trend for me that will never end is epic skin,” says Solemani. As the canvas to everything else, great skin is always in. Of course, being diligent with your skin care is essential, but adding a glow-boosting product into the equation doesn’t hurt. Hiromi suggests mixing a couple of drops of a liquid highlighter with your base makeup or moisturizer. For extra-extra radiance, she likes to swipe “a tiny bit of gloss on top of the eyes and cheeks.”
Besides that, adding a veil of blush to the cheeks is a subtle way to mimic a healthy flush, as McGrath did at Stella McCartney’s spring 2024 show. Instead of just swirling a bit on the apples of your cheeks, consider this tip from makeup artist Priscilla Ono: “When I first started working with Rihanna, she showed me how to bring your highlighter all the way up from your cheekbones through your temples, onto your upper lid, to really “go for it.” [TikTok-trending] ‘midtone blushing’ is similar, but just with blush. Rihanna always says that the best way to distract from dark circles is with a good blush.”
Like most “trends” swirling on our screens, midtone blush is a technique from the past that is thriving in the present. “It’s a mix of the 80’s style — with two blushes close to the eyes — that was used as an early version of a color corrector to brighten, and a touch of an apres-ski-style blush [another TikTok favorite] where it’s applied as a believable heavy flush spreading beyond the apples of the cheeks and cheekbones,” says makeup artist Tasha Reiko Brown. “It’s a lovely ombre of color.” She says the key is to blend for a seamless finish. “I like to reuse my powder brush after I finish my face application to buff and melt the two colors together,” says Brown.
In the spotlight: Ooey Gooey Lip Products
It seems like every single brand has launched an ooey gooey lip product — and Allure editors have a handful of options in their bags at all times. The shinier and plumper the finish, the better. Allure’s recent One to Watch-honoree Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil has quickly become a favorite in the office. “A single swipe delivers the perfect wash of pinky-beige pigment, leaving my lips feeling ultra-cushiony and remarkably shiny,” says Allure associate features director Dianna Mazzone.
These formulas are packed with hydrating ingredients — such as hyaluronic acid or ceramides — and can also add a gleaming finish to up any lip color in your arsenal. “The other day, I had on a little bit of a lip pencil to redefine my lips and put [Guerlain KissKiss Bee Glow Oil] on top like a lip gloss. It was gorgeous. And then today, I’m wearing [the lip oil] just as lip care. You can apply it on top of lipstick as well,” says Violette (an ambassador for Guerlain).
Keep scrolling for more spring 2024 makeup inspiration.
Discover more makeup inspiration.
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Now watch Lori Harvey's beauty routine.
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