Back to the future

This autumn/winter, makeup trends draw inspiration from the past and embrace the rich colours of the season. Erin Leybourne finds out what your clients will clamour for in the colder months

Eyes go bold

Professional makeup artist Sarah-Jane Froom predicts that “bold eyes will be making a massive comeback this autumn/winter with vibrant colours and exaggerated lashes”. The use of fun colour and bold, graphic liner could be seen all over the Milan Autumn/Winter Fashion Week, with brands like Armani, Moschino and Diesel all using bright eye looks on their models.

Ann Marie Harper aka Glamour Gran Ann, a makeup artist and motivational speaker, echoes Froom’s predictions, forecasting a resurgence in the use of blue on the eyes, drawing inspiration from the ’60s. She predicts that the retro look, characterised by striking blue and graphic liner, will make a strong comeback.

Harper says, “I think those looks will be trending because stronger colours are on the comeback, and ’60s makeup trends are definitely making their way back.”

Twiggy’s blue eyeshadow is a memorable look for anyone looking for inspiration and includes the dramatic eyeliner that could be seen all over the recent catwalks.

Meanwhile, colour theory is also seeing a rise in interest, with #colouranalysis at 278.3k posts on TikTok. This trend is encouraging people to explore which shades complement their skin tones, categorised by season. This can be explored in reference to the eyes as well, choosing the best colours to make clients’ eyes pop.

Froom says, “Cool undertone skins will suit lovely silvers, blues and cool purples, whereas warm undertones might want to experiment with golds, coppers and warm browns.”

She also recommends purples and plums for green-eyed clients, and that blue eyes look best in bronzes and coppers, adding, “Brown eyes work with almost any shade as they are a mash up of all the tones. However, you might especially want to try rich blues and greens.”

Both Froom and Harper agree that a bold eye look is suitable for any age, allowing creativity, expression and fun for everyone, with Harper adding, “Any age can wear any colour – be bold when you are old!”

Ugly beauty

Post Brat-summer, clients will lean away from the bright natural makeup and glass skin looks of the early part of 2024 to embrace grunge and club kid culture. Musical artist Charlie XCX is leading the charge into messy grunge with her makeup artist Yasmin Istanbouli. The singer has been sporting smoky eyes, with bold brows and blurred lips, emulating ’90s grunge with a modern twist.

Social media has seen the public copy the look, even incorporating the acid green of her Brat album cover into their looks. Meanwhile, newcomer to the mainstream music world Chappell Roan blew up in June and her style has been inspired by the drag and club kid scene, blurring the lines between pretty and messy. For example, in her viral NPR Tiny Desk performance, viewers were quick to point out lipstick on her teeth, but makeup artist and drag queen Sterling Tull said it was entirely intentional.

Speaking to the online magazine Them, Tull said Roan and her stylist Genesis Webb wanted the band to look like they “went through hell, they just cried their eyes out, they just had enough of it and smeared their lipstick” in an “’80s prom gone wrong” look. As Barbie perfectionism becomes less popular, it’s likely that clients will be looking for a grungier style for their makeup.

Berry good

To complement the season’s darker weather and fashion, Froom says that rich berry hues are going to be massive this autumn and winter. “Not only does a bold berry add major sophistication but also a fabulous pop of colour,” she says.

Froom adds, “Berry lips were massive in the ’90s, if you are old enough to remember that far back; it was the fabulous grunge and goth aesthetic, and we were all in burgundies and browns. Autumn 2024 is going to be about a much more refined finish, which will focus more on velvety, luxurious textures.”

She recommends prepping the lips with a scrub or exfoliating tool and a lip balm before applying a bold colour and suggests that for a more mature lip that is prone to some feathering, you should apply a lip liner first for a precise and smooth application.

For a saturated colour, lipstick can be applied straight to the lip, but a blurred lip look is seeing a huge spike in popularity and can be achieved by applying the lipstick to a clean finger, then tapping it into the lips or mixing with a balm. First seen in Korean beauty, the just-bitten look is huge, and could be rising in popularity as the year goes on, especially as lips become chapped in the colder months.

Going back to colour theory, Froom recommends that cool undertone skins opt for blue-based berries, while for olivey warm undertone skins, MUAs can try red-based or brown-infused berries.

As for pairing, she says less is more, so go soft on the eye, or even nude if your client wants to be edgy. For a more dramatic look, experiment with a more witchy, soft gothic look, inspired by the ’90s. With autumn being the spooky season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see some clients looking for some practical magic.