Beauty
Dewy skin FTW.
Ah, fall. It’ll be here before you know it. And if you’re anything like me, you are more than ready for it. The crisp, cool sweater weather. Boots, layering, and leather jackets. Halloween. I can list a million reasons why fall is the superior season (at least IMO), but one of the greatest things about fall is that it also inspires changes in many people’s makeup routines.
But no need to mourn the loss of color. Before you put away those bright eyeshadows or vibrant lipsticks, you might want to read this first. According to makeup artists and industry experts, it turns out that this upcoming season’s trends aren’t drastically different from the ones we’ve been seeing all summer — but there are ways to up the impact if that’s what you’re into.
Makeup artists are predicting that everyone will still be going all out for their makeup looks, taking inspiration from some of the most fun decades (so bring on the ‘70s disco and ‘80s funk). ’90s makeup inspo isn’t going anywhere either — and that’s great for anyone who’s enjoying taking walks down memory lane. If that’s not your speed, don’t worry; get ready to celebrate natural-looking skin with a dewy glow.
While you enjoy the last few weeks of summer, take a look at the eight fall 2021 makeup trends that will get you excited for a new season.
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‘90s Revival
Not to sound like a broken record, but everyone’s love for the ‘90s will still be going strong this fall. “Sharply defined lips, punk meets grunge meets ‘90s R&B and hip-hop, [the ‘90s] were a melange of highly technical applications juxtaposed next to worn-in, deconstructed monochromatic color palettes,” says Keri Blair, MAC Cosmetics senior national artist.
Blair says greige, taupe, dirty plums, chocolate browns, and terracotta stains are going to be huge colors this fall. You’ll definitely want to incorporate a classic ‘90s beauty product — the lip liner — and cool eyeshadows in these shades.
Defined lips were a hallmark of the 1990s. To get the look, outline your pout with a brown lip pencil and swipe a clear gloss on top.
Dewy Goals
If summer was about full coverage, matte looks, then the fall is about going the opposite direction. Megan Curtin, lead makeup artist and head of education at Cover FX, predicts that people will opt for more dewy, breathable coverage to get that natural-looking skin look.
Curtin suggests using a tinted moisturizer that hydrates skin and gives you that soft-focus blurred effect and a subtle glow. To get that extra dewy finish, she suggests using a good setting spray.
A tinted moisturizer like this one provides light, buildable coverage with a dewy finish.
Studio 54 Vibes
The hold Studio 54 has on the going-out crowd is unmatched. Channel those glamorous vibes with your makeup look this fall. “[The] glossiness of the ‘70s disco era crosses paths with the angular shaping of the ‘80s is where we find ourselves exploring the details for the nightclubbing trend,” says Blair.
“Of course the idea of [makeup as] freedom of expression or taking makeup to a full exploration of color and texture isn’t a new one,” she continues. “But what keeps this trend fresh is the idea of being done [up], taking chances, and coloring your features to the extreme.”
Look to fun eyeshadow palettes and graphic liners to achieve the bright, disco look. To finish, choose a liquid lipstick or gloss. And remember: more is more in this case.
Blush Renaissance
Blush’s comeback into the consciousness of beauty lovers is here to stay when it gets cooler. Blair says to put blush on with a damp beauty sponge to keep skin looking luminous while blending in whatever bright pink, coral, or berry you choose.
If you want to go for the monochromatic look, she says to use lipstick on both your lips and cheeks. She personally likes something like the MAC Powder Kiss Lipstick since it’s buildable and blends seamlessly onto skin.
Helpful tip: If you accidentally overdo it (which happens to the best of us), Blair says to use a bit of powder or a foundation brush to soften the edges of the blush. It will help make the color look like it’s coming from underneath the skin.
Eye-conic Looks
Who doesn’t love drama? Curtin sees everyone building up the volume with mascara and pairing it with graphic eyeliner for statement eye looks this fall. To achieve this, she says to grab your favorite volumizing mascara (her pick is the Cover FX PowerFlex) and to smudge a liner like the Urban Decay Cosmetics 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil with your fingertips or a cotton swap for a softer smoky effect.
If you want to up the intensity of the color, Curtin says to add even more liner to the waterline.
Full-On Cat Eyes
You’ll want to pair your eyeliner with extra volumized lashes. To get the job done, Sir John points to this one from L’Oréal Paris. “It gives you the most dense bed of fluffy lashes and doesn't dry them out which is key,” he says.
Inner Corner Eyeshadow
Keep the bright colors coming. Don’t want to go all out? Dab a tiny bit on the inner corners only à la Joan Smalls walking at Off-White’s Fall Winter 2021 show.
Pro tip: To create a graphic shape with your eyeshadow, Sir John says to start by packing shadow onto your lid, then take a cotton swab with a bit of makeup remover and start to carve off any edges to create the look you want.
Monochromatic Magic
Another fall trend that Sir John predicts will be popular is the monochromatic look. Just take one shade (he recommends a matte hue) and rock it on your lids, lips, and cheeks
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