Source Images: Getty Save Story Save this story Save Story Save this story We have bills to pay, appointments to keep, and emails to answer. So when was the last time you ditched the phone and spent 15 minutes enjoying your local playground’s swing set? Or got crafty with some glitter and Play-Doh? This winter’s biggest makeup trends are recapturing a little of that childlike, carefree magic—giving “sensible” a rest and leaning into play and creativity.
Instead of no-makeup makeup, runways this season were showcasing in-your-face eye looks with bright colors and big, bold shapes—a great excuse to dip into the cerulean blues and canary yellow eye shadows in your palette that haven’t been touched. Better yet, go all-in on a spicy red shadow with lips to match (see: Elisabetta Franchi, Matières Fécales, and Litkovska).
Glue some gemstones on your face and cosplay as a fairy princess again! Or, for something a little more understated but equally as nostalgic, try the ’90s-inspired, frosty finishes seen at Weiderhoeft, Balenciaga, and Bluemarine, or smudgy, “I applied this with my fingers” lip liner. Get tactile and have some fun. You deserve it.
Just ask yourself: What would 10-year-old you do? Would you be concerning yourself with neutrals and daytime office looks? Or would you dig deep into a pot of glitter and pink eyeliner ? I think we all know the answer to that. Below, the experts break down winter’s biggest makeup trends that younger you would definitely approve of.
Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images Someone once said that less is more, but we beg to differ. Sometimes, the most is more. “I feel like everyone this year was desperate for makeup to make a comeback,” says London-based makeup artist Rachel Hill-Cherry , “More eyeliner, more mascara, more colour, more creativity, and more fun.”
The name of the makeup-makeup game this season is eyemaxxing (especially on the Antonio Marras, Kim Shui, and Givenchy runways), getting big and bold with shapes and intensity. But if you’re not sure where to start, working your way out from a smudgy eyeliner will get those creative juices flowing. “I would start with a kajal eyeliner. Something that's super creamy and blendable, but once it dries, it stays put,” Hill-Cherry says.
She likes Charlotte Tilbury Rock ’N’ Kohl Eyeliner pencils, which come in a range of jewel tones. Marc Jacobs Beauty Drawn This Way eyeliner also has a smooth, blendable texture, and comes in punchier colors like yellow and aqua. “Wrap it around the entire eye, and with an eye shadow brush or your finger just blend and buff in for that ultimate cool girl, lived-in eye. Repeat until desired intensity.”
Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images A smudgy-edged lip harkens back to a simpler time when you experimented with a 99-cent tube of NYC Color lipstick and lip liner , but lacked the steady hands and precision that would come with lots of practice. The result is a (now cool) smudgy, soft-focus lip.
“[It’s] no harsh lines, no obvious colors, just super intentional and low-key. A lip you don't have to worry about,” says Hill-Cherry. “It's great for all, but especially those who want to cheat their way to fuller-looking lips in a really natural way.”
She recommends the Rhode Peptide Lip Shapers (the thicker pencil takes some of the guesswork out of how far out to blur the line), or try Refy Blur Lip Liner , which has an…