15 September 2023

From cherry cola lips to pastel eyes: 5 beauty trends taking over autumn

15 September 2023

The start of a new season is the perfect time to switch up your beauty look and try something different.

Nowadays, trends tend to come from two main places: the catwalks or social media.

So whether you’re taking inspiration from autumn/winter beauty looks or influencers on TikTok, there are plenty of new trends popping up to give a go.

These are some of the biggest make-up and nail looks set to sweep autumn…

1. Cherry cola lips

“Drawing inspiration from the rich red colour of a cherry, the cherry cola lips trend combines shades of reds and browns paired with a gloss to create a multi-dimensional lip look,” explains Sarah Amelia Fogg, celebrity make-up artist and founder of Brows by Sarah.

“While previous years were all about matte and suede lips, this trend is all about creating a natural-looking high-shine. It’s basically a newer, shinier version of the classic red Christmas lip.

“It’s the perfect trend for autumn/winter as it embraces the deeper, darker shades that we start to see during these seasons, and it’s extremely versatile so can be created by anyone.”

Fogg recommends playing around with this look as the trend – which has started to take off on TikTok – “isn’t an exact science, you can choose which tones work for you”.

The best thing about this look is that “red is a very universal colour”, Fogg says, meaning it can suit anyone.

2. Earth tones

“Earth-toned make-up is definitely making a comeback this year and is set to stand tall as one of the top make-up trends this autumn/winter,” Fogg predicts.

“The clue is in the name – it’s all about choosing earthy tones such as browns, oranges and neutrals.”

She sees it as an evolution of the latte make-up trend that has taken TikTok by storm, but using darker shades instead.

“One of the most important things to remember when recreating this look is to keep the colours consistent,” Fogg recommends. “Try to choose similar tones for the eyes and the lips as this will tie the whole look together and keep it natural.”

Grown-ish actor Yara Shahidi’s Met Gala make-up this year is a perfect example of earth-toned make-up. The look channelled the aesthetic of Nineties supermodels, which feels particularly appropriate ahead of the release of The Super Models on September 20, a docuseries tracking the rise of original ‘supers’ Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington.

3. Soft goth

“TikTok’s obsession with Wednesday Addams this year has had many of us recreating a more grungy, gothic-inspired look. While a little daunting to some, ‘soft goth’ make-up can be more wearable than you think – and it’s looking to be big this winter,” says Aimee Connolly, make-up artist and founder of Sculpted by Aimee.

You don’t need a steady hand for this look – it’s all about smudges of black around your eye. Connolly recommends lining your eyes with a creamy black pencil, and blending it “upwards and outwards using a blending brush”.

She adds: “Finish with lashings of black mascara to define the lashes and complete the eye look.”

4. Latte nails

While latte make-up might have had its time in the sun, it’s spawned another trend: latte nails.

“The latte and caramel girl aesthetic sees a rise in rich, warm hues of brown, tan and beige adorning fingertips everywhere,” says Sara Waterman, senior aesthetician at Young LDN.

How you choose to style the trend is up to you, with Waterman suggesting a solid colour, ombré gradient or intricate design. To be bang on trend, opt for an ultra-glossy finish – combining it with the ‘glazed doughnut’ trend for high shine, which doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.

5. Pastel eyes

Pastels for autumn might seem unusual, but the look stormed the autumn/winter catwalks. Models at Richard Quinn had soft lilacs and pale blues dusted around their eyes, which Connolly calls “the perfect break from the everyday neutral, bronzey eye”.

She says: “Experimenting with colour doesn’t have to be daunting! Adding a pastel pop such as a Y2K baby pink will playfully brighten and open up your eyes. Even better, you should have a blush that will do the trick already in your make-up bag.”

Connolly’s top tip is to prime your eyes with a concealer, set with a translucent pressed powder “to make pastel shadows really pop” and “finish with a brightening liner in the waterline”.

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