As with everything else, it’s gotten harder to keep track of beauty trends since social media accelerated the pace for breakthroughs in products and techniques. On top of that we’re coming out of more than a year of shifting mandates on how much of our faces we can show and where.
As our tentative “Summer of Normal” continues, we’re breaking out the typical cheery eyeshadows and lighter coverages while taking some of what we’ve learned from making the best of a bad situation and integrating it into our regimen:
Barely there
“No-makeup makeup,” the usual direction summer trends in most years anyway, is again reigning this summer. As usual it does call for some makeup, and it’s easier to pull off if you have good skin underneath.
It starts with a primer that’s suitable for your skin type topped by a glowy foundation as close to your natural color as you can find, possibly mixed with a little bronzer or day cream if you’re seeking a sun-kissed vibe. Use the same approach for any concealer,
Eyes still have it
Since masks are still called for in some settings, and simply because it makes us look awesome, there’s still a lot of action around eyeliners, shadows and anything that emphasizes what is usually our best facial feature.
Graphic eyeliner is huge right now, either as dramatic wingtips at the corners of your eyes or dramatic shapes drawn beyond your sockets with or without eye shadow (if you do, try purple or blue!)
Light touch on the brows
With so much attention on the eyes themselves, you want to make sure they aren’t upstaged by heavy or overly dramatic brows. They need to be there in some capacity to frame the windows to your soul but they should be kept in a natural shape and shade, or consider brushing them upward to give them some height without making them too heavy.
Satiny lips
When you do highlight your lips, satin textures are probably the best way to go, as they’re less likely to melt and smear than mattes or glossies, whether they’re behind or in front of the mask. This falls right in line with the retro ‘90s glamor makeup making a comeback now, with which you can combine rich accents on your mouth with a “no makeup” natural glow to the rest of your face.
Rock the shag
Long or short, you can give your hair some fun volume with this look. Whether you’re going all out with the “wolf cut” hybrid of shag and mullet that has been taking over TikTok or going for a more subdued version, adding some choppy layers can take some of the weight off, especially if you have natural waves.
It’s the perfect style for these still unpredictable times; it looks great when you’ve just awakened and left it to air dry because you’re expecting a casual day, but it also can be styled with a blow-out or into curls if things take a turn for the formal!
