MAKEUP TRENDS FOR 2019

With each new year, it brings a new wave of trends in all areas – but makeup is an ever-changing field that brings with it new and exciting (and perhaps even a bit bizarre!) styles, tips and tricks for you to reinvent yourself in 2019! Last year, there were beautiful and wacky beauty trends that circulated within the beauty community with the overarching theme being anything that gave your aesthetic that much-desired edge. 2018 was abundant with razor-sharp contour, dazzling highlight and heavy winged liner to bring together your makeup look. We were also introduced to Rihanna’s all-inclusive cosmetics line, Fenty Beauty which rattled the cages of the beauty industry forever – opening up a promising future for the years to come for more access for all skin types and colors to products.

But for now, let’s stick with 2019 and the trends that are already blossoming in these early months!

GLASS SKIN

If you’ve ever seen someone with glowing skin that looks as if they’ve got a natural radiance to it, it’s possible that they’ve been won over by the ‘glass skin’ trend. A Korean beauty trick which has spread to the rest of the world which is leaving skin looking stunning, healthy and glowy. But don’t worry – it’s not as scary as it sounds! You don’t have to get any plastic surgery, or any layers of actual glass laid over your face. All you have to do is make some adjustments to your skincare regime so that you are left with clear and dewy skin. First up, cleanse and then cleanse again.

The first time, cleanse using an oil-based product. This will work to remove any makeup from your pores and ensure that you’re given a clean base to begin with. Then, take your favorite cream cleanser. This will nourish your skin and begin to give you a glow. Next, exfoliate. While you shouldn’t do this too often, it will help to further detox your skin. Then hydrate your skin with your favorite moisturizer. While this may take longer in your nighttime routine, you won’t regret it. When you next apply makeup, ditch any of the harsh makeup products that you’ve been wearing in 2018. We want a clear, flawless finish to this look with everything kept light and minimal.

DO YOU EVEN WEAR MAKEUP?

If you’re not one of those people that wants to lose an extra half an hour to an hour of sleep just so that you can do your makeup in the morning, then 2019’s no makeup look will make you one happy bunny. Minimal makeup that is light, makes you look as if you’re not wearing anything while still looking effortlessly flawless is now in! Wave goodbye to the heavy contour, the thick baking, and the smokey eyes – looking like you’re wearing no makeup is now in and it’s here to stay!

To achieve this look, take a BB or CC cream that will help you to just veil any flaws without caking it on. Fill in any gaps in your eyebrow with a light pencil, apply a thin coat of mascara, a lip balm and you are done. No makeup look achieved!

BOLD LIPS

If you’re reading this article and you’re someone who likes ‘extra’ makeup, don’t worry! It’s not all leaving us – yes, you might see fewer people contouring their cheeks but the one thing that people are clinging onto are bold lip colors. If you match this with a more natural base for your makeup, then it will make even more of a statement.

Take on board your skin tone when picking which bold lip color you want but there is no color that isn’t in at the moment – whether it’s a deep wine red or a brighter color. The world is your oyster! Go as bright or as deep as you want to, just ensure that it’s bold enough that you’ll stand out from the rest of the crowd!

COLORFUL MASCARA

Colored mascara is back in – yes, all you 80’s kids who loved slapping on some bright blue mascara then you’re in luck. As most things do, this trend has come back into fashion. Using some colorful mascara adds a little something different to your makeup look that provides the same effect as a bold lipstick – it adds a pop of color to your look and makes you look extremely put together without having to put too much effort into it.

However, you do have to tread with care when it comes to this trend. Try to avoid anything with pink or red undertones such as orange, red and pink mascaras as this will draw attention to any redness in your eyes and will make you look sick. Stick to brighter colors that will accentuate your natural eye color – you could even pair them with your outfit if you want to look fully color coordinated!

COLORFUL EYELINER

Following the theme of colorful eye looks, pair your colored mascara with a bright eyeliner. Whether it’s just a flash of color that follows closely to your eye-line or a large cat wing that’s bright pink – it’s your choice! You can be as creative as you like. One thing that you may want to try out if you’re feeling brave is doing a rainbow-winged liner – whether that’s through stacking the lines one on top of the other or whether it’s giving each color its own section across the length of your eye. Whatever it is, make sure that you go with a careful hand so that you have clean lines and clean up with any concealer if you make the wing too big.

To go with your liner, you can also try some big and bold eyeshadow looks. Everyone is trying this technicolor eyeshadow looks with the release of James Charles’ palette which is alive with color – so experiment! See what you like and what you don’t like, don’t be afraid to try new things that are out of your comfort zone.

COVER THE WORLD IN GLITTER

Where once glitter was something that was kept mainly to festival looks, it’s starting to stretch more into the everyday makeup look. Whether it’s a gentle shimmer that catches the light on your lid or intensely thick layers of glitter, it’s a trend that will take the world by storm. And for you guys that have already tried glitter, you’ll know that once you’ve tried it – it’s there for you to find for days afterward!

So how do you wear it? You can either just apply a glitter glue atop of your eye that is eye-safe or you can layer them atop of your eyeliner, your eyeshadow. You can take the bigger chunks of glitter and scatter them across your cheeks if you really want to make a statement with your makeup.

GLOSS, GLOSS, BABY

After years of matte liquid lipsticks dominating the market, lip gloss is finally showing its beautiful head again and taking the hearts of makeup lovers everywhere. Where once lipglosses were known for being uncomfortable and sticky to wear, brands have now reinvented them so that you can wear them without getting your hair, fluff from your cardigans or even pieces of food stuck to your lips when you wear them. They are urging for formulas which feel light and hydrating upon the lips so that you feel like you’re wearing more of a balm than a gloss.

They have achieved this formula by filling the glosses with coconut oil, plum oil, hyaluronic acid and other nutritious beauty ingredients that work towards health for your lips while making them look great at the same time. So, if you’re fed up of using lip scrubs every day just so that you can continue wearing your matte lipsticks, why not try picking up a lip gloss again? I’m sure you won’t regret it!

BUSHY BROWS

Insta-brows have been all the rage for a long time, with brows that are perfectly arched and put together with pomade; but now, the more natural thick brows are coming back into fashion. So drop the tweezers and pick up a clear brow gel and let them grow as much as you want. Once they’re as thick as you like, brush through your brows with a spooly and then set them in an upwards motion with a clear brow gel. This will give you a thick looking brow that has the perfect amount of bushy without you looking like a caveman. If you have sparse brows that have been overplucked then you can mimic this style by taking a brow pencil and filling in your brows with hair-like strokes.

MATTE SKIN

Yes, we know. We’ve been saying that glossy, glassy, dewy skin is going to be the perfect base for being on-trend in 2019. And yes, it is. But matte is going to be still there in the background – even if it isn’t exactly how we know it to be. Matte skin in the past few years has been drying, buried beneath thick highlighters and heavy contour that have only added to the cakey texture on our skin. But while we’re ditching the heavy-handed contours and highlighters, it will automatically make everything look more matte and polished without the cake.

HYALURONIC ACID

A majority of the above looks and trends rely on making changes to your makeup, yes. But they also need you to make some changes to your skincare routine – and the key ingredient that is going to help your skin get through whatever 2019 may bring? Hyaluronic acid. It’s slowly become a favorite of beauty gurus and makeup artists everywhere but now many skincare products are utilizing the ingredient more frequently. Don’t be put off by the name – it’s not an ‘acid’ that’s going to burn your skin. It’s actually something that your body already produces which helps to keep your skin hydrated.

The ingredient can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water – meaning that your skin will be left feeling well hydrated if you include this in your everyday skin routine. Moisturizers are often oil-based which can clog up your pores and dry them out whereas hyaluronic acid works to rehydrate your skin and bring it back to life again – especially during these harsh winter months!

CAT EYE

Last but certainly not least, we have the most tricky eyeliner technique known to man – the winged eyeliner, otherwise known as the ‘cat eye’. Many covet the ability to be able to give a flick of their wrist and get a perfectly sharp winged liner that gives their eyes a feline feel to them. But it can take years of practice to get to grips with the technique – and a steady hand is certainly needed for this eye makeup. However, you don’t have to go heavy handed or thick with the eyeliner – if you take it slowly and work step by step, just ensuring that you bring the eyeliner outwards and upwards at the end of your eye, it will elongate and open the shape of your eye.

A tip that you may also find helpful if you’re struggling with freehand eyeliner is to lay down some medical tape at the corners of your eye in the angle that you wish your liner to be in and just drag your liner – gel or liquid – carefully along the edge. Once you’re done, remove the tape and the hard work will be done for you!