The world of makeup is ever-evolving, with new trends emerging each season. As a professional visagiste, staying current with these trends is essential for offering clients the most up-to-date looks. This comprehensive guide breaks down the most anticipated makeup trends for each season in 2024, drawing inspiration from fashion weeks, celebrity makeup artists, and emerging beauty innovations.
Spring 2024: Watercolor Washes and Minimal Glow
Spring 2024 celebrates softness, light, and the rebirth of color after winter's deeper tones. This season's makeup embraces the delicate beauty of watercolor techniques and luminous skin.
Watercolor Eyes
Soft, diffused eyeshadow in pastel hues is having a major moment. Think gentle washes of lavender, mint green, and baby blue blended seamlessly across the lid. The key is to keep the application sheer and ethereal, mimicking the translucent quality of watercolor paintings.
How to achieve it: Use fluffy brushes and tap off excess product before applying. Layer colors gradually and blend edges thoroughly for that seamless watercolor effect. Cream shadows work particularly well for this trend.
Skin Minimalism
Spring 2024 continues the "skinimalism" trend with an emphasis on natural-looking, glowing skin. Heavy foundation is replaced by tinted moisturizers and strategic concealer placement.
How to achieve it: Focus on skincare prep to create the perfect canvas. Apply lightweight, hydrating formulas only where needed and use cream highlighters on high points of the face for a natural-looking radiance.
Blush Draping
Blush application extends beyond the apples of cheeks in Spring 2024. Blush draping—applying color from cheeks up toward temples and even onto eyelids—creates a cohesive, fresh-faced look.
How to achieve it: Choose cream or liquid blush formulas in soft peach or pink tones. Apply to cheeks and blend upward toward temples, then lightly tap the remaining product on eyelids for a harmonious color story.
Summer 2024: Vibrant Minimalism and Sunlit Skin
Summer 2024 makeup trends balance vibrant pops of color with practicality for hot weather. This season embraces makeup that enhances rather than masks the skin's natural summer glow.
Single Swipe Bright Liner
Colorful eyeliner in unexpected shades becomes summer's statement accessory. Electric blue, neon orange, and vibrant fuchsia lines add personality while keeping the rest of the face minimal.
How to achieve it: Choose long-wearing gel or liquid formulas that resist heat and humidity. A single clean line along the upper lash line or a subtle wing is all you need—precision matters more than complexity.
Sunlit Skin
Summer 2024 celebrates skin that looks touched by the sun (without the damage). Bronzers with dimensional glow and strategic highlighting create that coveted "just back from vacation" radiance.
How to achieve it: Apply bronzer in a "3" shape from temples to cheeks to jawline. Layer cream and powder highlighters for multi-dimensional glow, focusing on high points of the face.
Juicy Lips
Matte lips take a backseat to glossy, hydrated lip finishes this summer. The look is healthy, plump, and subtly tinted rather than heavily pigmented.
How to achieve it: Exfoliate lips thoroughly, apply a hydrating lip balm, then top with tinted lip oils or sheer glosses. For evening looks, try the "popsicle stain" technique by applying color to the center of lips and blending outward.
Fall 2024: Rich Textures and Dimensional Color
Fall 2024 brings sophisticated depth and dimension to makeup looks. This season embraces richer textures and layered color techniques that create visual interest.
Velvet Matte Skin
Fall 2024 moves away from ultra-dewy finishes toward a sophisticated "velvet matte" complexion. This isn't the flat matte of previous years but a dimensional finish with subtle luminosity beneath a soft-focus surface.
How to achieve it: Start with hydrating primer, apply foundation with a damp sponge, and set strategically with finely-milled setting powder. The key is building thin layers rather than applying one heavy layer.
Smoky Color Blocking
Traditional smoky eyes get a colorful update with bold shade combinations applied in distinct, softly-blended blocks of color. Think deep plum paired with bronze, or forest green with gold.
How to achieve it: Use eye primer to maximize color payoff. Apply distinct colors in specific areas (lid, crease, outer corner) and focus on softening the edges where they meet rather than blending them together completely.
Brick and Berry Lips
Fall 2024 embraces the richness of brick reds, terracottas, and berry tones for lips. Finishes range from velvety matte to subtle satin, with emphasis on comfortable, long-wearing formulas.
How to achieve it: Line lips completely with a matching lip liner before applying lipstick for longevity. For a modern approach, try the softly diffused lip stain technique by applying color to the center of lips and blending outward with a small brush.
Winter 2024: Ethereal Metallics and Sculpted Definition
Winter 2024 combines otherworldly luminosity with sculptural precision. This season's makeup trends draw inspiration from both futuristic aesthetics and classical art.
Celestial Metallics
Winter's metallics go beyond traditional gold and silver to include multidimensional finishes that shift and reflect light in unique ways. Expect to see iridescent toppers and duochrome effects on eyes.
How to achieve it: Apply a matte base shadow, then layer metallic formulas on top. Use fingertips to press shimmer particles onto lids for maximum impact. Finish with a clear eye gloss on the center of lids for an ultra-reflective effect.
Sculpted Definition
Winter 2024 brings back thoughtful facial sculpting, but with a modern approach that emphasizes natural bone structure rather than dramatic reshaping. Think subtle shadows and highlights that enhance natural features.
How to achieve it: Use cream contour products in cool-toned shades that mimic natural shadows. Apply with precision brushes and blend thoroughly. Focus on enhancing your unique facial architecture rather than following one-size-fits-all placement.
Stained Glass Lips
Winter's lip trend creates the appearance of depth and transparency reminiscent of stained glass. This technique uses transparent glosses over concentrated pigment for a dimensional effect.
How to achieve it: Apply a concentrated lip stain or liquid lipstick to the center of lips, blend outward, then top with a clear or lightly tinted gloss. The contrast between the intense center color and transparent edges creates the stained glass effect.
Adapting Seasonal Trends to Individual Clients
As a professional visagiste, the true skill lies not just in knowing the trends but in adapting them to suit each client's unique features, preferences, and lifestyle. Here are key considerations when translating seasonal trends to real-world application:
- Consider skin tone and undertones when selecting seasonal color palettes
- Adapt trends to enhance your client's unique facial features
- Take into account lifestyle factors and maintenance requirements
- Blend multiple seasonal trends for a personalized approach
Makeup trends provide inspiration and direction, but the most successful looks are those customized to celebrate individual beauty. By understanding the "why" behind each trend, you can thoughtfully adapt them to create relevant, flattering looks for every client throughout 2024.
