Many makeup trends come and go but is always worth trying them out. You never know which one could work for you and become a staple in your makeup routine. Here are 3 popular trends which I often use in my makeup routine.
Contouring
What is contouring?
Contouring is the makeup technique used to define and enhance certain areas of your face, such as your forehead, nose or cheekbones.
What products to use?
You can create this look by using a product a few shades darker than your skin tone and applying it to create shade on your face. You can use a liquid, powder, or stick product. I personally prefer to use a bronzer in powder form for a more natural look.
When and how to use contouring in your makeup routine?
- Apply your moisturizer and foundation
- Using an angled brush do a motion of the number 3 from below the hairline, to the cheekbone and finally to the jawline (I also like to lightly contour down the sides of my nose to create a slightly more defined nose shape).
- After applying the bronzer, you should then ensure you thoroughly blend the product into your skin to create a seamless finish.
This trend has worked well for me and is now part of my regular makeup routine. The great thing about contouring is that you can adapt it with the products you choose to use to make it work for you.
Baking
What is baking?
Baking does not involve you having to raid your pantry. It is a makeup technique which allows the heat from your face to set your concealed areas. This will leave you with a flawless finish, while setting your makeup to last for the whole day.
The technique has been around for some time but has recently had a surge in popularity. It is a technique which I personally wouldn’t use on a daily basis as I prefer a more natural look. However, I would use for a special event such as a wedding or a birthday celebration.
What products to use?
There are many different products which can be used to create this. A translucent powder is a popular option. The product I use is a BeautyCounter Mattifying Powder.
If you are looking for a cheaper alternative, I’ve heard many makeup artists have recommended baby talcum powder. This would be ideal if you just wanted to try this trend out before investing in an expensive powder, as most of us tend to already have talcum powder at home.
When and how to use baking in your makeup routine?
- Apply moisturizer to your face, especially your under eye area where the baking powder will be placed
- Apply your foundation, concealer and bronzer (I prefer to apply my eye make-up at this stage too)
- Dap the powder into your concealed areas and allow it to set for 5-10 minutes
- Lightly dust of the powder using a fluffy makeup brush
Cat-Eye Flick
What is it?
This technique involves using eyeliner to create a thin line along your lash line with a winged flick at the end. This will create the appearance of your eyes looking bigger. I use this technique almost every day, even when I am having a lazy day, I tend to just pop on mascara and do winged eyeliner.
What product to use?
A pencil, gel or liquid product could be used to create this look. I personally use a liquid eyeliner from BeautyCounter. After a lot of practice, I can now create this look free hand.
However, when I first discovered this trend, my trick to achieve it was to use eyeshadow shields to create the perfect flick. You can find the eyeshadow shields I use for a super cheap price on Amazon.
These are the ones I have used and still use, but I now for creating a winged eyeshadow look.
When and how to use this in your makeup routine?
I would say this is one of the trickier makeup techniques and certainly takes some practice. I like to do all my eye makeup, including my eyeliner, before applying my face makeup so I can clear up any excess makeup from my face. Here are my steps for creating the perfect cat-eye flick:
- Prep your eyes with moisturizer and apply concealer and your preferred eyeshadow to your eyelid (this would be tricky to do after you have applied the eyeliner)
- Apply your eyeshadow shield
- Draw a thin line along your upper lash line, keeping very close to the root of your eyelashes and stopping at the outer corner of your eye
- Draw a tiny dot where you would like the flick to finish; I would recommend about halfway up the eyeshadow shield.
- Draw in a thin line to connect the two points
- After you have achieved the winged eyeliner you can then apply your mascara and the rest of your makeup.
3 Trends To Look Out For This Year
Statement Lips
On the recent spring/summer catwalks statement lips were a noticeably trend. They came in either rich power shades or happy brights. Chanel stole the show with an intense raspberry red shade, worn with fresh skin and lashings of black mascara. Chloé gave evening inspiration with a creamy burgundy lip, and Burberry used a powerful red shade which was modeled against the ‘no makeup’ makeup look.
Colourful Eyeshadow
This is an upcoming trend which will be coming in Spring/Summer 2019, after it was seen on fashion week catwalks. This is a fun trend which gives you the opportunity to play with vibrant colours. I would recommend sticking with only one hue as this is already a bold look.
Virgin Eyebrows
Another upcoming makeup trend will see away with our perfect brows, which will be traded in for bushier and more natural looking brows. To achieve this look, use a brow mascara to brush the eyebrows in an upwards direction. This will help to create a fuller look.