New York Fashion Week is the ultimate inspiration for fashion and beauty. This year the focal point of each runway show was the makeup. So far, the spring/summer 2023 shows have given us plenty of standout trends to try. Read on to see more, says editor Trudi Brewer.
Our favourite trends
From draped blush to candy-coloured eye shadow, glossy red lips and a glass-like finish to the skin, here are the standout makeup trends from the recent NYC Fashion Week 2023 spring/summer shows.
Draped blush
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Blush belongs on and off the runway, but the latest draped blush made by Lori Taylor Davis, the global pro lead artist for Smashbox, created a striking look for the Christian Cowan show. Her advice, “Not enough people wear blush, and it just doesn't get its fair due. Christian is all about that fringed outlook that goes all the way from the cheek to the hairline," she said. Draping your face in colour, if you are not sure, is a 70’s revival and easy to master; buff on a swathe of blush to your temples, cheeks and brow bone and then up onto the forehead.
How to: To create the draped effect, buff or pat on blush in an "E" shape, starting at the forehead and temple, then down toward the outer edges of your brows and finally onto the cheekbones, to give your skin a flushed-looking glow. Worn bold, like the runway, it can also be buffed into the skin to get a subtle effect — the key is in the amount of product and level of pigment in the blush. If you are unsure about choosing a colour, go for coral or pink, these shades are universally flattering on all skin tones.
Rose Inc Cream Blush Refillable Cheek & Lip Colour in Dahlia, $45. Ciaté London Brazillian Glow Face Palette, $49. Mecca Cosmetica Hydra Cheek Tint and Illuminating Balm Duo in Watermelon, $45. MAC Cosmetic Glow Play Blush New Year in Heat Index, $65.
Candy-coloured eyeshadow
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Many of the new season's eye looks placed colour to emphasise the inner corner of the eye. One stand-out show was Alice + Olivia. Their punchy eye look inspired us to play with colour differently. From powder shadows to long-lasting liners, all you need to reference when it comes to this trend is a standout colour that makes your lids pop.
How to: Apply a bold liner in a bubble shape on your upper eyelid and continue to glide it under your lower lash line. Then blend a pop of coloured eye shadow over the top to help the colour stay put for hours.
NATASHA DENONA Mini Pastel Eyeshadow Palette (Limited Edition), $50. MAC Cosmetics Colour Excess Gel Pencil Eye Liner in Permanent Vacation, $55. Shiseido Kajal Ink Artist in Lilac Lotus, $46. Morphe x Nyane Fierce Fairytale 30-Pan Artistry Palette, $48.
Red Lips
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Elizabeth Taylor and the old Hollywood style inspired Christian Siriano's spring/summer 2023 makeup and hair looks. Then makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury brought this vision to life. Red lips are iconic, and when a formula is loaded with shine, we are in. Tilbury kept the skin natural and added a pop of red layered and a touch of gloss to add a sheen. At the same time, stylist Lacy Redway decided to put models in a deep side-parted low bun as a homage to Audrey Hepburn's favourite hairstyle. She wanted the look to be "confident and sleek’, with a little edge.
How to: There is a red for every woman, don’t doubt that. It’s all about finding the right texture and tone. If you are keen but nervous, a sheer finish layered with gloss is unforgiving because it marries colour and shine, which is both youthful and still on-trend.
MAC Cosmetics Love Me Liquid Lipcolour in Adore Me, $49. MECCA MAX Pout Pop Sheer Lipstick in Mood Booster, $20. PAT MCGRATH LABS Mattetrance Lipstick (Lunar New Year Limited Edition) sheer lipstick in Rouge 8, $119. TARTE Maracuja Juicy Lipstick in Cherry, $46.
Glass-like skin
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If last year’s ‘skinimalism’ taught us one thing, it was to take care of our complexions. So the new 2023 trend goes beyond a sheer foundation to embrace a glass-like shine on your skin. Charlie Riddle, Stila's global beauty director, took the opportunity to make skin gleam by building gorgeous, sparkling lids and cheeks on luminous-looking skin for PatBo's 2023 spring/summer show. The trend is more of a satin-like finish but matte in the centre of the face, with the glow directed to the cheekbones and temples.
How to: It does start with a good skincare routine, let’s face it. Start by blending a skin-hydrating or brightening serum with a satin-finish foundation. Next, look for formulas that contain hyaluronic acid and vitamin B3 that benefit the skin while you wear the colour. This trend requires a makeup setting spray to give your makeup longevity when humidity is high. Follow this with strategically placed concealer and a buff of highlighter, and you are good to go.
Here’s why it’s a summer essential.