The 7 Makeup Trends Everyone Will Talk About In 2024

When the clock strikes midnight this New Year’s Eve, why not start the next 12 months with a blank slate? Perhaps, that means partaking in all of the new 2024 makeup trends that are about to take off online and on the red carpets.

This year the playing field is vast. From vibrant pops of color to nude monochromatic looks, there’s something for everyone. Laura Mercier Global Beauty Director, Tayaba Jafri, points to previous trends that have set the scene for a super feminine 2024. Think: balletcore, Barbiecore, and coquette beauty, all funneling into an aesthetic she refers to as ‘flushed femme’.

As far as popular makeup colors go, Allan Avendaño, L'Oréal Paris league of experts makeup artist, says “colors of all sorts — white, lavender, pinks, blue….sky is the limit.” To put it plainly, there’s lots of room to play and experiment, so get your makeup brushes ready as it’s about to get fun.

Not a big makeup girly? There are still trends you can get in on, too. Celebrity makeup artist, Beck Wainner, says that minimalistic looks are going to be big this year. “Less is more will be the key player in 2024 as people are focused on skin and body care more now than ever.”

Ahead, the top seven makeup trends that will define 2024 according to professional makeup artists.

Flushed Femme

Pinks for spring? Groundbreaking (said in Miranda Priestly’s voice). But, you have to admit that nothing feels quite as fresh as a pastel palette as the weather warms. Unlike the more glaring fuchsias that defined the Barbiecore trend, this look is more subtle with touches of pastel shades on the eyes, cheeks, and lips. “The flushed femme trend is focused on ultra-feminine styles and color palettes that are reflective of soft colors like rose, pink, peach, and lavender,” explains Jafri.

Ombré Lips

Avendaño says that 2024 is going to have an emphasis on the lips but in a more exciting way than using the traditional liner, lipstick, and gloss in the same color family. Instead, go for “a combination of lipsticks to create a gradient hue,” he says, adding that another option is to use “a darker lip liner coloring the lips partially and then applying a gloss on top.” If you want to go for an ombré vibe, apply a darker liner around the border of your lips, use your finger to blur it, then dab a lighter shade of lipstick in the middle so that there’s visible contrast. And yet another way to interpret this trend could be by using one shade of lipstick on your top lip and an entirely different shade on the bottom.

Minimalistic Makeup

If Pamela Anderson is any indication, the no-makeup-makeup trend is back in a big way. With so many colorful looks going viral, it’s nice to recognize that a pared-back style still has a place. Now, it’s up to you to choose your fighter: either forgo makeup completely or wear a look that appears as though you’re not wearing any. Wainner cites the emphasis on skin care for the face and body, as one of the reasons that this trend will continue. It makes sense that a more elaborate skin care routine results in a glowing complexion, so it’s only right to show it off rather than cover it up.

Soft Goth

Jafri says this look will be one of the most wearable trends in 2024 because it combines “the dramatic dark and somber elements of goth with elements of soft and light elements of femininity.” And if 2023 taught us anything, it’s that the rocker girlfriend look is here to stay. Jafri puts a fresh spin on things and suggests to use reddish tones rather than the usual smoky black that the goth trend is known for. Gucci and Max Mara’s 2024 shows also put this deeper merlot lip shade on display.

Monochromatic Moment

It seems as though every month there’s a new color-dictated trend (festive gingerbread makeup is a recent one). And all of these fun names are essentially just a catchy way to describe what makeup artists have always referred to as monochromatic. “We saw latte makeup and pumpkin spice makeup; I think that will carry into 2024 and keep in line with the less is more trend by only using a single palette or color,” explains Wainner. For someone who has trouble figuring out which shades to pair together, this trend is perfect because all you have to worry about is everything matching — and you can do that most easily by using the same product all over your face.

Pops Of Color

“I think splashes of color and/or colored liners on the eyes will be a big trend for 2024,” says Avendaño, “whether it’s a wash of eyeshadow, a bold stroke of eye paint, or graphic liners.” It’s safe to say this prediction is right on the money as there was color all over the 2024 runway shows including at Anna Sui, Helmut Lang, Atelier Ndigo, and more. With a color-by-number approach, you can let your creativity shine by choosing the color or colors that speak to you and applying it to your lid, crease, lash line, or a combination of the three.

Blurred Skin

You technically can’t shrink your pores — you can really only keep them clean so they appear smaller — but you can blur them and that’s what this trend is all about. Think of it like Instagram’s “Paris” filter, IRL. “Influenced by AI, the trend of having hyper-blurred skin is blooming and will continue to grow stronger,” says Jafri. Her tip: to double set [with powder] in key areas like around the nose to further perfect the blurred complexion.