As Usual, London Fashion Week Is Serving Countless Swoon-Worthy Beauty Looks

London Fashion Week has come and gone in a flurry of tulle and sparkles, an artful reminder of just how joyful fashion and beauty can be. And while New York Fashion Week sets the tone for the month in terms of makeup, hair, and nails, the designers, hair stylists, and makeup artists in the UK love nothing more than shaking up the scene with some avant-garde looks. The best beauty trends at London Fashion Week paid tribute to the still-surging ‘90s obsession, with bejeweled embellishments leaping off the designer’s clothing and onto the models’ brows and complexions, as well as the triumphant return of the butterfly clip (which have truly never looked so wearable).

Sure, some of these beauty looks aren’t the most DIY-friendly (but if you have enough lash glue at your disposal, truly anything is possible), but there is a sense of relief seeing such innovative and experimental beauty looks cruising down the runways in London. It’s the perfect shock to the system after two years of barely there makeup and messy, can’t-be-bothered hair.

So whether you want to channel your inner Euphoria girl with a little help from Simone Rocha or prefer to play with the gravity-defying feathered lashes at Feng Chen Wang, there’s endless beauty inspiration from the London Fashion Week F/W ‘22 shows.

The Higher The Hair

While low ponytails had their moment in the sun at New York Fashion Week, across the pond the look was reimagined with a gravity-defying twist. Topsy-turvy ponies perched directly on top of the head gave the models at Molly Goddard not only a few extra inches but also a whimsical air to the otherwise very glamorous gowns and separates. The classic black bow (also seen at NYFW) continued its reign in London as well, securing the hair for each models’ strut down the runway.

High Shine Heads

Slick, wet-looking hair is always a high fashion staple, but London’s take on the trend felt sleeker and more contained than what was seen at NYFW — less mermaid rising from the sea and more high-powered executive on her way to a gala or two. A high shine topper wasn’t just limited to the hair itself at Erdem, with models sporting a sequin-encrusted hair scarf that wrapped around the neck for an elegant addition to the overall look.

Never Enough Jewels

If a simple swipe of glitter eyeshadow isn’t enough for you these days, you’re in luck, because according to the Simone Rocha show, an artful constellation of gems will soon be your new go-to look for a night out. Call it the Euphoria effect, or simply an extension of Rocha’s signature embellished designs (the beauty looks did appear to leap off the models’ faces and find new homes on everything from platform loafers to knit balaclavas), but the idea of attempting this level of glam brings me intense joy.

‘90s Butterflies

The reign of the ‘90s shows no signs of slowing down, and if the Connor Ives show is any indication, you’d be wise to dig those butterfly clips out of the back of your beauty cabinet. Whether you want to style them as a crown across your entire head or secure a pair of playful pigtails, the butterfly is without a doubt making a comeback in the beauty world.

Feathery Lashes

The quest for impossibly long eyelashes is littered with options, from tubing mascara and heated curlers to extensions and lash lifts. But at Feng Chen Wang’s F/W ‘22 show, the models sported delicate feathers just above their lash line, in either cream or pale yellow, that fluttered flirtatiously with every blink. Will you fool anyone into thinking your lash length is all natural? Certainly not, but honestly, where’s the fun in that?