This Surprising Makeup Trend Was All Over London Fashion Week

While fashion shows in New York, Milan, and Paris tend to lean heavily into classic beauty looks — think bold lips, graphic cat-eyes, and fresh, glowing skin — things get a little more creative in London. Makeup tends to be a bit edgier, relying heavily on bright colors and unexpected textures. The UK is also where the runways tend to get extra whimsical, and the best makeup looks from London's Fall/Winter 2020 shows are the perfect example of this.

On the runways across the pond, makeup artists seem to be pushing the limits as to what qualifies as "makeup." At both Halpern and Simone Rocha, the eyes were decked out with textures and products that extended beyond your typical glitter shadows and glosses. Things were equally colorful and fun at shows like Matty Bovan and Richard Quinn, where artists painted on bold, bright eye makeup in interesting ways.

But while London is definitely the place for more creative takes on beauty, that doesn't mean there isn't room for slightly more down-to-earth approaches. At Tommy Hilfiger and Emilia Wickstead, for example, the focus was more on fresh, glowing skin than it was on makeup.

London Fashion Week may be shorter than its counterparts, but that doesn't mean there's a lack of inspiration. Ahead, find the three best makeup looks from London Fall/Winter 2020 you'll want to start wearing ASAP.

LFW Fall/Winter 2020 Makeup Trend: Textured Eye "Makeup"

Seen at: Halpern, Simone Rocha

Get the look: What counts as eye makeup? At Halpern's Fall/Winter 2020 show on Feb. 16, MAC lead makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench decided the "eye makeup" needed a unique edge — and then some.

A handful of models walked the runway with a bouquet of crystals around their eyes — which Ffrench smashed by hand — in myriad colors. The rest of the skin was left clean and fresh to keep focus on the eye art. Ffrench swept on MAC Studio Face and Body Foundation to even out tone, before brushing the brows up and adding a swipe of MAC In Extreme 3D Dimension Black Lash Mascara to the lashes.

At Simone Rocha's Fall/Winter 2020 on Feb. 17, on the other hand, things were slightly more sparkly. Lead makeup artist Thomas de Kluyver opted for pieces of foil along the eyes — in a move that was very reminiscent of Adeam's Fall/Winter 2020 makeup look at NYFW. If you needed an excuse to bust out your extra-chunky glitter shadow, you just got it.

LFW Fall/Winter 2020 Makeup Trend: Punky Eyes

Seen at: Matty Bovan, Richard Quinn

Get the look: Just because the season might be Fall/Winter, that doesn't mean you can't get a little bright with your beauty looks. Makeup artists took their cues from spring, painting bold, bright hues on the lids and waterlines of their models.

At Matty Bovan's Fall/Winter 2020 show on Feb. 15, MAC lead makeup artist Miranda Joyce looked to cult actress Cookie Mueller as inspiration. "The look is rough and raw, but she has a great shape on the eyes that's quite punk," Joyce told Allure. To create the oblong shadow look, she swept a pink pigment across the eyes before accenting it with MAC Lipmix in White and Orange.

Things were only slightly toned down at Richard Quinn's Fall/Winter 2020 show on Feb. 16, where MAC lead makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench added dashes of bright pigment to models' waterlines. "Everyone's got a different eyeliner color depending on the dress they're wearing," Ffrench told Allure. The liners in question? MAC Chromographic Pencils in a variety of hues.

LFW Fall/Winter 2020 Makeup Trend: Fresh, Lit-From-Within Skin

Seen at: Tommy Hilfiger, Emilia Wickstead

Get the look: If you're looking for the freshest, glowiest, most well-highlighted skin on the planet, there's only one person to look to: Pat McGrath. She took the makeup reigns at Tommy Hilfiger's Fall/Winter 2020 Show on Feb. 17, where the look was etherial and glamorous.

She used Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation from her line to even out tone before applying Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Concealer — which is set to launch later this month. A coat of mascara and a touch of highlighter was all that was needed to round out this simple look.

Things were equally fresh and simple at Emilia Wickstead's Fall/Winter 2020 show, where the no-makeup makeup complemented the sporty styling of the hair.