I’m a Makeup Minimalist, But Fall’s Biggest Beauty Trend May Have Just Turned Me Into a Color Convert
The biggest fall beauty trend this year focuses on one key part of your face: your eyes. Between the onslaught of virtual meetings and the protective face masks that we wear to go out, it makes complete sense why more people are turning to eye makeup to express themselves.
Think bright pops of color in the inner corners of your eyes and artistic swashes of shadow across your lids. Or lots of lashes and exaggerated liner in unexpected shapes and shades. Anything and everything goes in 2020—which for a makeup minimalist like me—can be both exciting and overwhelming.
Alas, in the spirit of trying new things (because every day is beginning to feel like Groundhog’s day), I decided to challenge myself to wearing a different eye look each day this week. Was it tedious at times? Absolutely. But it gave me a reason to put on makeup again. Just for me, just for fun, and that felt nice.
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Monday: Sky Blue Outline
Day one: I spend the better half of an hour scrolling through Robin Black’s Instagram feed for inspiration to get started. I ooh and I ahh and then I remember that I have to recreate one of these looks myself, so I decide on a simple sky blue outline around my eyes using a cream eyeshadow. I’m most pleased that it matches my pajamas.
Get the look: Stila Double Dip Suede Shade Liquid Eye Shadow in “Beach Wave” ($24)
Tuesday: Neon Accents
If you’re wondering, “did this girl change her clothes at all in the past 24 hours?!” You would be correct in assuming that I did not. I have barely left this corner of my house. It happens.
Anyway, back to eye makeup. I decide that today, I am going to build on yesterday’s look and add some bright orange shapes to the mix. I use the slim end of a shadow brush and a palette that has been kicking around my bathroom pantry since last year (shade is “atomic”).
Truthfully, it was a messy endeavor that required some cleaning up with a Q-tip afterward. In attempting to photograph this look, I realize that bright orange isn’t as becoming as I’d hoped it would be. Hence, the eyes-half-closed pose. Straight on, it sort of looks like I have an eye infection. Like this, I hope it looks somewhat editorial and cool.
Get the look: Huda Beauty Smoke & Smudge Dual-Ended Eyeshadow Shader Brush ($18); Lorac Neon Lights Pro Pressed Pigments Eyeshadow Palette ($29)
Wednesday: Pop of Yellow
We’ve made it to mid-week so I think we should celebrate with an outfit change (!!!) and a pop of yellow along the inner corners a la Gigi Hadid. I learn quickly that this is the sort of look that needs some anchoring, and by that, I mean loads of fluffy lashes.
To get the yellow to show up more vividly, I layered a powder shadow over a cream. I have mixed feelings about this look. On one hand, I like the placement of color and I love the lashes. On the other hand, I’m not so sure about the yellow. Maybe I’ll try this again in purple next time?
Get the look: Stila Double Dip Suede Shade Liquid Eye Shadow in “Spicy Mustard” ($24); Velour Effortless Lashes in “Would I Lie?” ($26); Lorac Neon Lights Pro Pressed Pigments Eyeshadow Palette ($29)
Thursday: Floating Liner
Aka a modern day take on Twiggy’s iconic look. Floating somewhere between your lash line and your brows, the singular dash is a makeup minimalist and monolidded gal’s dream.
I used a swipe of white liquid liner and got the right side on one try. The left eye took three attempts and I’m still not completely sold on it. Alas, it’s good enough for my…living room workout.
Get the look: NYX Professional Makeup White Liquid Liner ($7)
Friday: Pink Haze
We made it to day five, guys! After a week of experimenting, I am feeling emboldened and decide that today is *the* day to try hot pink. Fears of looking like I had an allergic reaction have kept me from trying this shade before but by golly, I'm into it.
The pink packs a punch, you see, and it was the fastest look to do given that there’s no precision involved. I just loaded on some powder shadow from the very same palette I’ve used all week and topped it off with a hint of glitter just in the middle of my lids for added pizazz. Voila, festive lids.
So, will I go back to a makeup-free existence after this week? On most days, probably. But when I do wear it, you better believe I will add more colors to the mix because somewhere between being an expressive 17-year-old girl whose signature look involved lots of teal eyeshadow and becoming an "adult" woman who routinely rushed through her mornings, I forgot that makeup is meant to be played with. And I don't know about you, but I can use all of the fun I can get this year.
Get the look: Violet Voss Eye Glitter Topper ($15); Lorac Neon Lights Pro Pressed Pigments Eyeshadow Palette ($29)
