"Our team has discussed the death of the jean for quite a while now, and with winter ahead, the last thing any of us are putting on is real pants. But just because you’re in an exclusive relationship with your leggings doesn’t mean you can’t look amazing for every Zoom meeting and mirror-walk-by of the day. Putting on a fresh face and experimenting with my makeup looks and hair routine have pretty single-handedly given me something to look forward to and stay motivated throughout my day. Ready to try something new beyond your daily BB cream and top knot? Here are eight beauty trends anyone can wear that take your leggings and a tee to a solid 10/10:
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1. Winged Liner
This trend isn’t going anywhere, and this fall, we’re seeing it in practically every shape, color, and finish. Now that we have a little extra time in the morning, it’s not the worst idea to finally master your perfect winged liner look. Then, you can experiment with different shapes, styles, and colors. I’m loving a classic, deep black wing when I’m just heading to the grocery store because it adds a little bit of interest to my eyes (the star of the show since I’m wearing a mask!) without taking too much effort. But I also love the metallic liner trend, especially for holiday. A wash of gold or silver looks cool and editorial; like you just stepped out of Pat McGrath’s chair.
2. Brushed-Out Curls
If you have naturally curly or textured hair, this is a breeze (although it might feel a little unnatural if you’ve abided by the “don’t brush your curls!” rules of the past). As a straight-haired person, I get the look by curling my hair at night with a small curling wand (my hair is fine, so I use a ½ in, but I’d say to go ½ in smaller than your normal-size iron), set it with a hairspray, sleep on it, and then brush them through in the morning. I’ll do it while I’m watching TV or listening to an audiobook, and then I’m guaranteed sexy, voluminous hair for days. I’m also loving this look with a ponytail!
3. Multi-Masking
So, you can’t *exactly* wear this for a work meeting, but I’d be damned if I left out one of the best WFH perks out there: masking while we work. I’m all for a self-care night filled with my skincare favorites, but sometimes my skin calls for an all-day mask situation. Something hydrating is great for dry, winter skin; you can opt for a depuffing, oxygenating mask with a facial massage in the morning with your coffee; or I swear by a purifying mask after a hot, steamy shower when I wake up with a breakout. I especially love this trick with undereye masks. The serum in an undereye mask stays on your skin, leaving it hydrated and plump for the entire day—why would I waste that when I’m just heading to sleep?!
4. Beaming Highlight
There’s nothing like catching yourself in the mirror when your cheekbones are highlighted. And I’m not talking your run-of-the-mill highlight either; I mean “aliens up in space are discussing the beam of light coming from an undisclosed North American location” type of glow. When you’re wearing an otherwise understated look, adding a striking highlighter to your cheekbones can turn up your confidence and make a look seem a lot more intentional (when really you just rolled out of bed). I also love having a bit stronger cheek highlight for Zoom meetings—I typically powder more because the webcam can make you look shiny, so adding extra highlight makes it look like your skin is truly perfect.
5. Grey, Plum, and Taupe Shades
There’s no time like the fall and winter to dive into deeper makeup tones, and instead of opting for your usual pumpkin oranges and rich browns, 2020’s spin involves something a little cooler. Cool-toned makeup is slowly but surely making its way back in the hearts of makeup-lovers everywhere, and we’re starting with rich plums, taupes, and greys. An easy way to tackle the look is a cool, grey-toned purple lip—like this one from The Lip Bar—but if you have a little extra time in the morning, a swipe of a shimmery, taupe eyeshadow looks put-together, glamorous, and chic. Bonus points if the shade has a bit of sparkle too!
Another iteration of this look is using matte shades for a more retro-style. Think Ariana Grande in the “Positions” music video. Create a wing with a cool-toned medium brown shadow (if you have a medium or dark skin tone, apply a white/cream shadow all over the lid to make this brown pop!) and a brush, and bring the wing over your crease. This look is actually pretty wearable, but looks so impactful (some might say West Wing worthy).
6. Face-Framing Tendrils
The ‘90s have influenced the biggest hair trends of the last few years, and this one is in full-force right now. This look can be done many ways, whether it’s braiding your front pieces—like in the above photo—or pulling out a few pieces from a bun or ponytail. I love adding little braids to frame my face, and it takes seriously no time at all. Whether you have layers and shorter pieces cut already or you want to fake it, this look is probably the easiest on this list with some of the highest impact.
7. Monochrome
One of the simplest ways to look put-together, in my opinion, is a monochromatic look. Whether you go for a light neutral eye look with a nude lip or opt for a pink cheek and lip, you’ll look like a professional makeup artist graced your face with seriously minimal effort. The easiest way to do this is using a lipstick and swiping it across your lids (use a primer and set with a translucent powder to make it stay all day with no creasing), on your cheeks as blush, and on your lips! A few shades to try this with include: red cheeks and lips; berry eyes and lips; taupe eyes and lips, rosey-brown eyes, lips, and cheeks; and cinnamon-brown eyes, lips, and cheeks.
8. Red Lip With A Bare/Natural Face
This look has been around for decades, if not centuries, but it’s a gold standard of the life we’re living in 2020. A simple red lip can improve your mood ten-fold; plus, it makes even a messy bun and “I-was-too-lazy-to-put-in-my-contacts” look chic and intentional. Wearing it with a bare face keeps the look natural while also increasing the impact of the bold red lip.