In 2023, the beauty industry really said, “You get a trend! You get a trend! Everybody gets a trend!” Latte makeup. Vampire facials. Every kind of food-related “girl” you could possibly think of—tomato, strawberry, martini. If you felt super overwhelmed by all of the microtrends that came and went in the beauty space last year, you’re not alone. “It’s almost like there’s a revolving door of beauty trends, and if you blink, the trend will be over,” said celebrity makeup artist Emily Gray. Luckily for us, Emily has done makeup looks for everyone from Lana Del Rey to Maren Morris, so she’s a fast adapter to the ever-changing beauty industry. She broke down the top trends of the upcoming year so that you can go into 2024 feeling prepped for whatever beautytok (and the rest of the beauty industry) is going to throw at you.
From messy, smudgy eyeliner to blue everything, 2024’s makeup trends are lined up to be some of the most exciting yet. These are the top makeup trends of 2024 according to a celebrity makeup artist, plus all of the must-have products for achieving the looks yourself (before TikTok even catches on).
Emily Gray Higgins is a professional makeup artist who has worked with Sheryl Crowe, Lily Aldridge, Maren Morris, and more. Emily splits her time bouncing between Nashville, Detroit, and Los Angeles.
Grungy Eye Makeup
According to Emily, the top trend to be on the lookout for in the new year is smudged, grungy eye makeup, as a very intentional throwback to the 2000s “party girl” looks. “We have seen the “clean girl” makeup look explode over the last few years, but now I think we’re ready to mess things up a bit,” Emily said. “I’ve been seeing this style of makeup booming recently because of characters like Venetia from Saltburn.” For inspiration, think Effy Stonem from Skins or even some of Julia Fox’s dramatic eye makeup looks. To execute this trend, Emily recommends a good black eyeliner applied without precision, plus some volumizing mascara.
Bold, Ombré Lips
For a trend that you can incorporate easily into a more toned-down makeup look, Emily recommends looking into the bold lip trend that is bound to explode in 2024. “I would tell someone looking to switch up their makeup routine in 2024 to not be afraid to add a little contrast and color to their lips,” she said. Ombré lip looks are easier than they may initially seem to achieve. For the “cherry cola” look that celebs can’t get enough of, line your lips with a dark brown eyeliner, and top off with a red gloss.
Blue Everything, But Especially Eyes
Back in December, Pinterest predicted that blue makeup would be back in a big way in 2024. If you find this trend intimidating, fear not: All shades of blue will be trending, so options range from wearble, subtle navy eyeliner to more daring shimmering, frosty eyeshadow. And in case you were wondering whether this colorful trend will be receiving an eye roll-worthy, food-related name, Emily says not to worry about pigeonholing yourself: “Considering that everyone was so sick of food-related makeup names, I can see that being shelved.”
Skincare-Focused Bases
Beauty has become more skin-focused than ever, and in 2024, you can expect more base products that incorporate skincare ingredients for a two-birds-one-stone situation. Emily also mentioned that preparing the skin for makeup will be extra important this year, going beyond just moisturizing and venturing into steps like using red and blue light therapy before applying your base. When it comes to the skin, we’re going to see minimal, soft matte bases that let the skin shine through.
Graphic Eyeliner
If the makeup trends of 2024 had to be summarized in two words, those two words would be “eye-forward.” Dramatic, graphic eyeliner looks (yes, including ones with blue eyeshadow) will be a big deal this year, especially for special events. Remember back in 2016 when you learned how to create an eyeliner wing with a piece of tape from a YouTube video? It’s time to bring that know-how back. Just remember to create these looks before drinking your morning coffee, because these will require a steady hand.
