Out with the old, in with the new! It’s 2023 and with it come makeup and skincare trends predictions, whether they’re old trends with a new twist, completely fresh styles or those that need to be dropped completely.
Do the dew
Dewy skin has only been gaining in popularity these past few years, thanks in part to K-pop stars making waves across the fashion, beauty and luxury industries – and doing it with flawless complexion with just the right amount of dewiness.
The term “glass skin” is also used to describe skin that looks crystal-clear, poreless, luminous and translucent – which can be achieved with a good skincare routine and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
The clean-faced aesthetic is here to stay, and if achieving skin that is naturally dewy is still a work-in-progress for you, fake the look by avoiding matte, full-coverage foundations and thick concealers, instead, opt for skin tints and lightweight formulas.
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Soft glamour
“The Thai makeup look is dewy, clean skin, with light eye makeup,” says Sarah. “To achieve this, keep your look very soft glam and ‘expensive’, with a bit of sparkle here and there.”
Does Lisa (who hails from Thailand) from the mega-popular K-pop girl group Blackpink have anything to do with this trend taking off recently? It’s anyone’s guess, but girls everywhere are adopting makeup looks worn by the popstar.
Some of the popular components to Thai makeup are thick eyebrows with a natural texture to frame one’s face, light highlighting and contouring, straight eyeliner and sun-kissed blush.
Love for lipsticks
Robbed of the opportunity to step out in bold lipstick hues during mandatory mask-wearing times, lipstick is well on its way to having its revenge.
This year, lip colour will be back in a big way, in every shade and texture you can imagine.
Makeup artist Suguna Tan Su Mei is looking forward to seeing red lips explode in ads, editorials, and brand campaigns.
“Red lips will be back in trend, from coral-esque hues to bright berry shades and deep reds,” she says.
Sarah shares this sentiment.
“People are going to go crazy for lipsticks, since masks aren’t required in most places anymore, and with events and parties back in full swing, people will be happy to show off their lip colours,” says Sarah.
Matte foundation
For many, matte foundation is still their go-to, especially for those with skin that might end up looking oily if they attempt the dewy skin look with makeup.
“The trend is still very much in,” says Sarah. “Some ladies don’t like to look too dewy, I must say that matte foundation in still popular, maybe not as popular as dewy skin but it’s still a favourite.”
According to an article on byrdie.com, the best types of skin for matte foundations are combination skin, oily skin or skin with larger pores, as matte foundations help the oil on the skin disappear and also smoothes over large pores to hide them.
1990s comeback
Makeup trends from the 1990s have been gaining traction in recent years, with a twist.
“In 2023, ‘90s-inspired makeup will be popular but the difference is there will be even more colours and shades to choose from,” says Tan.
“What, skinny brows are back? But I just managed to grow mine back!” you must be thinking, but worry not, over-tweezing is not making a comeback.
Instead, adopt a fuller version of the ‘90s brow, which is especially flattering on close-set eyes, with thinner, elongated brows, creating the illusion of wider eyes, advises womenandhome.com, which cites actress Charlize Theron’s eyebrows as a perfect example of a defined, modern slender arch.
Natural lashes
Sick of false lashes that either don’t stick or have such a strong adhesive, you end up pulling out all your natural lashes during removal?
Great news, because understated, natural eyelashes will take off in 2023.“Natural lashes will be a top choice in 2023, and don’t be surprised if people choose to just use mascara to define their natural lashes,” opines Tan.
Subtle glitter
Foil and metallic eyeshadow took off in a big way during the mask-wearing era, when your eyes were the main focus of your face.
This year, glittery eyeshadow will still be in trend, and there will be plenty of ways to style it.
“I am expecting glitter to be one of the top trends in 2023, not just on the eyes and lips but in the hair too,” says Tan. “When I say glitter it’s not just in small amounts or as an eyeliner but also chunky eyeshadow, as well as shimmery face gems.”
In with skinimalism
One of the best trends to come out of the pandemic has been minimalist everything – from home design to makeup and skincare.
“It is expected that with or without the mask on people will still continue adopting minimalist makeup, or no makeup,” opines Tan. “These days people are going for a more minimalist lifestyle, as they say, ‘less is more’.”
Therefore it’s important that you start a skincare routine that works for you if you’re going to go the way of skinimalism.
All-time favourites
For those who love the smoky-eyed look, worry not as this is a classic style that will stand the test of time.
“No matter what, smoky eyes are a classic look for a night out, especially when you can use brown, blue and classic black of course,” says Sarah.
At the recent Golden Globe awards, Selena Gomez adopted berry shades in a subtle manner, accentuating her best features with soft highlights and eyeshadow and blush that resulted in a rose gold glow.
Soft glam ala Gomez is a style that isn’t going anywhere, and is perfect for those who prefer more subtle makeup.
Trends on the way out
As new trends emerge, some styles will fade in popularity.
Tan opines, “A few trends that will not make it to 2023, are nude lips as this trend does make some people look washed out.”
Blended smoky eyeshadow combined with thick, black winged liner is another style she feels will decline in popularity, as well as white eyeliner.
“For white eyeliner, it’s easy to make a mistake when you apply it the wrong way,” she says, adding that the same goes for heavy concealer, which can come off looking patchy when applied incorrectly.
Fake lashes are also a trend that will be on its way out.
Read more: Focusing on personalisation, 3 innovations set to transform beauty routines
“Especially the OTT type that scream fake,” says Tan. “Over-lining your lips to make them look much plumper than they actually are, using overly dark lip liner, and fake freckles, these are all trends that will be less popular in 2023.”
Sarah predicts the cut crease will meet its demise this year, as people aren’t posting this trend up as much as before.
Cut crease eyeshadow refers to an eyeshadow trend that involves a lighter shade of eyeshadow cutting across the crease of the eyelid.
This creates a dramatic contrast that makes your eyes look huge, usually achieved with a neutral palettes and concealer.
Of course, if you are a big fan of any of the above, no one is stopping you from continuing to do what’s right for you, and living your best life!
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