About once a year my mom will corner me and my youngest sister and grill us on whether her makeup, hair, and jeans still look on trend. For the longest time, I kind of rolled my eyes while I played along, telling her when it was time to let go of her boot cut jeans and when to bring them back (now). And then I became a mom. Now I’m the one chasing my sister around, asking whether or not it’s still okay to wear my purple eye shadow because I spent a lot of money on it, but I don’t want to be that lady who gets stuck in a time warp and is still wearing her makeup like she did in high school.
Ladies, I got ya. These are the seven of the hottest makeup trends for 2016 that came straight from the runways, onto the faces of my favorite celebs. What’s great is that they’re all easy to do, require limited purchasing, and, best of all, just amp up your pretty, which is all a gal really wants from her makeup anyway, right? And I promise, no time warps here.
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Makeup Trends for 2016
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Totally Natural ala Lupita Nyong'o
Listen, we all know that natural-looking make up is a farce like comfortable heels or healthy cookies that taste good, but, I promise, it doesn't take a lot of makeup to get a fresh look. This season it's all about a light touch---no heavy foundations or overly done faces. Instead, choose natural-looking colors that brighten and soften for a healthy, sun-kissed glow, usually one shade brighter than your natural color. And for ladies who need a foundation to even out your skin tone (that would be me), I love this Laura Mercier primer foundation, which goes on easy and just softens the edges.
Image: Getty/Gustavo Caballero
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Extra Pale Lips ala Sienna Miller
Everywhere you look this season, it's all about barely pink lips. In the past, we've seen a pale lip paired with overly dramatic eyes, but this year it's all about keeping it subtle. This is one of those places where you can update your look instantly with a new nude lipstick. See, I told you I'd make it easy.
Image: Getty/Karwai Tang
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Bold Lips ala Solange Knowles
Pale and bold lips are trends at the same time? Yep. There's no middle ground this year. You're either a nude-and-gloss gal, or an all-out pigment rush gal. Myself, I love a bold lip. Most days, all I have time for is a little mascara and then a brightly colored lipstick, and it's amazing how much joy that little tube can bring me. The right color can brighten your eyes, whiten your teeth, and make you feel like a glamour goddess, even when all you've got on the agenda is folding socks and underwear. The key is to not overdo your other makeup---if you play up one feature, keep everything else subtle so it has its chance to shine.
Image: Getty/Noam Galai
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Softer, Bold Brow ala Drew Barrymore
Last year was all about the dramatic brow (which was a real pain for those of us who have been over-plucking since high school). This year, while still about a bold brow, it's a softer, more feathered version that favors natural-looking over geometric. It's still tricky if you've over-plucked, but the growing in period is a bit more forgiving, plus it's a lot easier to wear.
Image: Getty/Donna Ward
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Softer Smoky Eye ala Jessica Alba
This year, even the smoky eye has been toned down. Where you used to think black eyeliner to help create a sultry look, now lean on browns and taupes for a more sedated, yet no less sexy eye.
Image: Getty/Jacopo Raule
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Bold Colors, Used Sparingly ala Olivia Palermo
While makeup is definitely tending toward natural this season, it doesn't mean you can't have fun with it. We're still seeing pops of bold color, but used sparingly as a dramatic (and surprising) accent. Get on the trend by choosing one bold element (lipstick, eyeliner, eye shadow) and then keeping everything else simple, simple, simple.
Image: Getty/Venturelli
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All About the Glitter ala Jennifer Lawrence
Glitter when you're over fourteen can be tricky. The last thing you want to do is look like you raided Tinkerbell's closet, so you want to use it sparingly and with intention (no spreading it all over your chest like you've been battling your Halloween closet)---use a touch on your eyelids or cheekbones for an on-trend yet sophisticated look.
Image: Getty/Taylor Hill
