Believe it or not, warmer days are coming. And with them comes a refreshed sense of, well, everything. From new, popular hair colours to a revamped makeup routine, spring and summer are known for being the time we take stock and have fun. Last year, it felt as if the sun came out and everyone bought into the copper revolution, russet reds and bright peach colours popping up everywhere. Not to mention the monochromatic, 90s-coded latte makeup revival.
When it comes to this year’s beauty trends though, the newness is already creeping in, popping up on social media, fashion weeks and beyond. Here, we reveal the eight spring and summer beauty trends you should know about now.
SPRING/SUMMER 2024 BEAUTY TRENDS:
1. Pearlescent Skin
The last two years have been filled with dew, sheen and gloss. And, while that isn’t going away entirely, it is going to be refined slightly.
“I love this idea of a fresh, radiant shine,” says make-up artist and MAC Cosmetics Creative Director of Makeup Artistry Terry Barber. “A little bit of a pearlescent turn to the skin. It reminds me of 18th-century portraits and the Regency period; ornately dressed skin with pearl tones on the top of the cheekbones and nose. Delicate, elegant.”
The original Benefit Moon Beam (RIP) or current High Beam Liquid Highlighter, £18, is perfect for this. Dot gently onto the face – it’s always easier to build up than take away – and blend only on the high points of the cheekbones, bridge of the nose, cupid’s bow and collarbones. Angelic.
Shop the Look:
FENTY BEAUTY
Match Stix Glow Skinstick in Purrl
NUDESTIX
NUDESTIX Nudies Glow All Over Face Highlight – Ice Ice Baby
Westman Atelier
Lit Up Highlight Stick
2. The Soft Sweep
Long bemoaned for being ‘cheugy’ (don’t get us started), the side parting is quietly reestablishing itself as a style du jour.
“One of the most popular red carpet styles of late, side swept and asymmetric hairstyles have been seen again and again. The relaxed elegance of hair swept over one shoulder is extremely feminine while looking undone and soft,” explains celebrity hairstylist and trend forecaster (known as a ‘hairvoyant’), Tom Smith.
“This is an easy-to-achieve style for anyone with hair longer than shoulder length. If you find that your hair is too soft or silky to stay in place, prep the hair with a texturising spray, a styling powder or even a dry shampoo.”
Shop the Look:
Hair by Sam McKnight
Cool Girl Barely There Texture Hair Mist
Bumble and bumble
Pret a Powder
3. Maximalist Renaissance
If Hailey, Kendall and Sofia taught us anything, it’s that less can be so much more. But, after a long run of slicked-back styles, vaseline mascara (don’t knock it ‘til you try it) and transparent lip gloss, colour – and lots of it – is coming in 2024.
“We’ll always have minimalism,” says Barber, “but now it’s going to go side-by-side with a more decadent, slightly more escapist beauty. I think people are fascinated with that at the moment, bringing out different facets of your personality with different makeup.
“The last decade was a little bit formulaic, everything had to be correct and done meticulously. You needed a 20-page instruction manual on how to (correctly) do eyeshadow and contour. It almost felt like a competition and a bit judgemental. Now, I think people are feeling their beauty again and remembering it’s for them. Everyone has their signature and their character.”
So, forget the adage of lips or eyes. Lips, eyes, cheeks, brows and lashes are all in play this year.
Shop the Look:
Dior
Diorshow Pump ‘N’ Volume Mascara in 260 Blue
Bobbi Brown
Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick in Periwinkle
Kosas
Weightless Lip Color Nourishing Satin Lipstick in Subconscious
4. Jelly-Milk Nails
Natural, simple and timelessly elegant, bare-ish nails have returned. Make like Dua Lipa and plump for a juicy, manicure with a clear or milky finish. One coat of polish (plus base and top coat preparation), a softly rounded or square shape and you have a classic style that’ll last for weeks. Just remember cuticle prep and regular moisturising.
I’ve sworn by the Dior Crème Abricot Strengthening Nail Care for yonks now, as well as Tropic’s new Nail Nectar.
Shop the Look:
Dior
Crème Abricot Strengthening Nail Care
Tropic Skincare
Nail Nectar
5. Halo Curls
More volume, more life. In 2024, blunt, short shapes give way to weightless, halo-esque curls.
“This spring, we’ll see the most dramatic version of the ethereal, curved, face-framing halo cut. This crown-like shape is a statuesque, regal shape that celebrates texture and volume,” describes Smith. “Straighter hair types can get a similar shape with rounded layers and voluminous blow-drying and curling.”
“Achieving this shape on natural and textured hair involves correct hair prep and a visual approach to the cut,” advises Smith. This is something to discuss with your stylist. “Straighter and wavier hair types will need a very technical, layering cut.”
Shop the Look:
Bread Beauty Supply
Hair-Cream: Elastic Bounce
Briogeo
Briogeo Curl Charisma Rice Amino and Quinoa Frizz Control Gel 162ml
Kérastase
Curl Manifesto Gelée Curl Contour Gel-Cream
6. Apricot Everything
Trend forecasting agency WGSN named Apricot Crush as the colour of 2024, a swing away from the blue-pink and block pinks of 2023, the Year of Barbie.
A colour stuffed with both softness and vibrancy, an apricot-toned blusher or lip colour adds brightness without the luridness of an orange or light peach. For cheeks, think sunlit glow, the way you might look on your last night on holiday, and pick a formula that creates a balmy, golden-hour glow. Lip-wise, a gloss or balm (like the Makeup By Mario MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Serum in Apricot Glow), will give a wash of colour without blockiness.
Shop the Look:
Makeup By Mario
MoistureGlow™ Plumping Lip Serum in Apricot Glow
Vieve
Sunset Blush Balm in Pesca
7. Return of the Vamp
Whatever your thoughts on the trending ‘mob wife’ aesthetic, one thing’s for certain: vamp is back. Contrast lip liner, smudged and smoky eyes and cool-toned cheeks make up just part of the smoulder, paired with voluminous, tousled hair and lashings of mascara. Think sultry and dark, bringing out the rich, red and brown tones in your makeup.
Shop the Look:
Jones Road
The Lip Pencil in Chocolate
MAC Cosmetics
M·A·CXIMAL Silky Matte Lipstick in Antique Velvet
Charlotte Tilbury
Luxury Palette in The Sophisticate
8. Single Strands
Less high school, more sleek school, single strands are having a rebrand.
“Continuing the theme of asymmetry this season, this style is simple but feels high fashion in a way that retains softness and practicality. If your hair is longer than lip length, this style will work on you,” describes Smith. “When combined with a middle parting, this look feels more ‘designed’ but, when done with a side parting, it looks more effortless.”
“If your hair is shorter, test out this style by tucking most of your hair behind both ears, pulling out one strand from either side of your hair, either from beside a central or side parting.”
Shop the Look:
Color Wow
Extra Mist-ical Shine Spray
Amika
Top Gloss Shine Spray
Diptyque
Hair Mist Eau Capitale
Next Up: Top Makeup Artists Say These 12 Trends Will Dominate in 2024
