The New Year holds many hopes for leaving the house and actually being able to share our makeup looks with the world again. Yet, in quarantine, many of us have found that where we go doesn’t matter. Rather, what matters is how the way we look makes us feel. Keeping your makeup game strong is super-important, whether you’re a casual wearer or a passionate makeup artist. Furthermore, staying on trend is just as important.
No matter how you’ll be sharing your makeup looks in 2021 — whether it’s out in the world or via Instagram — you’ll want to be up to speed on the makeup trends of the new year. Here are three looks that we might be seeing take off already, but can certainly expect to grow as we enter into next year.
Vaporwave Vibes
You might be wondering: “What on earth is vaporwave?” Even if you don’t know the term, chances are, you’ve recently seen this popular aesthetic. Evocative of lo-fi music and laid-back 80s vibes, this visual art style represents hues of pink, purple, and orange combined to create a chill and retro look. Women in the gaming community can largely be credited for its burst in popularity, with trends like pink hair, dramatic winged eyeliner, and striking eyeshadow being a common style.
Blending eyeshadow to create an ultra-feminine pink, purple, and blue cloud of color on the eyelids — almost reminiscent of cotton candy — is the base of this vaporwave makeup look. Top it off with some black liquid eyeliner, dragged past the outer corner of the eyelid to create a striking wing, and add a volumizing mascara to top off the look.
Vaporwave makeup is all about the eyes. David Bowie-esque in nature, it definitely holds a feminine appeal for many.
Berry Appealing
In keeping with the popular aesthetic of pinks and purples, the berry look is back! Tied together with a bold, darkened lip and deeply tinted eyeshadow, it’s a classic and versatile makeup trend that makes a comeback every few years. The berry look is best characterized by the lip shade that accompanies it — usually a deep (not cherry) red, burgundy, or plum. It can be glossed up or matte, so long as the color evokes the memory of our favorite berry.
The look can be completed by selecting an eyeshadow palette that’s not quite smoky, but a subtle blend of some deeper shades. Where you’d choose grays and blacks for a smoky eye, a berry eye should bring out rich purple, plum and maroon shades. This eye makeup look works well with a sparkly eyeshadow to top off the overall color palette, particularly on the inner corner of the upper eyelid.
Dewy Hues
This juicy makeup look is characterized by a fresh, glowing finish. This diffused look creates a bright and shiny visage that makes your skin look ultra-healthy and plump. One way to achieve this aesthetic is by using a gel cream blush. Unlike powdered blush, it blends in to look like a natural hue created by your skin itself. Liquid highlighters can also add a glam touch to this look.
To create an even dewy aesthetic by spreading the look to your entire face and neck, use a face dew — an oil serum hybrid that will lightly moisturize and keep you looking refreshed all day long.