Most of us go back-to-school shopping for clothes, so why not do it for beauty products, too? After scouring the fall 2014 runways and consulting two celebrity makeup artists, HC has compiled a list of the hottest beauty trends of the season. Try out a fabulous new lip color or a cool new nail design inspired from fall runway shows so you can return to school as the trendiest girl on campus. Read on to learn about the biggest beauty trends and how to take them from the high-fashion runways to the campus hallways.
1. Rich lip colors
Bold lips are all the rage this fall. “It’s all about rich, deep colors reminiscent of that ‘90s grunge era,” says makeup artist Kelly Hunt. Rather than the bright reds and oranges that were popular in summer months, “we are going to see a lot of crimson and nutmeg shades,” Hunt says. Pick up Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick in Crimson ($4.06) for a rich fall color.
Celebrity makeup artist Rachel Wood also says to try some berry tones on your lips. Berry lips were featured in many fall runway shows, like Naeem Khan, Nanette Lepore and Rebecca Minkoff. Wood suggests getting a berry-toned lip stain because it’s low maintenance – perfect for us busy collegiettes on the go. Stains last much longer and require fewer touchups than lipstick. Try tarte LipSurgence Lip Tint in Moody ($24) for an effortless way to keep your lips on trend this fall.
You want your look to be all about the lips, so go for a simple nude eye. An eye shadow like MAC’s Brule ($15) would complement the look nicely. As for eyeliner, Wood says to “match that berry pout with some smudged-in pencil eyeliner. Go for a deep brown or plum—a little softer-looking than black, but still edgy.” Try bareMinerals Big & Bright Eyeliner in Plum ($9.50). And don’t forget to add a little blush – a dark lip can make your skin seem paler, so a little color on the cheeks will easily combat that.
2. Metallic and cranberry eye shadows
Metallics are great because “they add a bit of sheen and pop to the eyes,” Hunt says. “I’m really loving copper and rose gold.” Copper eyes were very in at Oscar de la Renta’s fall 2014 show. Metallics are a great choice for going out with your friends at night, but a subtler metallic, like Bobbi Brown’s Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow in Rose Gold ($22), would look great during the day.
Cranberries and rich browns are also in right now. These colors would work for either daytime or nighttime looks because they’re not as flashy as metallics, but they can still be amped up for nighttime. Try out MAC’s Cranberry Eye Shadow ($15) for a perfect fall look.
3. Colorful cat eyes
The biggest fall liner trend is cat eyes, which graced the runways of many designers, including Rag & Bone. Wood suggests trying a winged cat eye in a color like “forest green or an electric blue for a fun night out.” You’d pair this with a nude lip so the focus is on your eyes. Wood loves the NYX Cosmetics Jumbo Eye Pencils ($4.50), so pick one up in electric blue to try out this trend.
4. Bold brows
The bold brow trend is here to stay. “Every model I’ve worked with lately comes to set with full, un-groomed brows,” Hunt says. “I recommend plucking a few strays, but other than that, let them grow!”
Thick brows recently graced the runways of Veronica Beard and Tadashi Shoji, so it’s time for us collegiettes to embrace our brows!
Wood has an easy trick to achieve runway-ready brows: “Take some hair spray on an old toothbrush and brush them up so they look full and lush,” she says. Or, you can buy brow gel, like this one from NARShttp://www.narscosmetics.com/USA/makeup-eyes-brow/0607845011521.html ($22), and brush up your brows to make them appear fuller.
5. Gray and garnet nails
When pulling together a beauty look, you can’t forget about your nails! For nail color trends this fall, “we’re also seeing the deep jewel tones like emerald and garnet as well as another favorite of mine – slate gray!” Hunt says. “There is nothing more chic than a matte slate-gray nail for fall!”
Garnet nails were spotted on Costello Tagliapietra’s fall runway. Want a gorgeous garnet polish to try for yourself? Go for elf Nail Polish in Garnet ($2). Going for gray instead? Try Dove by Zoya ($9).
6. Beautiful braids
Braids, braids and more braids dominated the runways of countless designers like Rebecca Minkoff. Wood suggests trying Heidi-style braids, for which you’ll split your hair into two sides, braid each one upwards and secure them with some bobby pins. This is a cute daytime look that you can easily convert into a going-out look at night. “For evening, take down your hair and undo the braids for a sexy, cool bed-head beach wave,” Wood says. “Two fall trends to rock on one day!”
Being up-to-date on these beauty trends will make you look like you strutted right off the runway, so jump out of your typical beauty routine and try out these fall trends!