Fall's Best Makeup Trends Are Grungy, Moody, and '90s Inspired
Time for a refresh.
There’s something about fall that makes a pumpkin spice latté taste better, a cable-knit sweater feel cozier, and a makeup refresh feel essential. Celebrity makeup artist Kasey Spickard summed it up perfectly when she and I caught up to chat about seasonal trends: "As the weather starts to change, we all feel the pull to refresh ourselves, pull out the sweaters, and get everything new," he told Marie Claire. "It's that back-to-school energy, where the new year is ahead of you and you can reinvent yourself. Fall is a time to shift into deeper tones and more intensity as the weather changes. Makeup is such a crucial part of that."
So what does that actually translate to? "We get moodier and more intense in our wardrobes and makeup follows suit," Spickard notes. "I love the rich tones we get when fall makeup starts to come into play, such as burgundies and oxblood tones on the eyes and lips." Spickard, along with other top makeup artists I spoke with, points to fresher shifts: timely looks inspired by Wicked: For Good, as well as the revival of ‘90s neutrals, softer spins on the smokey eye, and bold moments like metallic lids and statement shadows.
Keep scrolling for a guide to the nine biggest fall makeup trends destined to take over your social feeds (and your makeup bag), with insight from Spickard; celebrity makeup artists Matin Maulawizada and Nick Barose; Marquis Ward, makeup artist and lead educator at LYS Beauty; and Samantha Sachs, who leads product development at Half Magic—the brand founded by Emmy Award-winning makeup artist Donni Davy of Euphoria fame. Get ready to screenshot your favorites.
'90s-Inspired Makeup
Jennifer Lopez, 1999
"Late '90s makeup is making its return," says Maulawizada, who came prepared with a history lesson in what that means: "Fashion and beauty were both shifting from the grungy early ’90s into the projected opulence of the 2000s." He notes that the look was glamorous, with neutral tones of taupe, brown, and beige, and featured luxurious, glossy lips and skin. It was the start of glowy skin as well as fully sculpted faces and contoured, well-defined eyes, but without hard lines. "Everything was meticulously placed but looked effortlessly applied," he says.
To channel the look, Maulawizada recommends building a neutral palette with a true contour product, along with easy-to-blend eyeliners in brown, gray, or black. Taupe brow pencils that double as lip liners are another essential. For lips, he recommends beigey-brown lipsticks for that signature late ’90s look.
Metallic Lids
“High frost metallic eyes add a futuristic look to the lids, you can do it in small doses as liner or more dramatic by painting on the whole lids, or as details to add to your regular smokey eyes by dabbing the extra metallic on the center of lids, inner corners, brow bones," says Barose. He particularly adores the new Lisa Eldridge Eyeshadow Palette in Desert Gleam. “The various metallic khaki, olive green, brown metallic tones will accessorize your eyes perfectly without going overboard this season," he says.
Latté Smoky Eyes
"Latté smokey eyes are more of a soft, wearable version of the classic smokey eye that uses creamy browns and warm neutrals for a more cozy and blended look," says Ward. "It’s a very dimensional look and is flattering on all skin tones, making it an easy go-to for both day and night glam. Its versatility and warmth pair beautifully with fall fashion."
To get the look, he suggests beginning with the No Limits Cream Bronzer Stick (in shades like Courage or Strength) swept across the lids as a base. Next, he layers on the Matte Bronzer, blending it into the crease or outer corners for added depth. To finish, he taps the Aim High Multi-Use Highlighter Stick (Brave or Genuine) onto the inner corners and brow bone for a luminous pop.
Glossed Berry Lips
"Juicy berry and plum shades with a high-shine finish are making a bold statement this season," Ward says. "It's ideal for the cooler weather as it offers a fresh, moisturizing twist on the classic matte lip. It’s bold yet wearable, and the glossy finish keeps lips looking hydrated and vibrant."
Bold Eyeshadow
"Eyeshadow is coming back," Spickard declares. "We've been on such a clean girl makeup aesthetic for the last few years, neutral lids, delicate eyeliner, maybe a little shimmer. However, I'm starting to see people returning to more dramatic eyeshadow looks. Creators like Rose Siard have created some gorgeous, cool-toned eyeshadow looks, and I anticipate we'll see more looks like this as we head into fall. I recreated an eyeshadow look like this recently and got so much response on my own socials from people asking for tutorials, how to achieve the look, and loving a full, dramatic eyeshadow."
Blurred Matte Lips
“The dry, cakey matte days are long gone, and velvety soft, matte finishes are back in," says Sachs, whether it be for eye, lip or cheek—everyone’s loving the comfortable feel and the soft, dreamy look of a modern matte. One of the perfect ways to get in on the trend is with "K-beauty-like textures that are velvety, whipped, and ultra-smoothing, like Half Magic’s Mouth Cloud Soft Matte Lip Cream. Not only does it feel like cocoa butter on the lips, but it also smooths out lip lines for that perfect blurred lip effect," she says.
Grunge Eyes
“Grunge eyes will forever be striking and flattering, but I expect them to return full force during the fall as everyone loves a defining eye look," says Sachs. "The best way to achieve the grunge eye is with a smokey shadow crayon and liquid or gel eyeliner. Shadow sticks allow you to deposit creamy color in a cinch without any of the dreaded mess, layering, and fall-out that a traditional powder shadow brings (not to mention no primer needed!)."
Wicked-Inspired Glam
"One thing I always love to look at when it comes to makeup trends is the big theatrical releases," Spickard says. "Obviously, we saw tons of makeup looks inspired by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande last year with the release of Wicked. And I anticipate we'll see this happen again, starting on the press tour and into the movie release. We're getting Glinda's blue dress in For Good, so I anticipate we'll see makeup looks inspired by that costume. We'll see cool-toned blues, and maybe purples, iridescence, being created on socials as we see the costumes and hair and makeup from the press tour and theatrical release!"
Orange Lips
Well before Taylor Swift wore orange lipstick on the New Heights podcast, Barose predicted the somewhat controversial color (along with other bold pops) would trend this fall. “Bright pinks and orange-toned lipsticks with a satin texture and fresh shine are a foolproof way to add color to the lips without being too in-your-face or harsh—a perfect step up from your regular nude tones when they start to feel a little dull and you need some pop.”
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Meet the Experts
Kasey Spickard is a celebrity makeup artist based in New York City.
MarQuis Ward is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist and lead educator at LYS Beauty.
Nick Barose is a celebrity makeup artist based in New York CIty.
Matin Maulawizada is a celebrity makeup artist based in New York City.
Samantha Sachs is the director of product development and packaging at Half Magic.
