The biggest autumn and winter makeup trends you need to know about

From grunge glam to matchy monochrome.

This season has a lot to live up to. Last year, we skipped the social gatherings, the soirées and the catch-ups to stay home. It means AW21 has a lot to makeup for. When it comes to our glam, our makeup needs a moment to shine now we have dates in the diary to show up for. And while of course, we love the classics – velvety red lips and classic black liner – we also want to keep things fresh and interesting. We love a twist on timeless trends and intriguing accents to mix things up.

Want in, too? These are the autumn-winter makeup trends you need to know for 2021.

Mocha tones

Tonal shades of brown – caramel, mocha, camel – are taking off (see: Adele's recent head-to-toe chocolate leather pantsuit at a Lakers Game and Zendaya's knitted latte-coloured co-ords). And the trend has infiltrated beauty too where we've seen eyes decorated with shots of cafe au lait and cloudy puffs of smoky almond. It's a departure from black, but still looks chic and classic.

Bratty lips

Autumn/winter automatically calls for matte lips and suede finishes in crimsons and merlot, but we love to see the look inverted. The bratty lip trend (high gloss, which gives the illusion of a bigger pout) can be paired with signature autumn shades, to keep one element (the colour) the same while switching up the finish for something glossier, fresher and more unexpected. You can always use your fave winter lipstick, then add a clear gloss top coat.

Glam grunge

This trend has steadily been growing on TikTok and the fashion runways. The moodier vibe is perfect for this time of year, so go lighter on your bronzer, and heavier with your kohl liner. Or, if you want to commit, eye bags are in (apparently).

Monochrome

Glossier is onto something with its new Monochrome eyeshadow palettes which features one shade, realised in three different finishes (matte, satin and metallic), but we've seen some of our favourite makeup artists and muses take this concept a step further with matchy-matchy lips, eyes and cheeks created with a mix of textures. We've seen matte lips, cream blush, and smouldering eyes with a subtle shot of sparkle all in the same shade.

Bright accents

We love autumn-winter’s more vampy hues, but we love how the bright accents incorporates a fun moment into our makeup when we need it most. As for the most popular way to play it, we're seeing neon green across the eyes of loads of our favourite influencers, from Emma Chamberlain to Shay Mitchell. To keep it seasonal and modern, pair it with a darker lip.

Loaded lashes

If there were any time for full fluttery lashes (and maybe some falsies) it's party season and its lead-up. The vibe? More is more. Load up lashes with multiple layers of mascara and tap up individual and cluster lash extensions like these from Eylure for the fullest, thickest set yet.

Smoked, but softly

Smoky eyes are a staple of autumn and winter. The way to keep it feeling fresh is by blending and diffusing the colour out super softly. We love this subtle ombre smoky eye which gets deeper toward the crease on @fridacashflow. Alternatively, you could try a smoked lip liner which frames a full-looking pout perfectly.

Dinky glitz

Glitter may not sound all that grown-up but little glitzy accents can be seriously stylish. Case in point, this reverse glitter cat-eye created by @overglowedit using Urban Decay's Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner.

×