The 5 Makeup Trends Set To Be Big In 2025
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1 day ago
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Restocking your makeup bag for the new year? You’ve come to the right place. These are the makeup trends we’re going to see everywhere in 2025, as told by MUAs and experts in the field.
The Makeup Trends Taking Over 2025
If we had to sum up next year’s forecast in three words, they would be: dewy, glossy and shiny. Be prepared for the return of clean, natural aesthetics, contrasted with metallic hues and a smoky eye or two. These are the makeup trends we see making waves in 2025:
Trends At A Glance
- Easy Metallics & Electric Hues
- Smoky Cat Eye
- ‘No Makeup’ Makeup
- Lollipop Lips
- Rise Of The Dupes
1. Easy Metallics & Electric Hues
While burgundy might have stolen the show near the end of 2024, the year as a whole has forecasted the rise and rise of one particular (shimmery) shade: silver. And metallics are set to get even bigger come 2025, says Beam makeup artist Leandra Kis. ‘Metallic makeup is a nostalgia-fuelled trend, reminiscent of the 90s and Y2K,’ she explains. ‘While blue eyeshadow was seen at multiple AW24 runway shows, the look was updated with the introduction of metallic eyeshadows at Paris Fashion Week SS25. Rihanna is also an early adopter of the trend; she was seen in December 2023 wearing a purple metallic eyeshadow with a pink glossy pout, for example.’
So, how do we get the look? ‘Try to add a pop of vibrant colour to your everyday makeup,’ advises Leandra. ‘This could be a colourful mascara or a hint of eyeshadow across your eyelids – try to opt for something bold and metallic. The aim is to try something new and fun – experiment a bit while keeping your base pretty fresh and natural.’
2. Smoky Cat Eye
Two classics come together in this 2025 makeup trend. ‘While smoky eyes and feline eyeliner are two perennial makeup trends, they aren’t mutually exclusive looks,’ says Leandra. ‘We found this out at Milan Fashion Week SS25, where the two looks were combined at Gucci to ramp up the drama in a distinctly Italian way. You’ll also find that this has become a signature look for the likes of Sofía Vergara and Priyanka Chopra.’
When recreating the look at home, Leandra recommends using ‘plenty of black eyeliner on the outer edges of the upper eyelids and smudge it so it looks more undone. Then, using an intense black mascara, slowly move the wand along the lashes. Repeat to layer several coats.’
3. ‘No Makeup’ Makeup
Think you saw the last of clean beauty? Think again. Taking its cues from the ‘clean girl’ movement, the ‘no makeup’ makeup trend is all about understated beauty, set to a natural-looking base. ‘Several SS25 Fashion Week shows celebrated this look, including Max Mara in Milan and Caroline Herrera,’ notes Leandra. ‘It’s defined by seemingly nude skin, giving a natural, subtly elevated appearance.
‘Remember: less is always more,’ she continues, explaining how to get the look. ‘Make sure to properly hydrate the skin as a first step and try to cover only what is necessary. I would focus on the centre of the face, where we tend to have the most redness and discoloration. That’s where I would concentrate the most product, before blending anything that’s left on the brush on the rest of the face.
‘Use a liquid concealer as it will be easier to blend,’ she adds. ‘If you feel you need extra coverage, then spot conceal any blemishes with a tiny eyeshadow brush. For this, use a pot concealer that’s less creamy, so it doesn’t move from the area you want to cover. If you want even more coverage, then use a tinted moisturiser or a very light foundation all over the face at the start of the regime.’
4. Lollipop Lips
Rhode founder and trendsetter Hailey Bieber has sparked a renewed interest in ultra-hydrated lips. And now, unsurprisingly, it’s shaping up to be a big trend for 2025. ‘This hydrated, lollipop lip look is all about embracing youthful hues with glossy, high-shine lips,’ explains Leandra. ‘As well as being big with Hailey, they’ve also made their way to the runway – most recently at the Carolina Herrera SS25 show at New York Fashion Week.’
The look itself, Leandra tells us, is built up through hydrating lip tints. ‘You’ll want a glossy lip oil with a slight tint,’ she says. ‘For some extra colour intensity you can also use a lip tint as a base. To recreate the look, just tap the lip tint gently into your lips with your fingers before placing one of the hydrating lip products on top.’
5. Rise Of The Dupes
Moving away from the looks to the products themselves, we’re seeing the demand for affordable alternatives creep into the beauty space. The result? The rapid rise of dupe culture. ‘The quest for value means consumers are more open-minded about areas of the industry that they might previously have dismissed,’ highlights the Avon Future of Beauty Skincare Report 2024. ‘“Dupes” – or products that seem to replicate big names and more expensive beauty products at a much more affordable price – were once something of a guilty secret. But the combination of the cost-of-living crisis and social media sending the best dupes viral has changed all that.
‘Interestingly, consumer intelligence company NIQ has found that dupes “transcend the notion of mere imitations” and in fact are “powerful catalysts driving category growth”,’ the report continues. ‘Their research discovered that dupes can encourage shoppers to expand their beauty routines, trying products such as setting sprays and primers that they might not otherwise have tried. In addition it shows that contrary to popular belief, sales of dupes don’t appear to have a negative impact on the prestige products they’re emulating – with the five most duped brands showing an average sales growth of 54 percent.’
Featured image: Rotate SS25 BTS (c) Tonya Matyu