As professional makeup artists, staying ahead of emerging trends is essential for delivering fresh, contemporary looks to our clients. The 2024 season brings a fascinating mix of bold statement features and minimalist techniques that reflect our evolving relationship with beauty. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the dominant makeup trends currently taking over runways, red carpets, and social media—and provide expert techniques to recreate these looks for yourself or your clients.

1. Glazed Skin: Beyond Dewy

The ultra-glossy "glazed donut" skin trend has evolved into something more refined for 2024. Today's version focuses on strategic luminosity rather than all-over shine.

How to Achieve It:

  • Begin with thorough hydration—a hyaluronic acid serum followed by a ceramide-rich moisturizer creates the perfect base
  • Apply a pore-minimizing primer only to areas prone to texture issues
  • Use a sheer to medium coverage foundation with a natural finish
  • Rather than powder highlighting, layer liquid and cream illuminators on the high points of the face
  • Set only the T-zone with a translucent setting powder using a light hand
  • Finish with a facial essence mist to meld all products together

The key difference this season is restraint—we're seeing more selective application rather than all-over gloss, creating dimension without excessive shine that can appear oily in photographs.

2. Graphic Liner Statements

Eyeliner has transcended its traditional role to become the focal point of many trendsetting looks. This season's liner expressions range from architectural precision to artistic abstraction.

Trending Liner Looks:

  • Double-Wing Technique: A classic wing paired with a parallel line above the crease, creating negative space between
  • Floating Liner: Detached lines that hover above the natural lash line, often in unexpected colors
  • Inverted Wings: Flipping the traditional cat-eye to point downward at the inner corners for a fresh perspective
  • Geometric Shapes: Sharp angles and precise shapes that extend beyond the eye area as artistic expressions

For precision application, gel pot liners applied with a fine brush offer the most control, while brush-tip liquid liners work well for those with steady hands. For clients new to statement liners, start with a subtle approach—perhaps a small colorful accent at the outer corner—before progressing to more dramatic expressions.

3. Monochromatic Color Stories

Coordinated color across eyes, cheeks, and lips creates a sophisticated harmony that feels both modern and effortless. This season's monochromatic looks favor warm terracottas, muted mauves, and unexpected color pairings like lavender and bronze.

Professional Application Tips:

  • Select a dominant shade, then work with variations in intensity across different features
  • Use multi-use cream products that can be applied to eyes, cheeks, and lips for perfect color coordination
  • Vary textures within the same color family—perhaps matte on the eyes, satin on the cheeks, and glossy on the lips
  • For depth, incorporate slightly darker shades of the same hue in crease areas and outer edges

The cohesiveness of a monochromatic look creates a polished impression that's especially effective for editorial work and sophisticated events.

4. "Underpainting" Technique

Popularized by celebrity makeup artists, underpainting involves applying contour and color correcting products before foundation. This creates a more natural dimensional effect where shape-defining elements appear to come from within rather than sitting on top of the skin.

Step-by-Step Approach:

  1. After skincare, apply a gripping primer to ensure longevity
  2. Map out contour areas with a cream product 1-2 shades deeper than the natural skin tone
  3. Apply cream color correctors to address specific concerns (peach for dark circles, green for redness)
  4. Blend thoroughly, then apply a sheer to medium foundation over top
  5. Set only where necessary with translucent powder
  6. Add final dimension with a light application of powder bronzer and blush

This technique requires practice but delivers incredibly natural-looking dimension that photographs beautifully and wears exceptionally well throughout the day.

5. Statement Blush Placement

Blush has moved beyond the apples of the cheeks to make bold statements through unexpected placement. The "sunburn blush" and "draping" techniques continue to evolve with new variations for 2024.

Trending Blush Placements:

  • High Placement: Applied directly under the eye area and blended toward the temples for a lifted effect
  • Bridge Flush: A light application across the bridge of the nose connecting both cheeks for a sun-kissed appearance
  • Forward Placement: Concentrated on the front of the cheekbones for a doll-like, youthful effect
  • Sculpting Drape: Using blush as a contour replacement, sweeping from temples down toward the hollows of the cheeks

Cream and liquid blush formulations dominate this trend, offering the most natural finish and blendability for these unconventional placements. For the most modern approach, layer a powder blush over cream for extended wear and dimension.

Looking Forward

As with all trends, adaptation is key. These looks can be modified to suit different face shapes, skin types, and personal style preferences. The most successful trend interpretations maintain the essence of the look while customizing the execution to enhance the individual's features.

For professional makeup artists, mastering these techniques adds valuable versatility to your service offerings. For beauty enthusiasts, experimenting with these trends offers fresh inspiration to evolve your personal makeup routine.

We'd love to see your interpretations of these seasonal trends! Tag us in your creations on social media for a chance to be featured in our next inspiration gallery.