2020 has been an intriguing year in makeup, from learning to glam up under a face mask to trends showing incredible innovation with colour and texture, there has never been a dull moment this year. We are towards the close of 2020, which means it is time to start looking back at the best (and ‘meh’) moments in makeup all year. While we would never pick favorites, because all trends have their own unique story and charm, we do have some absolute faves and some we can do without. Check them out and let us know if you agree with our picks!
Best makeup trends of 2020
First up, the makeup trends we loved…
- ‘No makeup’ makeup
- Graphic liner
- Colour play
- The TikTok aesthetic
- Mismatched eyes
- Permanent makeup
- Embellished makeup
- Brow extreme
- Pierced nails
- Filling the waterline
‘No makeup’ makeup
Image courtesy: @aliabhatt
There are two ways fresh-looking skin reigned supreme in 2020 - one is actually product-free skin that relies on a great skincare routine to achieve. The second is the ‘no makeup’ makeup look, which while minimal, relies on excellent skin prep and a flawlessly blended base for sheer coverage. We love both; they let your natural skin show. But the latter fares a bit better because you get to be creative with how you use makeup to subtly enhance your features without being too obvious, and that’s fun!
Graphic liner
Image courtesy: @ortalelimeleh1
Whether it is a floating crease liner or a skilfully drawn wingtip, graphic liners showed a lot of promise this year. It is innovative, dramatic and instantly upgrades your makeup game. Our insta feeds all year were flooded with designs and shapes we thought were only possible on canvas, but we were delighted to be proven wrong. The best perk of this trend is that all you need is a quality liner and a steady hand to achieve it… we definitely approve of this one.
Colour play
Image courtesy: @leahbaines_mua
From glossy aquamarine eyes to pigmented cherry red hues used for draping, the use of colour in makeup was such a treat to watch this year. Replacing nude or rich tones for everyday makeup, the norm is to throw in a pop of colour here and there, even if you are just running errands for the day. It looks stunning and is so fun to do!
The TikTok aesthetic
Image courtesy: @themermaidscales
TikTok was more than just an app this year. It gave us countless makeup and skincare hacks and trends that are too many to name now. Usually centred around creating shapes, where it is cloudy eyeshadow or cherry cheeks, TikTok’s ever-changing makeup trends always kept us on toes. Plus, they are all so adorable, we can’t help but drool over them.
Mismatched eyes
Image courtesy: @apexshaaaa
There are a couple of ways you can do mismatched eyes, but two looks tend to be the most - two different pigmented colours on each eye or a couple of pastel hues to create separate watercolour looks for each eye. Regardless of what you choose to do, we think this trend is fab either way.
Worst makeup trends of 2020
Now, for the makeup trends we can do without…
Permanent makeup
Image courtesy: @newfacebychristine
This was the year when permanent makeup got a lot of attention. Lip blushing procedures are in demand and microblading became just another day at the clinic for some frequent beauty enthusiasts. And while these procedures are safely done by technicians and have their obvious benefits of enhancing one’s features, the risks outweigh the perks for us. It takes a lot of commitment to take care of something like a lip blushing tattoo, that frankly we can do without.
Embellished makeup
Image courtesy: @olgadann
Blame shows like Euphoria for catapulting embellished and bejeweled makeup looks to the mainstream. Don’t get us wrong, we’d definitely love to experiment with it for our upcoming party season Insta posts, but as a trend it is too tricky to translate to real life. Diamante and other aesthetic beading can do some serious damage to your skin, especially if you are not well-versed with using them.
Brow extreme
Image courtesy: @_empty_alien
Even though eyebrows got a lot of attention this year, we are willing to push boundaries only to a limit. Big feathered brows are hard enough to do, and pull off; extreme spikey brows (with slits!) is something we wouldn't want to put our brows through!
Pierced nails
Image courtesy: @ajackdannie
Piercing natural nails can significantly damage their health - leading to chipping and breakage. Which is why the only way we would even consider trying it is via press-on nails that can be removed later. Or else, we are sticking to adding bling to our manicure with glitter and gold!
Filling the waterline
Image courtesy: @leahbaines_mua
Filling a pigmented colour right on the waterline is something we have never been a fan of. Even though this coloured eyeliner looks edgy, we’d recommend staying out of the waterline to avoid irritating your eyes too much.
Main image courtesy: @shwetabhintade, @josecorella
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Written by Sumona Bose on Nov 25, 2020
Sumona Bose is a writer, skincare junkie and a self-professed makeup connoisseur. Equipped with a Master's degree in Fashion Management and over 3 years of experience writing in the beauty and fashion space, her passion for learning new things has no bounds. Working closely with dermatologists, beauty excerpts, makeup artists and hairstylists, she brings you the best of all things beauty. From trending skincare ingredients to makeup looks that help you slay, she manages to bring something new (and vital!) to our readers every single time. Her hobbies include home workouts, watching foreign films and binge-watching makeover shows!