The Pros Have Spoken: These Are Fall’s Biggest Makeup Trends

Hughes — a celeb-loved makeup artist and founder of KJH.brand — predicts that an “I’m cold” flush is going to own the upcoming months. Picture the look of the rosy cheeks you get after a walk outside in chilly temps.

“I’m loving super blushed skin, almost like you've been on a nice brisk walk,” she says. And Sabrina Carpenter, for one, is a repeat fan of the flirty vibe.

Gray, a Nashville-based makeup artist who works with celebs like Kristin Cavallari and Lily Aldridge, predicts that “French girl” vibes are on the way.

“Minimal face and eye makeup with a pop of a deep, fall-colored lip is going to be very in,” she says. “This still ties in with the ‘clean girl’ makeup aesthetic, but with a fall twist.”

Move over, pink and peach-toned blush — plum is the newest it-shade for the fall season.

“I am obsessed with plum-toned blush for fall,” says Gray. “I think it’s such an interesting, moody color, and it really looks amazing on everyone.”

The creamy Makeup By Mario Soft Pop Blush Stick in Plumberry ($32) is one option to shop (shown in the photo above), and the NARS Talc-Free Powder Blush in Infatuated ($34) is the perfect layering essential to set and intensify the look.

For fall 2024, the girlies are letting their clump-heavy grunge mascaras and XXL faux lashes collect dust.

“Mascara will lean more to a minimal, defined rather look than clumpy,” says Dreadon, a Los Angeles-based makeup guru who has glammed stars like Angelina Jolie and the members of BLACKPINK.

For a low-key lash look à la Kendall and Kylie Jenner, she points to the MCoBeauty XtendLash ($19) — which, ICYWW, is Australia’s best-selling mascara.

1980s-era energy is at an all-time high — especially in the makeup world.

“Metallic makeup is on my radar for the fall season — we are entering into a chic, ’80s glam era,” says Hughes. “Think hyper-shiny highlights, glossy eyelids, and frosted metallic textures on the lips.”

To rock the trend, try multi-purpose chromatic pigments from Danessa Myricks Beauty — like the Infinite Chrome Flakes Multichrome Gels ($26) — or the e.l.f. Cosmetics Duochrome Liquid Eyeshadows ($8).

Whether you’re going for a ’90s contoured lip or an espresso-inspired glam moment, one thing is for certain: chocolate-hued lip liners are here to stay. And Sewell, a celeb makeup artist and founder of Makeup by Kelli Anne, is a fan of the look for the fall months ahead.

“I’m always a fan of M.A.C. Cork Lip Pencil — it’s that perfect rich brown. I also love the SKKN by Kim 09, 11, and 12 liners for the fall, they are all so rich and gorgeous,” she says. Her tip? “Use a small blending brush to diffuse the pigment and soften the edges.”

All makeup gurus are *obsessed* with highlighters for the upcoming season.

“When skin feels more dehydrated in the fall, it's the best time to bring out those highlighters,” says Hughes. “I love to use my KJH.brand Hyper Shine Lite Pigment in Lite Copper or Lite Bronze to create a beautiful rich glow on the skin.”

Gray believes that unique colors in particular will be popular. “I think fun shades of highlighter will come back this fall,” she says. “The Catrice Cosmetics Space Glam Holo Highlighter is a beautiful vegan option that makes you look like a fairy.”

Dreadon has a pro tip for application: “Use satin pigments to pop the brow bone and inner corner of the eyes without the blinding or glittery highlights,” she says.

While there will always be a place in your makeup bags for black and brown liners, Hughes tells Bustle that fall-inspired colors — like rusty browns and forest greens — will be major in the coming months.

Alongside those earthy tones, the Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Gel Eyeliner in Compassion ($19), a rich burgundy, as well as the r.e.m. beauty At The Borderline Gel Eyeliner Pencil in flower power ($19), a pumpkin orange, both add a gorgeous pop.

Recently, the look of blurred lips has been at the forefront, with viral brands like REFY getting in on the vibes with their newest Lip Blur Liner ($24) launch. Sewell agrees that the subtly overlined look will continue to dominate through fall 2024.

“I think we will see a lot of muted lips again,” she says. “We’ll still see a lot of lip and cheek products, but applied loosely and in a more fluid way. Think French style makeup applied in a diffused, sheer way with no harsh lines.”

Gray is convinced that one Chinese-inspired glam technique in particular will have its main character moment in the coming months.

“For fall 2024, I am obsessed with Douyin-style makeup, which is a very ethereal eye with blush tones and very intentionally placed eyeshadow,” she says. “This eyeshadow style can also blend into the blush for a really beautiful effect.” Hello, coquette vibes.

Beloved by A-listers like Sydney Sweeney, “berry girl” makeup is very much in style for the cozy months ahead. “Berry-colored, bitten-looking lips are perfect for fall,” says Dreadon.

Hughes is on the same page, pointing to mauve tones specifically. “I’m loving a rich, pillowy looking pout. It’s the perfect soft whisper of fall color.” Perfectly speaking to the trend, her brand so happens to have a new Soft Smudge Lip + Cheek launch in the shade Soft Berry for a whisper of color.

Warm tones will always be associated with the autumn season — but Dreadon is making the case for cooler colors, too.

“Cool tones for fall and winter will be huge,” she says. “Eyes will feature greige, smoky grays, and cool-toned browns. And if it's a neutral lip, it's definitely more of a beige with a cool base.”

In line with the more imperfect blurred lip trend, undone glam is on the rise, too.

“I think we are leaning towards makeup that demands attention with bold features highlighted, but is not perfect,” says Sewell. “People are dissolving their filler, letting their skin shine through their makeup, using discoloration under the eyes as contour, [and] embracing a natural fluffy brow.” Consider it the brat girl effect.

Skin tends to get drier as the seasons change, but fall will feature visible hydration in all of the right places.

While Gray says semi-matte skin will be buzzy, she notes hydration will come through in other ways. “For fall 2024, I think satin, ethereal skin with a luminous-matte balance is going to be most popular,” she tells Bustle. “It will be pearly in the right places — like the high points of the face — and have a soft-matte, filter-like quality to the rest of the skin.”

Eyebrow trends have gone rogue in recent years, moving from super skinny to bleached — but this season, a more “old money” arch is the move. Think defined but not overly fluffy.

“Brows are more refined — not pencil-thin, but not full and bushy either,” says Dreadon. “Use soft products, like shadow or brow pencils, to fill the gaps and add length to create the groomed effect.”

With recent beauty launches like the Kylie Cosmetics Smokey Palette ($32) and the re-release of the OG Urban Decay Naked Palette, it’s no surprise that smoky eyes will define fall — though Sewell makes the case for more straightforward versions of the look.

“Smoky eyes will resurge, but be much more minimalistic and simple to apply,” she says. “Think shadow sticks, grounded earthy tones, bold smudged liner, and a good black mascara.”