Eyes are dramatic. Sore, sleepy, tired, crying—makeup trends from TikTok to the runway are emphasizing emotion over adornment. The natural dewy look will never go completely out of fashion, but right now, it’s cooler to play with colour, be bold, and have fun showing a different face to the world.
One hue showing up with a whole new character is red. Paint it on your lips, by all means, but—and this is likely the last feature you would expect to turn crimson—it’s the eyes that are seeing red this season. Lids, lashes, and, more interestingly, beneath the eyes, too.
Dior has embraced the idea, its creative makeup director Peter Philips responding to a surge of interest, most pronounced in Asian markets, for shadow and lash colours that create a sense of heightened emotion (yes, that crying eye). Likewise, Chanel has not only plumped for red mascara but also offers an eyeshadow palette that runs from terracotta to vermilion, designed to be used above, below, and beyond the eye.
We took inspiration from these new shades and viral trends to create our own look, exploring how to use makeup as an expression of emotion, pushing it to show the power available to us when we wield a makeup brush.
To achieve a similar look, take a small dome-shaped fluffy eyeshadow brush with natural bristles and deposit the colour beneath the eye in circular motions, patting on the pigment to the degree of intensity you choose. We used three shades in different intensities. The deepest colour saturation should be at the end of the lash line, to give you plenty of powder to draw across the face. Begin blending the edges, slowly pushing it out across the cheekbone and onto the cheek. You could take it up onto the temple—find what works for you—before softening the edges with a blush brush.
Try a softer shade on the upper lid—we used a warm brown from Guerlain—and a slick of brick-red mascara. Take the lips deep or keep the focus completely on those red-rimmed eyes by using a neutral.
The key to this look, as always, is to play with it, practise, and find the emotional resonance that best suits you. Cold, fiery, exhausted, or weepy—a sweep of the perfect powder in the right place can change everything about how your look reflects the way you feel today.
Cheeks and under eyes: Dior eye makeup palette, 001 Mitzah Edition. Upper lids: Guerlain Ombres G eyeshadow quad, 518 Summer Jean. Lashes: Chanel mascara, 958 Caractère. Lips: Rouge Hermès satin lipstick, 18 Rose Encens.
Makeup by Maxine Munson. Hair by Erin Klassen. Model: Elena Hu for Family Management.
Read more from our Spring 2023 issue.
