The Best Beauty Trends of Fashion Month from Designer Runways

As the curtains close on yet another whirlwind fashion month, it’s time to take a look at the trends that graced the runways this season. Beyond the designer collections, this year’s shows featured an array of glamorous beauty looks that both incorporated current fads while also creating new ones. From the audacious to the elegantly understated, the beauty notes at New York, London, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks did not disappoint.

Below, see the most enchanting beauty trends that defined this year’s fashion month. 

Subscribe to Observer’s Lifestyle Newsletter

Fresh, dewy base

Fresh, dewy bases dominated at New York Fashion Week, notably in the Tory Burch and Staud shows. At the former, models like Emily Ratajkowski showed off radiant, luminous skin with minimal makeup, emphasizing a glowing, healthy complexion, which perfectly complemented the ‘clean girl aesthetic’ that remains oh-so-popular on TikTok. 

Bobbi Brown’s makeup artists created fresh, glowing glam for the Staud show, enhancing the models’ natural beauty.  

Rest assured, the ‘clean girl aesthetic’ is not going away anytime soon. 

Abstract eyeliner

Another beauty trend that stood out at NYFW was the prevalence of abstract eyeliner, as demonstrated at shows like Helmut Lang, Eckhaus Latta and Concept Korea. Makeup artists for each brand offered their own unique takes; at Helmut Lang, for example, with a delicate, floating eyeliner, while Eckhaus Latta opted for bolder, thick black lines outlining the eyes and Concept Korea presented a dramatic cat-eye look. 

Thin, floating eyeliners were a favorite at the Helmut Lang show, with each model sporting different colors. 

Makeup artist Daniel Salstrom left his mark on both the Helmut Lang and Eckhaus Latta shows, where he brought the abstract eyeliner trend to life. 

Reminiscent of Julia Fox’s signature eyeshadow style, every model wearing Charm’s at the Concept Korea show exuded a similarly intentionally messy look. 

Wet looks

Similarly, hairstylists unveiled various interpretations of the on-trend wet look. At Chuks Collins and KGL, models flaunted a “fresh out of the shower” appearance. Jason Wu’s show featured models with a clean, meticulously slicked-back hairstyle, showcasing a refined, elevated take on the trend. 

Hairstylist Alejo Gómez brought Chuks Collins’ “sea corals and marine life” inspiration to life, adding an aquatic touch to the runway. 

Hairstylist Diego Miranda achieved the “fresh out of the shower” look using Unite Hair products. 

At the Jason Wu show, Jimmy Paul created the wet, mermaid-core hair look with TRESemmé products. 

Pops of color

While a bright pop of color isn’t exactly a new trend, it always gains momentum for the vibrant spring and summer seasons, as beauty enthusiasts get excited about the warmer weather. While fall is in the air, the runways showing off spring collections didn’t shy away from colorful beauty options. At Ashish, Hector Maclean and Masha Popova, models showcased colorful eyeshadow that added an electrifying yet refreshing dimension to their overall aesthetic. 

Model Rittika Ray stood out in shimmery blue eyeshadow and a sari-inspired gown at the Ashish show. 

Radiating a golden sunset aura with her eyeshadow, model Maria Aio embodies the essence of Hector Maclean’s S/S 2024 “Orlando in Opulence” show. 

While green and blue are bold eyeshadow choices, they certainly fit Masha Popova’s “Monster” show and its avant-garde feel. 

Bleached brows

This season’s LFW vividly captured the resurgence of ‘90s nostalgia, with bleached brows taking center stage at Fashion East and Huishan Zhang. An enduring comeback trend over the past few years, bleached brows add a fierce and fresh element to the runway looks. 

Makeup artist Terry Barber was partial to bleached brows at the Fashion East show this season.

To perfect the subtle space-age theme, makeup artist Jo Frost opted for a bleached brow. 

Slicked-back buns

The sleek and polished slicked-back bun took the spotlight at Edward Crutchley and Roksanda. This trend, favored by current celebrity style icons Sofia Richie and Hailey Bieber, epitomizes enduring elegance. However, it’s the ballerina-inspired twist that truly sets this look apart. Adding a graceful touch, it transforms the already popular slicked-back bun into a sophisticated statement for the season, infusing it with a refined update. This twist is meticulously styled, for a tight, secure appearance that promises a flawless hold throughout the day. 

At the Edward Crutchley show, hairstylist Johanna Cree Brown juxtaposed the clothes’ abstract theme with a refined touch. 

At the Roksanda show, the ballerina-inspired hairstyle was very much in theme. 

Dark smoky eyes

An emphasis on the dark smoky eye was among the dominant beauty trends at Milan Fashion Week, where it was prominently featured at Tom Ford, Luisa Spagnoli and Avavav. Whereas the TikTok-famous clean girl aesthetic was a favorite at NYFW, models at Tom Ford’s Milan show sported a classic smoky eye. Models on the Avavav runway adopted a mussed, “post-cry” effect, creating an even more dramatic result. At Luisa Spagnoli, models wore a uniformed cat-eye liner featuring a thick, straight tail that deviates from the traditional angled liner. 

Consistent with Tom Ford’s luxurious, provocative appeal, makeup artists at the show perfected a sultry smoky eye on models like Tess Breeden. 

Though the classic smoky eye is a look we all know and love, this grunge interpretation of the “crying girl makeup” seamlessly complements Avavav’s niche styles.

In Luisa Spagnoli’s collection, which embodies a “combination of strong attitudes, confidence, and mood-boosting fashion,” the cat-eye liner is the dramatic finishing touch that fully encapsulates this vision. 

Finger waves

A nod to the Roaring Twenties, Milan Fashion Week showcased a captivating revival of finger waves, brilliantly featured at Giorgio Armani and Hui. While London Fashion Week embraced ‘90s nostalgia with the bleached brows trend, Milan transported beauty enthusiasts back to the glamour of the 1920s, as hairstylists drew inspiration from this iconic era and created coifs exuding retro sophistication. 

Hairstylist Roberta Bellazzi created iconic 1920s finger waves on most models at the Giorgio Armani show.

In contrast, Hui ventured into a diverse array of hairstyles and looks, drawing inspiration from popular styles spanning various eras and cultures.

Sleek, short side-parts

Elegantly presented at Jil Sander and Calcaterra, this minimalist hairstyle added a touch of modernity to the runway looks, aligning perfectly with the clean and contemporary aesthetics of both shows. While Gen Z TikTok has been favoring center parts and advocating ditching side-parts over the past few years, it evidently did not take long for this hairstyle to make a comeback. 

Model Lea Haesaert’s understated hairstyle highlighted Jil Sander’s nod to timeless minimalism. 

At the Calcaterra show, the MKS Milano team featured sleek side-parts on most of its models, creating an overall emphasis on polished, refined looks.  

Baby bangs

Curtain bangs and face-framing fringe have been popular for a few years now, gaining traction thanks to viral TikTok and Instagram trends. Yet, baby bangs, characterized by their ultra-short length, dominated the runways at Paris Fashion Week, particularly at Junya Watanabe and Litkovska, while models at Comme des Garçons sported hairpieces styled after Rei Kawakubo’s iconic baby bangs. With its popularity at PFW, it wouldn’t be a surprise if baby bangs emerged as the next audacious viral trend. 

At the Junya Watanabe show, models sported more than just a simple, straight-cut baby bangs—they were artfully cut diagonally, creating a fringe, edgy vibe that matched the show’s dark color-themed aesthetic perfectly. 

At Litkovska, models showcased a clean-cut style with classic straight baby bangs. 

Meanwhile, at the Comme des Garçons show, models showcased straight-cut baby bangs, each with bright-colored hair. 

White eye makeup

While bold makeup is a staple look throughout fashion month, makeup artists at Par Jane and Giambattista Valli went a lighter route, with white eye makeup. This unconventional choice contrasted the usual everyday preference for black mascara and eyeliner, adding a refreshing touch to the runway looks. 

At the Par Jane show, every model wore white mascara, perfectly matching their white dresses in a striking all-white collection. 

At Giambattista Valli, models sported minimal makeup, accentuated by white eyeliner on the lower lash line, complementing the show’s romantic, feminine aesthetic. 

Goth glam

Goth glam made a striking appearance at Paris Fashion Week, particularly on the runways at Christian dior (CHDRY) and Vaquera. 

While models at Dior flaunted an overall clean-girl makeup aesthetic, this was juxtaposed by the makeup artists’ bold choice of faded black lipstick, adding a witchy element to each look. 

At Vaquera, each model donned a more dramatic dark look with black eyeshadow and lipstick, closely resembling the classic goth makeup style with its bold and moody aesthetic.