Scroll To See More Images
Not to sound cliché, but If I plan on re-inventing myself in 2020 (and oh, honey, I do), I can’t expect to be the New Me with the same old makeup looks. 2020’s bold beauty trends are taking over my vision board, so I’ve decided to consult the pros and figure out exactly which ones are worth trying out. I spoke with L’Oréal Paris Celebrity Makeup Artist Sir John — as in, Beyoncé’s makeup artist, as in, I’m about to look fly AF — and he predicted what kinds of glam will be huge this year, plus how to perfect the looks IRL. If you’re in search of a new makeup look to start your year off with a bang, keep scrolling to see why neon liner, vinyl lips, watercolor eyes and more are all trends worth trying.
Bella Gerard.
Neon Cat Eye
Not into eyeshadow? Skip the blending and opt for a bright liner instead. “Neon eyeliner can be a great way to incorporate a pop of color that’s fresh and clean, whether you want just a simple line to accentuate the eye or opt for a more graphic shape,” says Sir John. To get the job done, I carefully carved out the teeniest of flicks using the
ColourPop Crème Gel Liner in “Electric Daisy” ($6), and while out of my comfort zone, I admit I kind of loved it.
I loaded on the L’Oreal Paris Bambi Eye Mascara ($10) and kept things simple with a nude lip, courtesy of the Flesh Beauty Hot Sauce Lip Gloss in “Steamed Blurry” ($18), but Sir John had some advice I’ll keep in mind for next time. “You can pair this with nude tones, but you don’t have to go only neutral with this,” he insists. “If you want to make it more of a color play, you can opt for a monochromatic look and find other ways to bring in similar tones. For example, a hot pink eyeliner with a wash of similar-toned pink blush or lip.” Noted!
Bella Gerard.
Patent Leather Lips
Your girl was all about a good gloss in 2019, but in 2020, the look becomes even more extreme. Picture an ultra-glossy, vinyl-like finish, with a bold pop of color for good measure. “To get that color-drenched, shiny lip, I recommend starting your base with a lip liner all over. This acts as a primer for the lips, so the color can be built on top of it,” advises Sir John, so I reached for my L’Oreal Colour Riche Matte Lip Liner in “Matte in Manhattan” ($9).
“From there, I recommend an ultra-shiny, no-sparkle lip color,” he says, and the Stila Shine Fever Lip Vinyl in “Hot Pursuit” ($24) checks all the right boxes. I paired the super-shiny red lip with a glam eye using the Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Eyeshadow Palette in “Queen of Glow” ($53), and voila. While definitely not kiss-proof, my look was major nonetheless. Catch me recreating this one every single Saturday night.
Bella Gerard.
Watercolor Eyes
Ready to get artsy? “Similar to Jules from Euphoria, we’re really going to see a resurgence of washes of ethereal tones and colors reminiscent of the ‘70s,” predicts Sir John. “More color and expression, whether that’s through warm tones or pastel shadows, will be incorporated,” he adds, and honey, he had me at pastels. Before attempting this look, I primed my face and eyelids with the Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Blurring Primer ($38) to ensure my base was smooth and even since I knew I’d be taking my shadows above my brows.
Then, I applied ~artistic smears~ of the Fenty Beauty Snap Shadow Palette in “8 Pastel Frost” ($25) on and around my eyes until satisfied. It’s not the most wearable look, but wow, is it pretty. To add some life to my lips but not distract from my pastel eyes, I settled on the Dior Lip Glow in “001 Pink Glow” ($34). This is one look I’ll most definitely be recreating come festival season.
Ahead, shop everything you’ll need to recreate these looks.
Bella Gerard.
Glowing Skin
Glitter is over—take it from Sir John himself. “Fresh and hydrated skin will be what’s to come for 2020,” he says. Skip the sparkle and opt for liquid products with glossy sheens, and don’t forget to choose wisely when it comes to your base. “Foundations with self-refreshing technology that are built not just for longevity, but also designed to resist against humidity and sweat throughout the day, will be more and more prominent,” he offers, so I grabbed the new Revlon Candid Glow Foundation ($11) ASAP.
Next, I used a beauty sponge to dab the Kevyn Aucoin Glass Glow Face Liquid Highlighter in “Prism Rose” ($32) on the high points of my and onto my lids for a warm, pinky glaze. I finished off the look with the Kosas Wet Lip Oil Gloss in “Jellyfish” ($27), and believe me, I was feeling fresh AF. Turns out, when the glow is good, you hardly miss glitter at all.
Bella Gerard.
White Floating Liner
Another look Jules would most definitely approve of plays on a combination of two big trends: floating eyeliner and the color white. Rather than applying liner along the lash line, creating a semi-circle above your crease can give your go-to glam new life — plus, it’s way easier than trying to get your usual eyeliner placement just right. “I love a floating liner since it works for all eye shapes, and is simple to do by just following the groove of the eye socket,” says Sir John, who is especially into the look with a pop of white.
“White opens and defines the eye without the heaviness of your typical black as a go-to,” he says, and with that in mind, I knew the Marc Jacobs Fineliner Ultra-Skinny Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner in “(Big)Eyes!” ($25) would be my tool of choice. I first applied the Sephora Collection Colorful Eyeshadow in “Surfin USA” ($8) to my lids, then went in with my liner to create both the floating line and a few cloud-like accents for good measure. I kept my skin even with the Lune + Aster Real Glow Skin Tint ($52), to ensure a canvas my eyes could really pop against.
Colourpop.
For Neon Cat Eye:
L’Oreal Paris.
For Neon Cat Eye:
Flesh Beauty.
For Neon Cat Eye:
Stila Cosmetics.
For Patent Leather Lips:
Charlotte Tilbury.
For Patent Leather Lips:
L’Oreal Paris.
For Patent Leather Lips:
Fenty Beauty.
For Watercolor Eyes:
Dior.
For Watercolor Eyes:
Laura Mercier.
For Watercolor Eyes:
Kevyn Aucoin.
For Glowing Skin:
Kosas.
For Glowing Skin:
Revlon.
For Glowing Skin:
Marc Jacobs Beauty.
Lune + Aster.
Sephora.
Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.