2019 is here, and the makeup and skincare worlds are set to be transformed with six big, bold new trends. The key word for the New Year? Drama in all forms, from pops of neon eye makeup, to glitter in all forms, to flawless, poreless skin, that’s perfect enough to resemble porcelain or glass.
Get the inside look at the six biggest makeup and skincare trends that will create a bold, bright new world for consumers in 2019.
Glass Skin
Poreless, glowing, flawless, luminous…the Korean beauty ideal of “glass skin” will continue to be the look for consumers in 2019. Glass skin is a complexion that is as smooth, even, and translucent as glass, and is a beauty aspiration for consumers around the globe.
With the glass skin trend so heavily leaning on skin’s health and vitality, it’s no wonder Vogue UK reported that at New York Fashion Week, “Skincare products took up as much space backstage as the make-up did… letting moisturised complexions and balmy cheekbones really shine.”
For formulators, the glass skin trend will mean products featuring multipurpose skincare ingredients like glycolic acid will continue to be the stars of the skincare show in 2019. With an ability to battle breakouts, slough off dead skin cells, and even out complexions, glycolic acid based products will continue to be highly desired by consumers to help them create that perfect, “just back from the facialist,” glass complexion.
Glitter and Glimmer
Whether it’s intricate layers of the continually consumer-beloved glitter eyeshadow (there’s currently over 655.7k #glittermakeup posts on Instagram) or the rose gold foil lips showing up on runway models at Jeremy Scott’s last show, the shimmering, shiny trend of glitter makeup looks set to simply explode in 2019.
Expect to see traditional flecks of glitter in trending makeup looks – and the creative use of other shimmery, glinting materials. In 2019, rhinestones, adhesive jewels, gold leaf, and pigment eye shadow used without a binder will all help consumers bring the glitter, glimmer, and glam into their daily makeup looks.
For 2019, it looks like Harper’s Bazaar is right: “The glitter trend may never die.”
Ruby Red Lips
The classic red lip never goes out of style, but 2019 boosts the drama of this perennial trend by reverting back to classic old Hollywood glamour – and the 1980s – with scarlet and ruby-toned red lips.
An eye-catching lipstick color like this requires a perfectly smooth and moisturized pout, no flaky or chapped lips allowed. That means 2019 will also see trending lip products like lip exfoliators, masks, and balms featuring moisture-imparting emollients like olive oil in especially high demand from consumers.
In fact, experts predict the global lip care market will grow to reach a value of $2.3 billion USD by 2023, and exhibit a CAGR of 3.6% during 2018-2023, thanks to growing awareness of consumers about the importance of maintaining lip health for cosmetic reasons.
In short, with dramatic ruby red lips set to steal the beauty spotlight in 2019, consumers will need lots of moisturizing, hydrating lip care products to perfect their puckers.
Matte Skin
The unstoppable growth of the skincare market will continue to surge forward in 2019, with the matte skin trend coming to the forefront of our global skincare obsession. Matte skin is skin free of oil or dewiness and has a light, velvety finish and look. Matte skin looks soft, “naturally” free of imperfections, and has a “strategic warmth” that consumers and designers are gravitating towards for next year.
“I think matte skin will always be around because it looks good. You know, skin looks really smooth when it’s matte. If there is any imperfection and you make that matte and you kind of soften it a little bit in… it looks much better,” said celebrity makeup artist Pablo Rodriguez in an interview on the matte skin trend in 2019 with Ad Versus.
Also dubbing the matte look “your skin but better,” this trend resides almost fully on properly cared for and maintained skin – which means the matte makeup trend will work in tandem with skincare in 2019.
With this in mind, expect to see multifunctional skincare products the heroes of 2019, with a focus on items like facial oils, serums, and retexturizing kits that can provide that velvety, matte finish to the skin.
“I think matte skin will always be around because it looks good. You know, skin looks really smooth when it’s matte. If there is any imperfection and you make that matte and you kind of soften it a little bit in… it looks much better.”
Pablo Rodriguez
Neon Eyeshadows and Mascaras
Hot pink, traffic cone orange, shockingly bold green, neon cobalt blue – these are the shocking Crayola colors set to transform eyeshadows, eyeliners, and mascaras in 2019.
While 2018 was all about neutral eye makeup in tones of pinks, peaches, and smoke, the neon eye makeup trend is about outrageously bright colored eye makeupr, applied in bold sweeps, in “fun, unexpected looks and color combinations,” like bright blue and yellow.
The bold neon eye makeup trend is practically designed for image-oriented social media like Instagram and Pinterest – and consumers are already delighting in trying out these attention-grabbing pops of color on their eyelids.
Smoky, Messy Cat Eyes
The classic cat eye, defined by dramatic flicked eyeliner, is set to get messy in 2019. While the traditional cat eye is all about perfectly applied eyeliner and layered eyeshadows, the 2019 cat eye will be smoky and smudgy.
Instead of the typical, steady lines and delicate angles that make up a classic cat eye, this revamped messy cat eye will be all about “a lived-in-I’ve-been-dancing-in-this-makeup-all-day look,” according to The Cut.
To score this look, eyeshadows will have to be smudged, swirled, and swept across the eyelid, rather than perfectly angled in. Similarly, liquid and gel liners will have to be smudged, instead of drawn across the lid.
This imperfect, smoky twist on the cat eye is expected to lead to a consumer increase in innovative eye makeup products that can be used with their fingers – not just makeup brushes.
As we head into the bold new landscape of 2019, formulators can build upon the consumer desire for luxe skin, shimmery makeup, bright pops of color, and an overall embracing of imperfection to create the most innovative – and exciting – new makeup and skincare items yet.
