2024 was a great year for makeup. We saw so many fun trends take centre stage, from blue eyeshadow to cranberry lips and grunge core galore. After what felt like years of more minimal looks, it was definitely the year to play around and inject some colour into your everyday beauty routine. However, what’s in store for 2025?
As a beauty editor, I’ve been curious to know whether next year will be another standout year for us makeup lovers, and I’m keen to prep my makeup bag for January and beyond. So, in order to get ahead, I reached out to two incredible experts to get their take on the biggest makeup trends for 2025. Who are these experts, I hear you ask? I spoke to none other than Jamie Genevieve, makeup artist and founder of Vieve, and Naoko Scintu, makeup artist and expert for Dolce and Gabbana Beauty. Trust me when I say that these are the people to ask when it comes to trending beauty looks.
So, if you’re curious to hear what makeup trends both experts recommend for the year ahead, keep on scrolling for all of their amazing insights, and don’t forget to shop my product recommendations in order to try out the looks for yourself…
6 of the Biggest Makeup Trends for 2025, According to Experts
1. Matte Is Back
This trend might be a little controversial, but matte makeup looks are back in a big way for 2025. “It’s going to be more about a matte finish,” says Scintu. “But not completely matte, [this trend] has evolved. The Dolce & Gabbana Everlast Foundation still gives a luminous finish, so you get the best of both worlds.” Genevieve agrees, saying that 2025 will see a big focus on matte lips, too. “I can already see soft-touch matte lips breaking into our routines, but long gone are the days of drying liquid lipsticks. We’re talking hydrating, blurring formulas that still last on the lips without the dryness or cracking.”
If matte lips aren’t your thing, why not mix things up and opt for a matte base with a glossy lip? Alternatively, you can opt for glowy skin with a matte lipstick to incorporate the trend into your look.
Get the Look:
Dolce & Gabbana
Everlast Foundation Spf 20
As mentioned by Scintu, this foundation gives more of a 3D matte finish alongside a smoothing effect.
Vieve
Modern Matte Lipstick
If matte lips are more your thing, you can’t go wrong with this lipstick from Vieve. It gives a stylish matte finish while hydrating the lips.
2. Return of the Contour
Speaking of throwback beauty trends that are making a comeback, according to Genevieve, contouring is back for 2025. “Contour was huge in 2017, and it has stuck around to an extent, but I can see the rise in sculpting and enhancing natural features once more,” she says. “It’s less about how we can alter [the look of] our bone structure, and more about enhancing what we have.”
This is definitely a prevalent trend in the beauty industry, not only in makeup, but skincare too. This year I’ve seen a rise in sculpting skincare tools, so it’s no surprise that people are also wanting to create this naturally sculpted look with their makeup. As Genevieve says, this trend has evolved over the years and now it’s all about enhancing our features, and I love to use both cream and powder bronzing products to do this. Focus on applying these products to the cheekbones, jawline and temples for a contoured effect.
Get the Look:
Vieve
Modern Radiance Cream Bronzer
If you like cream products for contouring, I highly recommend this bronzer.
Kevyn Aucoin
The Sculpting Powder
A great powder option from Kevyn Aucoin.
3. Eyes or Lips
2024 was all about maximalist beauty, and we saw a lot of people opting for both a bold eye look and a statement lip. However, according to Scintu, this year we’re going to see people opting for one or the other. “It’s going to be about a pop of colour on the lip or on the eye. [However], I think it’s more either or, instead of both,” she says.
I don’t know about you, but I think a simple coating of mascara paired with a bright lipstick looks incredibly chic, and it also means that your makeup will be a whole lot quicker to do in the morning.
Get the Look:
Dolce & Gabbana
My Comfy Matte Lip Stylo
I’ll be adding this shade to my basket ASAP.
Rare Beauty
Lip Soufflé Matte Lip Cream
4. Blush Blindness
Yes, 2024 was all about blusher, but it seems that this trend is going nowhere in 2025. “The bolder and brighter the blush, the better,” says Genevieve. “There’s something so playful about this trend that I just love, and it’s become almost as statement as wearing a bold lip or smokey eye.”
As someone who tends to shy away from bold lipsticks or heavy eye makeup, I love using blusher to bring a little bit of fun to my makeup. Both powder and cream formulas are great, but I personally love using a cream blusher to give that juicy, dewy-looking finish.
Get the Look:
Westman Atelier
Baby Cheeks Blush Stick
This is one of my favourite blushers of all time.
The perfect pop of colour.
5. All About That Base
In 2025, there is going to be a big focus on base makeup. Most importantly, fresh base makeup that promotes a healthier complexion. “Next year, we’re going to see fresh skin. Whether it’s glowy or matte, it’s all about that beautiful, fresh finish,” says Scintu.
Genevieve agrees, adding that it’s important to consider the ingredients in your makeup in order to optimise your skin health. “Think barrier protecting ingredients like peptides and ceramides and the absence of any harsher ingredients,” she explains.
There is definitely a greater interest in what ingredients people are using on their skin. Luckily for us, so many brands are bringing out hybrid products that still make it look as if you are wearing makeup while also providing lots of skincare benefits.
Get the Look:
Dolce & Gabbana
Blueberry Nutri Tint Hydro Glow & Fresh Skin Tint
With hydrating glycerin and antioxidant-rich blueberry, this fresh skin tint will be your new best friend.
Anastasia Beverly Hills
Beauty Balm Serum Boosted Skin Tint
As the name suggests, this skin tint cares for your complexion with hyaluronic acid and nourishing plant extracts including jojoba seed, shea butter, marula and coconut.
6. Express Yourself
Arguably the most important beauty trend of the year, Genevieve says 2025 is all tailoring your makeup to suit you. “Instead of copying and pasting trends onto our faces, I can see us taking the essence of these trends and making them work for how we want to express ourselves,” she says. It’s the year to embrace your unique beauty and use makeup as an extension of this, and I for one am here for it.
Finding products that you like in shades that flatter your skin tone and enhance your features can help make you feel more confident when playing around with makeup. Whenever I’m unsure on what to go for, I love popping into my local Boots or Space NK to see the products in real life and swatch different shades on the back of my hand.
