The top autumn beauty trends

Summer is officially over (*sad face*) but at bh, we’re all for looking on the bright side of life - which means welcoming autumn with open arms and moving on to the next big thing in beauty!

We’ve seen a plethora of exciting new beauty trends lately (as well as the resurgence of a few older looks). Some of them you’ll love, others not so much - but if you ask me, the change of season spells the perfect time to take a beauty risk or two…

1. Bold, black eyeliner

This season, we’re taking our eyeliner cues from the red carpet and the runway. For an effortlessly cool, laid-back look, we love Pat McGrath’s glimmering eye look for Roberto Cavalli, which she created by lining the eyes heavily with black pencil, then buffing a shimmery cream shadow on top with a fluffy shadow brush. Need to look a little more polished? Move over, Adele - Kerry Washington is our new winged liner crush. Learn how to emulate her strong Oscars eye look here.

Get the look: Eye of Horus Liquid Define in ‘Black’, Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow in ‘Slate’

RELATED: Become an eyeliner aficionado

2. Glitter everywhere

You’ve probably already caught on to the coloured freckles and glitter tears trend, seen everywhere from the red carpet (Suki Waterhouse) to the runway (Burberry). It’s definitely not for everyone - but you have to admit it’s perfect timing in the wake of Mardi Gras! For a slightly subtler look, we can’t go past the glitter cut crease trend that took over Instagram last week:

Top tip: For an eye look involving glitter, skip to the fun (aka glittery) part first. Haley Wright (seen above), explains why: "We're using glitter, and there's going to be fallout no matter what you do, so I like to start with eyes… So I can wipe it away and then put my foundation on, and it won't look like a sparkly mess." Noted.

Get the look: Chi Chi Glitter Eye Liner, Bodyography Luster Lux Glitter Pigments

3. Blunt haircuts

Thinking of experimenting with a new ‘do? Creative Director of Royals Hair & Beauty Mary Alamine says “medium-length hair, cut blunt to the collarbone” is the style to watch. We’re looking at celebs such as Jennifer Lawrence, who’s sleek, modern Oscars mane spoke serious volume. Mary recommends finishing the style with a “good, powerful blow-dryer” - ideally “one with a brushless motor, as it generates fewer hotspots”.

Get the look: VS Sassoon 3Q High Performance Dryer  - VSP3QA, Paul Mitchell The Shine

4. Men’s hair: Length on top

According to Mary, the latest ‘it’ haircut for men involves “keeping length on top”. To stop it looking scruffy, the volume is balanced out by a “short and sharp [cut] on the back and sides” - and for an even cleaner look, the expert recommends styling the lengthy top section “really straight and slicked back”. If your bro/bf/best guy friend responds more to visual cues, show him these sexy pics of Ben Affleck and Tom Hardy. ‘Nuff said.

Get the look: Remington High Precision Haircut Kit HC1091AU, De Lorenzo Elements Motion Styling Mousse

RELATED: Date night hairstyles for your man

5. Vampy lips

This trend has been doing the red carpet rounds for quite a while now (it had a major moment at the Oscars), but I’m the first to admit it seemed a tad high-maintenance for summer. Autumn, on the other hand, could be considered the perfect time to embrace the slightly somber, but very sexy lip look. The moody hue has been described as prune, dark, dark red and bordeaux - essentially this means a darker shade of red with a purple undertone. Just make sure to line your lips first to stop the colour bleeding (yuck).

Get the look: Designer Brands Longwear Lipstick in ‘Perfect Plum’, Ulta3 Lip Liner in ‘Plum’

6. Finger waves

When it comes to styles for your hair, retro finger waves have had a big runway resurgence at Marc Jacobs, Gucci, Prada and Salvatore Ferragamo - and it’s good news for those who take a lazier approach to their beauty look. Why? Well, instead of fully styling your mane Great Gatsby-style, this version showcases just one small section for a simpler yet still so #ontrend look. As styling guru Guido Palau put it to allure.com, "It's a very set look, but it’s something that girls at home could do with just one wave.” The ‘S Wave’ technique works perfectly for this style, and can be achieved with your good old hair straightener. No new tools required!

RELATED: How to create perfect, Hollywood waves

7. Matching make-up

You may have heard matching your make-up to your outfit is a big no-no, but Rachel McAdams and Olivia Munn have shown it’s definitely doable with their magnificently matched Oscars make-up looks. Olivia’s tangerine lip took her bright dress to new heights, while Rachel’s gorgeous blue-green eyeliner was the perfect finishing touch to her ensemble. The lesson here? Be it bright orange or soft lilac, if you love a colour, don’t be afraid to embrace it from head-to-toe!

Get the look: Eyeliner or lipstick in whichever hue best matches your outfit!
 

Will you be trying any of these trends for autumn? What’s your go-to beauty look right now?