The 80s are back – along with blue eyeshadow. Here’s how to pull it off

As always, the couture fashion shows have pushed the make-up boundaries and made us rethink our staid routines. It’s the fantasy element that dazzles and inspires, like the Maison Margiela Couture Spring/Summer 2024 show with the porcelain doll-like make-up crafted by the one and only Pat McGrath. She said, “Skin is coated in a hyper-shiny glaze, mimicking the smooth, reflective quality of glass.” Try Kryolan Liquid Glass, $25, for a glassy finish over your foundation and blush-enhanced cheeks.

If blue eyeshadow is a little too much, try a navy kohl or midnight blue mascara.Credit: Diego Uchitel/Trunk Archive/Snapper Images

There were many tricks we learnt in 2023. “Cloud skin” focused on underpainting and palette-perfect skin, while foody-inspired pigment trends – think cherry lips, latte, strawberry and tomato girl make-up – got us feeling happy about experimenting with colour again. Blue will be big, with searches for “blue eyeshadow aesthetic” and “aqua make-up” on Pinterest on the up. If blue eyeshadow is a little too much, try a navy kohl, such as Hourglass eyeliner in Ocean Floor, $36, or midnight blue mascara (Shiseido ControlledChaos MascaraInk in Sapphire Spark, $40) for a little pop of lash colour.

Glossy lips are also centre stage, with the rim of the lips lined in a nude a few shades deeper than your natural lip colour. This is then blended into the centre of your lip and finished with a coating of lip oil. Try Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil, $62. “Ballet core beauty” is all about minimalism. Well-prepped skin with lots of moisture (try SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel, $142) is a must to pull off this trend. It requires a light base such as a tinted moisturiser or even concealer--only coverage. For inspiration go to @maryphillips on Instagram. Try Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear All Over Concealer, $60 applied to the hot zones, such as under the eyes or around the base of the nose, to cover any redness. Next, add artfully placed highlighter on the highpoints of the face and a glossy, pink-based liquid blush that slides from the eyelids around to the cheeks. On the waterline of the eyes, try a nude or beige eyeliner; our all-time favourite is L’Oréal Paris Grip Mechanical Gel Eyeliner in Infallible ($11), to make eyes look bigger, brighter and fresher.

Finish with two coats of brown mascara on lashes, while on lips opt for a clear gloss. Boom and you’re right on point.

Nineties neutral make-up is still strongly referenced but, moving into winter, try one of my favourite trends: chocolate-brown eyeshadow in a matte finish edged by a dark-brown eyeliner with soft upward wings.

Finally, for your 2024 arsenal, get playful with red everywhere: from the always classic bright, bold, red lip (a killer colour) and nothing else, or a cherry smoky eye with black kohl on the waterline and buckets of black mascara.

Ask Steph

How can I make my nails grow faster?
Normal nail growth is around two to three millimetres each month until the age of 40, when growth slows to one millimetre. To help keep nails healthy, buff them gently and regularly to boost blood flow to the matrix and massage oil into the cuticle daily. Try Mavaderma, $23.

Send questions via Instagram, @mrssdarling.

Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday.