How the experts are doing their makeup this party season

‘Skinimalism’ is in, and cakey contouring is out, according to Australia’s beauty experts. Here are the makeup trends to try — and what to avoid — for the ultimate 2023 party look.

Phoebe Tonkin is one of Victoria Baron’s ultimate party season makeup muses. Picture: Getty Images

Coco Chanel famously said the best colour in the world is the one that looks good on you. It’s sound advice when glamming up for the party season.

For Sydney-based Chanel makeup artist Victoria Baron, festive season makeup this year is all about catching the light.

“The party season makeup look is all about reflection, irradiance and light,” she says, noting this year’s Chanel Holiday exclusive collection includes highlighters that can be used on the eyelids, cheekbones and decolletage.

Baron says Australian actor Phoebe Tonkin is her ultimate party season muse.

“She always manages to look effortlessly beautiful with or without makeup. She has fun with colour and her simple application and she isn’t uptight or rigid in the beauty looks she chooses,” she says.

“Party makeup should feel like a representation of the person who’s wearing it. Like they have had the confidence to do more or to do less but it’s all been a conscious decision and feeling of celebration.

“It shouldn’t be difficult to create or (be) too perfect. It’s nice when it’s a little worn in and part of the face rather than on top of it.”

Lipsticks from the Chanel Holiday collection. Picture: Chanel

As for what not to do with party season makeup, Baron recommends trying not to go overboard. Or, to paraphrase Coco Chanel, when looking in the mirror on the way out the door, take something off.

Balance matters, says Baron.

“While the party season is all about expression and having fun with makeup, a few common mistakes that occur when applying more product and experimenting with colours and shades is not pulling back in other areas to balance it out,” she says.

By this she means when opting for a strong eye look such as a smokey eye, apply a little less blush or bronzer. Baron also recommends not applying light-reflecting products under the eyes or along fine lines.

“You can avoid this by applying your eye makeup first, cleaning up any fallout with a cotton pad and micellar water and then applying your foundation (and/or) concealer,” she says.

This idea of paring things back fits with recent shifts away from once popular trends of “contouring” and sculpting the face with makeup – a look made famous by the ever-present Kardashian family. The past few years have focused on “natural” makeup and so-called “skinimalism”, which is about a less-is-more approach to skincare and makeup routines.

Social media trends have offered up such things as “clean girl” beauty, which includes aiming for fresh skin, while model and now skincare entrepreneur Hailey Baldwin, with her beauty brand Rhode, is selling everybody on glistening “glazed doughnut” skin.

Mecca holiday season looks. Picture: Mecca Brands

Mecca says blush has been a key makeup trend this year. Picture: Mecca Brands

Fresh-faced makeup is a key trend at Mecca too. Indeed, Mecca makeup artist Lenita Seker says one of the biggest trends in makeup for 2023 has been blush.

“We have seen brand-new formulas and bright bold shades at the forefront of the industry. Liquid blushes in particular have been absolutely flying this year, including the NARS Liquid Afterglow Blushes, which combines hydrating skincare benefits with a rush of colour. We have seen layering trends using multiple blush colours and textures – think cream with powder on top, or liquid over cream for an extra dewy finish,” she says.

Despite the appeal of a freshly flushed visage, Seker believes the silly season is the time to be a little more playful, and also to break the “rules”. “Some of the biggest evolutions we have seen include unexpected colour and texture combinations, fresh skin with no foundation, blushes worn high and bright across the face and fun pops of colour on the eye,” she says.