2023 has just begun, bringing with it a fresh start for all things—including our makeup. With the proverbial palette cleaned, recharged takes on existing trends and entirely original approaches have room to shade, delineate, and contour the coming months, filling it with all of the color and sparkle that a new year demands. Blush will continue to provide buildable warmth, eyeliner is going the way of the statement-making seductress, and refractive details will allow you to channel the vibes of mermaids and robots alike. A common thread exists in a continued want of play—a means of combatting darker days with rampant (and striking) self-expression. Here, five beauty trends that will be taking over in 2023.
Statement Lips
Lips are set to be bolder than ever in the new year—so bold, in fact, that they may be ready to work alone. “This is a model-off-duty/off-the-runway type look that can look amazing from day to night,” says makeup artist Tobi Henney, who recommends centering the lip by keeping skin clean and lightly grooming brows and lashes. She also notes that a resurgence of lipliners that are deeper than lipstick hues are on the rise, which work better to keep the focus on your natural pout. “It can help achieve the perfect lip shade and enhance lips by giving the illusion of more fullness.”
Futuristic Metallics
Alloy-inspired shimmer can veer whimsical or robotic, depending on how you play it. Mermaidcore ruled the spring 2023 runways, and the collective conversation around AI—and an influx of new technology—is bound to elicit futuristic beauty. “Blame it on our obsession with AI, fairies, and everything extraterrestrial, but whatever the reason I’m so here for it,” makeup artist Jenna Kristina. She recommends starting with Pat McGrath’s on-point palettes, including those from the legend’s Star Wars makeup collaboration. “It’s our meta selves in the real world.”
More Blush
Blush has been experiencing a renaissance in recent years, with blendable cream options and more-is-more application methods making cheeks (and eyes and the bridges of noses) romantically rosy. “There was a moment when it was only about bronzer and highlighter, but blush is back and bolder than ever,” Kristina says. “Adding blush is like adding life back to the skin.” The trend already has legs, having served as the main factor in several of 2022’s most memorable TikTok beauty looks—think sunburn blush, cold girl, and crying girl makeup.
Face Embellishments
The Euphoria effect shows no signs of stopping. “We’ll continue to see more experimental looks incorporating gems, pearls, glitter, and other accents that’ll cover not only the eyes but other parts of the face and body,” makeup artist Jaleesa Jaikaran says. Invest in an arsenal of flat-backed rhinestones and the like in all shapes, sizes, and shades to be secured with clear lash glue—if you can find self-adhesive options, even better.
Longer and Sharper Cat-Eye Wings
Kittenish flicks and TikTok’s alluring and elongating siren eyes will gain in popularity (and ease) with the help of an upgraded guard of liners. “With so many brands developing high-technology eyeliners that do not budge and are smudge-proof, the graphic feline liner look will be one to wear for a fun night out,” says Henney, who recommends focusing on pulling the eye shape upward and outward. Dark femininity is sure to be a major 2023 trend.
The five shades of these liquid eye toppers offer a glimmering texture of color and duo-chrome finish and dry down to a stay-put formula. You can tap them on top of another eye shadow for an even more multidimensional effect or wear alone for enough sparkle to spot from a mile away — they’re some of the shiniest eye shadows you can find at the drugstore.
These glimmering powder eye shadows are legends of makeup swatching. Just one swipe across the pan with your finger picks up the dazzling opaquely-pigmented powder, delivering a foil-finish, jewel-toned shade in one fell swoop. Available in 20 shades, these are so popular, Dose of Colors’ website has put a two-per-customer limit on purchasing. (If you’re in a golden mood, this one is called Heart of Gold.)
These pots contain what appears to be tiny metallic foil flakes that when pressed with your finger onto your skin leave a mirror-like finish. Not kidding — it’s like someone shattered a disco ball and somehow made it safe to smear on your eyelids. Not gonna ask questions, just going to keep shining.
Bobbi Brown’s eye shadow sticks are already some of the most long-lasting in the game, and now with these limited-edition sparkly versions, your lids can glimmer all day into all night (and dawn, depending on how the night goes).
Huda Beauty Rose Gold Remastered Eyeshadow Palette
Huda Beauty gave its already popular rose gold eye shadow palette an upgrade with the Remastered version, which keeps its most glittery shadows in a row at the top. They’re the most unbelievably buttery foil-like metallics that feel like silk but look like molten metal when you sweep them across your lids. Honestly, it’s just a really stunning formula.
Dab one of these four chrome liquid shadows on your lids for long-lasting shine. At first, they’re wet, but once they dry down, they won’t budge no matter how much you sweat (or cry). Extremely smudge-proof.
L’Oréal Paris Infallible Paints Metallics Eye Shadow
When this formula won a Best of Beauty award, Allure’s editorial assistant, Jesa Marie Calaor, called it her “desert island beauty product.” Its pigmented enough to live up to its metallic name upon first swipe, but it can easily be sheered out for a subtle glow. I love the rose gold shade called Rose Chrome.
Previewed on the runway at the BCBG Max Azria spring/summer 2018 show, Stila’s latest liquid eyeshadow is a glitter-free version of the popular (and often sold-out) Glitter & Glow formula. Blend it on the center of your lids to create a halo effect.
Too Faced added another edition of its popular collection of chocolate-scented palettes. This time around, the palette is all about razzle-dazzle with shades like Drippin’ Diamonds (the silver) and Money Bags (the emerald).
Why limit yourself to one metallic hue when you can shop a palette that covers basically every shade of the rainbow and then some? All 12 of the powder shadows in the Kevyn Aucoin Electropop Pro Eyeshadow Palette are packed with shimmer, and a couple even have color-shifting pigments.
Make Up For Ever just launched a whopping 121-shade range of shadows, but this pretty-in-pink one has to be one of my favourites. In the pan, ME-840 appears to be a plum. However, when brushed on, it transforms into a bright watermelon pink with a warm purple base.
Meet the cashmere of eye shadows. These pans are filled with the softest powders you’ll ever dip your fingers into. They aren’t so soft that they disappear once they are on your face, though. Instead, the pigment looks exactly as it does in the palette as it does on lids.
Pat McGrath Labs Mothership II Eyeshadow Palette – Sublime
Pat McGrath’s limited edition metallic makeup blew off digital shelves so often that she decided to put together three permanent palettes. You can guarantee they will forever be in stock, and they’ll give your eyes that mesmerizingly shiny finish that everyone double taps on the makeup artist’s Instagram (to see -> Instagram).
Just like the vampires in Twilight: New Moon, Chanel’s New Moon shadow will make your lids sparkle in the sunlight. Nostalgic reference aside, this cream shadow blends seamlessly onto lids with just with a couple windshield wiper motions across them.
Liquid eye shadows are among the trendiest makeup formulas right now, with new versions dropping from a variety of brands seemingly every week. Devotees favor them for their ease of use, blendability and intense color payoff. But there are a few key tricks to finding the right formula and applying it like a pro.
“When it comes to these formulas, a little goes a long way,” says makeup artist Beau Nelson. “The best way is to use a synthetic brush, apply thin layers and use the brush to buff edges for a clean transition.” Makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes agrees, nothing that fingers are fine in a pinch, but “the oils in your fingers can often break up the oils in the product.” One major benefit of using a liquid shadow is that it doesn’t require the use of a primer: They “basically act as primers with color. They work well amazingly on their own, or even as a base for powder shadows,” explains Hughes.
Liquid eye shadows are also the unsung heroes of the makeup bag because of their versatility. Both makeup artists we consulted agree that the multi-tasking capabilities of these formulas are particularly impressive. “Metallic, pale and medium shades can look best as highlights. They can also act as blush — just mix a tiny bit of foundation to extend the product’s dry-down time,” says Nelson.
Now that you know how to apply them like a pro, here are the best expert-recommended liquid eye shadows to add to your collection. Read on to see (and shop) them all.
Danessa Myricks Beauty 24-Hour Cream ColorFix
Channel your inner artist with Danessa Myricks Beauty ColorFix 24-Hour Cream Color Matte. This ultra-long-wearing cream color can be safely used on lips, eyes, face, and body. ColorFix’s unique silicone-polymer base can be mixed to create custom colors and finishes.
Powder-finish formula (that doesn’t feel powdery) smooths on with a doe foot applicator. Silky, blendable color melts into skin, creating a pretty, diffused effect that lasts. A little bit adds some depth to the eye area; add more for a refined, modern wash of color. Comes in seven shades inspired by dreamy Southwest landscapes.
Illuminate your eyes with Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow by Stila Cosmetics. This lightweight and water-infused formula provides long-lasting coverage, without ever flaking. Boosted with mica, this highly-pigmented formula reflects the light around you, revealing a glowing appearance.
These super sparkly liquid eyeshadows are the best way to amplify your eyes. With its smooth, lightweight feel and quick dry-down, you’ll achieve shimmery color in a flash.
Creates a sheer veil of color that locks onto lids without creasing (so no need for primer). Ultrafine pigments are enveloped in a buttery base for a silky, blendable formula that swipes on easily. Comes in six shimmery, long-wearing shades.
This gel-based formula is long-lasting, quick-drying and 100% eye-catching! Formulated for comfortable wear and minimal fall out, this opaque liquid eyeshadow delivers high-impact, multi-dimensional glitters and pearls in a quick-drying gel base.
Smith & Cult Glitterbaby Metallic-Shift Eye Shadow
Next level liquid glitter eyeshadow. Smith & Cult’s Glitterbaby Metallic-Shift Eyeshadow features black micronized pigments that transform to a deeper metallic as you blend. Build color intensity and depth. Wear as a sparkling metallic or smudge for a smoky look.
It’s been 20 years since celebrity makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic entered the scene, forever contouring the shape of the beauty world with highlights, shimmers, and perfectly winged liner that launched an army of copycats on social media.
Now, Dedivanovic, whom the New Yorker recently heralded as “The Makeup Artist at Ground Zero of Internet Beauty Culture,” has taken his years of expertise, massive internet fame, and a few personal checks to labs across the world to create his dream: a self-funded line of products titled Makeup by Mario.
Welcome to Artist Spotlight #19 series on my blog.
For Dedivanovic, this moment is huge. He begins to tear up on a Zoom call as he discusses the project he began working on three years ago. “I’m just so excited for October 1st”—the launch date, Dedivanovic’s birthday, and the date he began working on the Sephora floor many years ago—“because it almost still doesn’t feel real to me,” he says.
The artist comes fully loaded with all the bonafides to make a bestselling beauty line. He’s most famous for his work on one of the 21st century’s most famous canvases, Kim Kardashian-West, and helped launch her KKW Beauty line. He’s also had brand partnerships with Laura Mercier and hosts a mega-popular Masterclass. This is the last box to check on his way to beauty moguldom.
For Dedivanovic, the Sephora gondola, the display for all a brand’s beauty products inside the store, is the ultimate symbol of his success. “I used to manifest into those Sephora bottles when I was cleaning them, that I would one day have that, knowing very well that I had to work very hard and it probably wouldn’t be 20-plus years until I did that,” he explains. “I’ve been dreaming about this moment for a long time.”
His dreams are finally a reality. The new line includes 21 products and tools, including eyeshadow palettes, brushes, and highlighters created to flatter any and all skin tones. “When I work, I tend to like products that I can use on all skin tones,” he says.
Below, a few beauty tips from the seasoned vet, plus a peek at the products in his collection.
He knows you’re bad at winged eyeliner.
A standout product in the line is the Master Pigment Pro Pencils, inspired by his older sister Vicky, a relatable queen with an inability to work with eyeliner.
“I think it’s hard even for an artist to really do a beautiful wing,” Dedivanovic says. “I know that a lot of people want to do wings, but it’s challenging and can be intimidating. With this pencil and brush shape, you take the pencil and draw a line from there [the center of your eyelid] to the corner. You stop at the corner and flip the brush over and up and lift. [The brush] literally does the flip for you. I wanted to make this technique very, very easy.”
Dedivanovic added that he will provide new content that inspired tools like the eyeliner and tutorials around how to use it on his social media platforms.
He likes both contoured and natural makeup.
“I know I’m [known] as the contour king, but I think there was a little misconception,” he says. “I’m not the type of artist that typically will do the heavy stripes and all those types of things. I like makeup to look as if one were born with it in terms of the colors and finishes on the skin. I like it to enhance a woman’s face, not to have it feel unnatural or that they have a ton of makeup on. My goal at the end is that when you are up close, in person, you do makeup to make it look beautiful there. But for me, that’s not enough. I want it to look beautiful for the person as well. Bot in the sense, Oh, wow, your makeup is beautiful. More in the sense of, Wow, you look beautiful.
The brand is for novices and beauty experts alike.
While the line is infused with years of experience from Dedivanovic, he wanted to create something that was easy for the most green of makeup appliers to use.
Here’s his tip for the Master Metallics palette:
“This is a very creamy formula that’s a blend of powders and creams, so it’s very easy to use with just a swipe of a finger on your lid for a quick application. I wanted to separate my products by texture because as an artist, I was always trained from the very beginning that you always separated your mattes [from] your metallics. That’s the way you packed your bag as well.”
The packaging is the future of beauty.
Dedivanovic was inspired by the iPhone and how easily it can fit into your hand. He wanted the tools to feel accessible and comfortable while you apply your makeup. Think 2001: A Space Odyssey meets BTS’s “On” music video: The full, nearly all-white kit comes in what looks like a briefcase from a space-age population that cracked the code on product design. “It felt like the future of makeup in a sense,” he says. “I hadn’t seen something like this when it was presented. Also, it felt pure.”
The Master Prep and Set
Available in three different tones—light, medium, and deep—each set comes with six shades to be used as an eye primer. Dedivanovicoriginally tried to get this product in the palettes but couldn’t configure it correctly and inclusion would make the palettes gigantic. Thus, it evolved into its own separate product.
The Master Mattes were the first product Dedivanovic began working on in 2017. “The Master Matte palette is inspired by human skin tones,” he explains. “It’s inspired by the technique I have done for many years, in which I shape and contour the eyes using typically different, varying shades of foundation and/or concealer to shape and contour the eyes before I apply eyeshadow.”
To find the right human skin tones for the palette, he researched the different pigments that make up our skin tones. The shades also have a bit of translucency because he prefers subtle to extremely pigmented eyeshadow.
The all-metallic formula is a creamy blend of both powders and creams, making it very easy to use with a single swipe of your finger onto your lids. Dedivanovic, a self-proclaimed geek, researched the inside of our bodies for the pink, brown, and cream hues. “This is sort of representative of the shades that are within all our bodies on a cellular level,” he explains. “What’s really interesting is when you swatch all these colors together, it’s the epitome of my dream color palette when it comes to shimmery shades.”
If you’re looking for the easiest-to-use product in the collection, this palette is your go-to. But, if you’re looking for more of a high-intensity pigment, Dedivanovic created the Master Metals and Master Metals Manipulator to create your very own dream eye looks. “The idea is that the artist could scrape several shades and mix their own metal shades,” he says. “What happens when you use the Master Metal Manipulator is it turns it into a molten liquid metal. You can do liquid liners with it, you can do a quick all-over eyeshadow shade, or just the inner corner.
Bonus points: The Master Metal Manipulator also turns them into a completely waterproof product.
Mario’s Master Metal™ Manipulator™ is the ultimate mixing agent for metallic pigments. It instantly transforms loose or pressed metallic pigments into a liquid, creating a gorgeous metal foil. When mixed with pigment, it provides intense grip, lasting power, and locks the formula in place.
The Master Crystal Reflectors come in three shades: quartz, citrine, and bronzite. The reflectors are a few of his favorites because of their sheer finish that “sparkles while dancing on the eyelid.”
The product also reflects light beautifully and gives a bit of reflection and dimension to the eyelid, but can be worn all over the face. “It’s a global exclusive formula, so no one can ever have this formula,” he adds. “I’m very excited about that.”
“For years, I liked to use a highlighter on the cheek or on the eye that is a completely sheer emollient glow,” he says. “I envisioned this even for the girl who really doesn’t wear any makeup. I do clients that have a very natural look and I like natural looks as well. This product really fits both of those.”
For the collection, Dedivanovic created four pencils and four eyeshadow brushes. According to him, “Pencils are one of the most transformative aspects of makeup, especially when it comes to the eyes.” He incorporated his signature liner techniques into crafting them.
Mario’s dual-ended liner has all you need to create a precise line. The velvety gel-based formula delivers a full-coverage finish in a single swipe. It has incredible grip after it sets but still allows time to blend, layer, and define. For a soft, symmetrical line, use the brush to smudge and blend.
This liquid liner is extremely pigmented and features a super sharp, flexible felt tip for ultimate control. The bulletproof formula grips the lid and is completely smudge-proof for bold and lasting definition.
The brushes are inspired by the eyeshadow brushes he usually works with from Japan. They’re designed to work with the other formulas in the collection like the Master Mattes to make for an easy blend and application.
This brush has fluffy, soft, flexible hairs that are ideal for blending and softening on the eyes and face. It’s also perfect for applying and blending matte shadows. All Makeup By Mario brushes are cruelty-free, made with a custom blend of synthetic and vegan fibers, and 100% FSC-certified birchwood handles.
This brush has fluffy, soft hairs and a wide, tapered shape. It’s perfect for effortless eyeshadow application and an easy sweep of color across the lid. All Makeup By Mario brushes are cruelty-free, made with a custom blend of synthetic and vegan fibers, and 100% FSC-certified birchwood handles.
This brush features a denser, rounded head with flat hairs and works well with cream and powder formulas. All Makeup By Mario brushes are cruelty-free, made with a custom blend of synthetic and vegan fibers, and 100% FSC-certified birchwood handles.
This brush’s small, tapered head makes it the perfect detail brush. Use it to apply shadows wet or dry or to blend and smoke out eyeliner with control and ease. All Makeup By Mario brushes are cruelty-free and are made with a custom blend of synthetic and vegan fibers, and 100% FSC-certified birchwood handles.
Last but not least, he created gentle makeup remover wipes. “When I work, I’m very particular with wipes,” he says. “I use them to gently exfoliate the skin right before I go on with skincare.” He wanted to move away from traditional oily formulas so he created something without fragrance or the normal oily residue. “These are made with 100 percent natural, pure cucumber water, and they don’t leave any oiliness.”
Kassy Rose Makeup Artistry 