The past few years in make-up have been relatively quiet. Not for a lack of products launching or because we collectively gave up on using it, but because the beauty look was stripped back. The brief was fresh and clean: the “no make-up make-up” mantra rang in our ears. Brows aren’t filled in so much as brushed up; foundations are eschewed in favour of skin tints so freckles and real skin shine through; mascara is abandoned entirely or applied as a single coat to separate and curl lashes, not ink and exaggerate them.
But rewind a decade, as the recent “2016” social media trend has compelled us to do, and things were very different. Beauty bloggers became household names thanks to YouTube tutorials on how to contour, blow up our brows and execute a “cut crease” smoky eye (no, us neither).
From left: looks by H&M&180 and Elie Saab
However, refreshing as it was to ditch the heavy make-up, most of us still want — and need — a little more. More coverage to soften pigmentation and hide redness, more contour to lift and sculpt. UK Google searches for “full glam makeup look” have increased more than 5,000 per cent over the past three months, elbowing out the “clean girl” look — and TikTokkers are following suit. “The ‘clean girl’ aesthetic still has a stronghold in skincare routines, but it’s being paired with the fun expression of full glam make-up,” says Emily Caine, head of beauty at TikTok Shop. “There’s a powerful resurgence of full, maximalist glam trending on the app.”
Take notes from Dua Lipa, who’s seen off stage with overlined lips, glittery lids and heavily blushed cheeks as much as she is on it. Or Emily Blunt, whose red-carpet smoky eye and false lashes are a masterclass in old-school glam. Teyana Taylor, meanwhile, is leaning into skin that looks as if it has been photoshopped in real time.
From left: Teyana Taylor, Dua Lipa and Emily Blunt
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The make-up artist Nikki Wolff, whose client list includes Demi Moore and Daisy Edgar-Jones, says: “In 2026 glam is far more grown-up than in 2016, when make-up was heavy, symmetrical and very obvious. Now it’s about restraint and being selective, giving one or two features attention and never the whole face, using softer textures and enhancing structure rather than disguising skin.” So, bring back the glam — here’s how to do it now.
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Be sparing with foundation
Forget the foundations of the past — the ones that looked good on camera, but IRL meant caked pores and texture. The new-generation full-coverage bases are a whole different ball game. “Matte foundations have the most longevity, but make sure you’ve given your skin extra hydration,” says the make-up artist Katie Daisy. Formulas such as Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation (£43.50, from Wednesday, narscosmetics.co.uk) do a great job of covering all the bits you want to hide while still looking and feeling like second skin.
And just because you want to cover everything up, it doesn’t mean you have to paint your face like a wall. Daisy recommends starting in the middle, around the nose, mouth and chin — the place people usually notice first — and being more sparing towards the perimeter. As for how to apply it for a photoshopped look? “Pump a small amount on to the back of your hand, swirl a dense brush into it so it evenly covers the brush, and then buff into skin,” Daisy says.
Sculpt with blush
If contouring scares you, you’ll be pleased to know that you can lift and sculpt with blush. “Contour is used now to subtly define, not carve,” Wolff says. “Be soft-handed and strategic with placement — blush starts higher, almost where your highlighter used to go, and sweep back and up towards the temples.” Cream blushes are the easiest to work with — try Maybelline New York Cloudtopia Cheek & Lip Mousse (£10, boots.com), which is lightweight and easy to blend.
Welcome back the shimmer
Highlighter is back, but this time around think “post-sauna glow” rather than the blinding strips of a high-vis jacket. Take Kosas Shiny Objects Wet Glisten Powder Highlighter (£32, sephora.co.uk), which has just the right amount of shimmer. No chunks of glitter! “Placement has to be precise to stay flattering,” Daisy says. “The tops of cheekbones only, never the apples of the cheeks or textured areas.”
Soften your smoky eye
The key to pulling this off with aplomb? Blend, blend and blend some more. “Overly structured edges instantly date a smoky eye,” Wolff says. “A soft kohl pencil rimmed around the eyes and blended out is more flattering than packing on dark powder eyeshadows.” Daisy prefers cream shadows, which are easier to work with, and for definition, uses eyeliner on the upper water line — “It has impact without looking too done,” she says. Try it with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Glidr Shadow Stick (£31, cultbeauty.co.uk) in Starcloud or Graphite Glow, which are both dark without being daunting.
The foolproof falsies
False lashes have a bad reputation for being fiddly and noticeable, and for pinging off at the corners. But the new breed of falsies can look just as good as lashings of mascara. These days, it’s all about an accent lash. They’re usually half to three-quarter lengths of a full strip lash and sit at the outer corner of the eye to create a lifted cat-eye effect. Ardell Accent Lashes 318 (£5, falseeyelashes.co.uk) have wispy alternating fibres for length, volume and curl in all the right places, plus the invisible band makes them undetectable.
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The new statement lip
You used to have to nail your flag to the mast, be it matte or gloss. Now it’s all about mixing textures. Glamazons on TikTok sculpt with matte lipliners, adding depth at the corners of the mouth, while the centre of the lips gets a swipe of lip gloss. Clever overlining is the key here, but Wolff warns it should never be done around the whole mouth. “Overline only around the centre of the lips at the Cupid’s bow and right under the bottom lip, otherwise you’ll drag your face down,” she says. Try the Summer Fridays SoftLine LipLiner (£21, sephora.co.uk), which comes in a range of pinks, beiges and browns. It glides on easily and, because it’s waterproof, won’t feather or budge throughout the day.
