It’s safe to say that we’ve all found ourselves daydreaming of trips to the countryside from wherever we’re working right now, but did you know our desire to escape to more tranquil pastures has become a trend in its own right? Cue cottagecore.
Born on TikTok, cottagecore is, essentially, a romanticised idea of living in the countryside and all the aesthetics that go with it. Think donning cable-knit sweaters and wearing prints like floral and gingham, all the while partaking in traditional and entirely wholesome pastimes, such as needlework, baking, and picnic-curating.
Cottagecore has certainly been evident as far as our wardrobes are concerned. After all, prairie-inspired dresses, full skirts, chunky knitwear, and milkmaid tops have dominated our rails for the last few seasons. Now, though, cottagecore is being channelled in our beauty routines, too.
While some cottagecore beauty veers on the otherworldly (think pixie ears and avant-garde makeup), there are also subtle cottagecore beauty trends that are fast becoming some of the season’s most notable looks. These include a focus on fluttery lashes, bitten lips, flushed complexions, and effortless updos; all of which we consider to be seriously chic.
If you too have fallen for the allure of country-inspired living, keep scrolling to see the grown-up ways in which you get in on the cottagecore beauty trend.
While hair bows undoubtedly fit the cottagecore aesthetic, hair scarves afford us a new way to adorn our tresses. Look for floral motifs to fully embrace the cottagecore look.
Cheeks should look as if you’ve spent your day picking apples from the orchard or riding horseback across fields of wheat. By that we mean they should look healthy and flushed. That’s where our favourite cream blushes come in.
In case it wasn’t evident, floral motifs go hand-in-hand with cottagecore. We don’t consider it a coincidence that ornate and delicate floral looks are dominating the nail-art scene right now.
When it comes to cottagecore eye makeup, make “less is more” your mantra and shift the focus onto highlighting your lashes. Light and fluttery is the aim, with the below mascaras boasting the perfect formulations for creating doe-eyed peepers.
Much like the cheeks, your hair should look as if you’ve spent most of your day outdoors. Practicality is also key here, so why not sweep your hair up in an effortless half-up, half-down ‘do. Add volume to the roots, texture to the lengths, and secure the hair in place with a cute clasp.
Cottagecore lip looks vary between shades of blush rose to classic red, so you can practically choose whichever hue you prefer. The finish, however, should be smudged and blotted, akin to how they’d look after hours of wear or after you’ve just been kissed. Romanticism is integral to the cottagecore beauty trend, after all.
Perfume should be the final flourish to your cottagecore beauty look. Choose a floral and woody fragrance that embodies the countryside notion of the trend.
Next up, the skincare brands we think are worth spending a little extra on.