Ah, TikTok. What did we do before this clever little app? I don’t know about you, but I find myself getting most of my fashion and beauty inspiration from there these days. The fact that most of the trends come Gen Z-approved makes me feel like I must be (somewhat) cool by giving them a go. From the famous Uniqlo trousers to the Cos crossbody bag, my most worn items this year have been down to viral TikTok videos.
However, when it comes to beauty, I find the platform brilliant for finding those slightly more niche beauty microtrends, and I live for a new beauty look. If you’ve read my guide to this year’s biggest autumn makeup trends, then you’ll already have luminous skin and statement lips on your radar, but what niche beauty trends can we expect to see?
Luckily for you, I spent my weekend glued to the app researching everything from trending makeup, hair colours, nail art and more, and I’ve gone straight to the experts to see what they think of the latest trends, and I’ve even asked them how we can recreate the looks at home. Interested? Keep on scrolling for everything you need to know about this autumn’s biggest beauty microtrends. TikTok, you’ve done it again…
First it was latte-inspired makeup looks, and now something a little bit stronger is taking over. That’s right, the hashtag #espressomakeup has racked up a cool 26.2 million views and counting, however it seems to be espresso eye looks that everyone is into. These eye looks are a lot darker than the ‘latte’ ones we are used to seeing, perfect for making a bit more of a statement this autumn.
I asked Aimee Connolly, MUA and founder of Sculpted by Aimee, how to recreate the look at home, and it’s easier than you think. “To recreate the deeper, more sultry take on the latte makeup trend, take your usual bronzer shade and begin blending in to the eye socket. Start to deepen this with darker matte brown eyeshadows to contour the crease of your eyelid and under eye for an ultra-glam look. “Next, take a black liner pencil to your lash line (no precision needed!) and begin smudging the product out with your fingertips. The creamier the liner, the better. Finish by lining your waterline with a brown pencil for added drama to this grungier, night-time look.”
This palette has everything you need for the perfect ‘espresso’ eye makeup look.
Add a dark brown liner for extra oomph.
I’ve been seeing feathered brows all over TikTok, making a nice, natural alternative to the laminated brow look, and Connolly predicts that this will be one of the biggest microtrends this autumn. “Makeup trends are certainly favouring a minimalist approach to embrace and highlight our natural beauty, and as we cosy up for autumn, expect to see more people opting for a fluffier, bold natural brow.”
I went straight to brow expert and founder of UKLASH, Nima Pourian, to find out more, and he said that this trend actually took off in the ’80s. “This brow look is making a comeback and it’s primarily driven by the no-makeup trend and the natural beauty enhancement movement. “If you want bolder brows, I recommend using a brow serum to help make your eyebrows look thicker.” Pourian then says to use a brow pomade or a pen to fill in any further gaps and get that really full finish. Finally, set everything in place with a brow gel, but brush your eyebrows in an upwards motion for that ‘feathered’ effect.
As mentioned above, a brow serum will help to get that full, fluffy look.
This wax is perfect for brushing your brows up, plus it holds them in place all day long.
If you’ve been on any form of social media lately, then you’ll definitely have come across something called ‘strawberry girl summer’. Trust me, I was just as confused as you when I first heard this term, but as soon as I figured out all it meant was berry-coloured makeup looks, I kinda fell in love. Hailey Bieber was the first person to declare it a ‘strawberry girl summer’, sharing lots of these fun, colourful looks on her Instagram feed. However, one thing that really caught my attention was the star’s strawberry nails. It seems I’m not alone, with #strawberrynails racking up 27 million views on TikTok alone.
“Adding fruits on nails is possibly one of the most adorable trends in the nail art word,” says Julita Fagan, nail expert from 14 Day Mani. “This design can be worn atop a full cover polish, and it also pairs beautifully with a French tip or swirls. Hand-drawn 3D strawberries, cartoon style strawberries and realistic strawberries are all favourites with clients as they add a sense of playfulness to the design.” However, if you don’t fancy the actual fruit on your nails, Fagan says that red nail colours will be everywhere this autumn, and it’s the perfect way to wear the trend more subtly.
I love this shade as it’s the perfect autumnal alternative to bright red.
If you want a gel-like finish, you can’t go wrong with this bold red colour from 14 Day Mani.
A beauty trend that is just as popular (and just as fun) is cherry cola lips. The hashtag has also racked up an impressive 21 million views on TikTok, and it’s perfect for those of you who like a statement look. Think dark brown lip liner paired with cherry red lipsticks, and a juicy gloss to finish everything off.
“For a richer, high-shine rouge lip inspired by the ‘cherry cola’ pout taking over TikTok, just two essentials are needed,” explains Connolly. “A creamy, easily blended lip liner in a deep warm-toned shade will define your lips, while a red gloss gives a lick of shine to achieve a juicy plump look.”
This Rimmel lip liner will ensure that your cherry cola lips stay put.
Price shown is members’ price. This is the perfect cherry cola colour, with a hint of shimmer to make your lips sparkle.
Last, but by no means least, say hello to the ‘cowboy copper’ hair trend. This is the latest hair colour to go viral on TikTok, and it’s giving me all of the autumnal vibes.
The trending colour blends brown, leathery tones with vibrant copper shades, creating a rich, deep finish. If you’ve been thinking of changing your hair colour for the new season, then I highly recommend giving this one a go.
A hair gloss like this one from Glaze will give your cowboy copper hair extra shine.
Dphue also do a beautiful copper gloss with a rich brunette undertone.
