KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 — One of the biggest beauty trends this year was the glass skin, which started in South Korea, where a seven-step (or more) nightly skincare routine is the norm.
“Glass skin makeup is a kind of smooth and luminous makeup,” said Cindy Hor, an award-winning makeup artist of 30 years who worked behind the scenes in the hit film Crazy Rich Asians.
While good makeup starts with good skin, it’s not hard to achieve the glass skin look with the right texture foundation, even for those with acne-prone or oily skin.
Her two favourite foundations are Haus Labs by Lady Gaga and Maybelline Super Stay mixed with liquid highlighter which results in coverage that’s buildable and not cakey after application.
Boring eyeliner looks took a back seat this year, allowing bold, playful styles like metallic, graphic and two-toned to shine.
“Many of my clients requested silver and gold liners, which is flattering for most skin tones,” said Hor, whose latest project was working with celebrities Shazmin Shamsuddin, Ning Baizura and Joanne Kam for the Wow Show podcast, which debuted on Dec 27.
The two-toned liner, which was on social media throughout 2023, features the traditional black or brown eyeliner on the top eyelid and a different colour on the bottom lid.
Meanwhile, the graphic eyeliner trend allows you to experiment with your look by using striking colours and geometric shapes to make your eyes the focus.
For lips, the two-toned lip colour, another Korean trend, was also a big hit.
“It’s very popular with my younger clients, with a lighter colour surrounding the brighter colour towards the centre of the lips,” said Hor, adding that most clients ask for less eyeshadow, more eyeliner and a bold lip.
In hairstyle, old Hollywood glam waves made a comeback this year, adding a vintage allure to any look.
“Have each section of your hair curled in the same direction with hair tongs,” said Hor. "Wait for it to cool, comb through with a wide tooth comb, apply dust powder to keep the waves in place, followed by hair spray.”
A trend that didn’t do so well? "Magnetic lashes. Many clients told me it’s not easy to apply but with the right guidance, I feel it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Jastina Mary Bernard, a makeup artist of 10 years and influencer with over 93,400 followers on Instagram, said this year saw a beautiful blend of classic and futuristic trends.
“In makeup, the ‘less is more’ approach gained momentum, emphasising natural, glowing skin with minimal coverage,” said Jastina.
Soft, diffused eyeshadows in warm earthy tones matched with bold, defined eyebrows were very in.
Hair trends leaned toward effortless styles, embracing natural textures with undone waves and romantic braids while nails saw a surge in minimalist designs with negative space manicures and muted, sophisticated tones.
“Personally, I adored the emphasis on skincare-first makeup. The glass skin trend from Korea made its mark, celebrating radiant, well-hydrated skin.
“Soft, blurred lip stains and multi-purpose products that enhance natural beauty while nourishing the skin were delightful trends to work with.”
She added that Korean beauty remained influential throughout the year, especially with gradient lip looks and the ‘puppy eyes’ makeup technique, which is soft, doe-eyed looks achieved with subtle winged eyeliner and emphasis on the lower lash line.
Lucas Lau, a beauty influencer and key opinion leader (KOL) with over 188,000 followers on IG, said that the strawberry makeup was his favourite trend of the year.
Started by American model Hailey Bieber, wife of singer Justin Beiber, the strawberry makeup features dewy skin, flushed cheeks, faux freckles and glossy lips.
“I love it, the flushed look,” said Lau, adding that excessive blush applied around the midface region is all that’s needed.
“It makes your skin look healthy as though you’ve been under the sun for long.”
Another food-inspired beauty trend of 2023 was the latte makeup, which is similar to strawberry makeup but in darker tones.
While strawberry makeup includes tones of pink, typically along the cheeks, lips and eyelids, the latte makeup uses shades of brown with touches of shimmer in the same areas for a sculpted yet warm look.
Lau, who specialises in creative avant-garde beauty, said that this year saw a trend of more colours, especially metallics.
“American beauty YouTuber James Charles also launched his own makeup line Painted, which is perfect for creating avant-garde looks,” he said, describing it as very Lady Gaga art pop inspired.
A trend that wasn’t so well-received here? "Vivid, colourful looks were big overseas but Malaysians seem to prefer natural, nude colours,” said Lau, who constantly challenges himself to step up his makeup game.
“The no makeup makeup was popular here and also the minimal look with less concealer and feathered eyebrows.”
