Technicolor Makeup, Glitter Accents, and More of the Best Beauty Trends at NYFW S/S 2020

To capture the spirit of NYFW Spring/Summer 2020, look no further than the mother of makeup herself: Pat McGrath. Backstage at Marc Jacobs, no two looks were the same: there were however plenty of bedazzled lids, mega lashes, smokey eyes, and, of course, glitter. “Some extravagance, some natural, it’s just kind of like a nod to the real world, the way that nowadays everybody loves to play with makeup,” explained McGrath.

Though New York Fashion Week has come and gone, in its wake are countless looks for beauty enthusiasts—and Instagram—to explore. Perennial favorites—minimalist makeup and glowing skin—make an appearance every fashion month, but from grunge-tinged beauty at Tom Ford and slicked back hair at Proenza Schuoeler to watercolor blush at Jason Wu and rhinestone-encrusted lids, well, everywhere, a handful of trends have established themselves as looks to keep an eye on as the season progresses. Take a look back at the best beauty looks of NYFW, here.

All That Glitters

Euphoria was ubiquitous this season with countless makeup looks that, if not already inspired by, would look right at home on the wildly popular HBO show. The week kicked off with Pat McGrath’s stunning punk-meets-kabuki makeup on Ariel Nicholson at Tomo Koizumi and makeup artist Kabuki’s graphic neon lids at Jeremy Scott, but glitter quickly established itself as one of the weeks biggest trend at Pyer Moss, Anna Sui, R13 and more.

Expressionist Eyes

Yet another W predicted trend from this summer was all over NYFW, and it seems like ethereal, painterly makeup will be a staple this season. Just look to Jonathan Cohen, Eckhaus Latta, Vera Wang, Jason Wu, Christian Siriano, Ulla Johnson, and countless other shows. Delicate white and glitter detailing at Anna Sui and paisley-inspired lines at Rosie Assoulin offered a more minimal take, while clouds and sunbursts at Mansur Gavriel complemented the youthful presentation.

Precious Stones

Perhaps breakout look of the week: bejeweled headpieces at Khaite and Area, pearl-encrusted hair in the Rodarte lookbook and at Alice + Olivia, and “floating pearl” ear cuffs at Prabal Gurung. While this multi-colored crystal and surrealist shadow look at Area with (including matching bedazzled nails by Naomi Yasuda) was a stand-out this season, McGrath’s infinite bejeweled iterations at Marc Jacobs proved jewels to be both statement-making and surprisingly wearable.

‘80s Influence

Punk isn’t dead—at least not according to NYFW. From nu-wave to grunge, the ‘80s were alive and kicking this season: crimped fauxhawks and smokey shadow at Tom Ford, Jem and the Holograms-inspired pastel wigs at Jeremy Scott. Slicked back hair and deep side parts was also a notable theme of the season, with plenty of coifs that would feel right at home on peak-Gordon Gekko Wall Street at Proenza Schouler, Michael Kors and Laquan Smith, with Tory Burch adding some very on-decade hair combs to their ‘dos.

Terracotta Tones

This summer’s chicest shade has finally shown it’s staying power. From the soft dainty ginger blush at Carolina Herrera to the poppy apricot nails at Oscar De La Renta, this autumn showed a more subdued take on the Hi-C hue everywhere this summer. While many looks gravitated towards the softer end of the spectrum, Sir John’s shimmering rust tones at Tommy Hilfiger offered a seasonal take to carry the color into the fall and beyond.

French Tips

While there were plenty of show-stopping manicures at NYFW, the most noteworthy is the most simple. French manicures are nothing new to the runway and red carpet—look no further than Normani’s updated take at the VMA’s last month—but gone are the clunky nails of the early 00s. In their place are delicate twists on a classic: Betina Goldstein created a matte “double cornered” french for the Kith show, and returned to the trend again at the Khaite show, updating it with a sheer base and barely-there “micro” tip.