A little less perfection, a lot more freedom to forget the mirror.
Victoria Beckham SS27 / Victoria Beckham Beauty
After seasons of barely-there beauty, the Spring/Summer 2027 runways are making a convincing case for putting the makeup bag back to work.
For years, the beauty world's idea of making an effort has involved looking as though no effort was made at all. Immaculate skin, brushed-up brows, a strategically placed dab of blush and just enough lip gloss to suggest a very expensive skincare routine. Clean girl makeup had us all chasing the same polished, barely-there face. But judging by the Spring/Summer 2027 collections, fashion is finally ready for something with a little more personality.
Across New York, London, Milan and Paris, makeup artists have been reaching for the things that quietly disappeared from our dressing tables: smoky shadows, richly coloured lips, expressive eyeliner and blush that isn't afraid to be noticed. The result is a more carefree approach to beauty, where a little imperfection is part of the appeal. It's a shift that feels as much about the mood beyond the catwalk as the makeup itself.
“The pictures were there to document a gloriously messy night out, not audition for a beauty campaign.”
Fashion has always had a knack for sensing a cultural shift before the rest of us have quite put our finger on it. Those feelings bubbling beneath the surface have a habit of finding their way into what we wear and how we present ourselves. After years of carefully curated perfection, perhaps we're simply craving a little more spontaneity and considerably less self-consciousness.
There's something rather nostalgic about it all. Back in the noughties, a good night out invariably involved too much black eyeliner, lipstick that had disappeared by midnight and hair that looked considerably better when you left the house. By the following morning, the photographic evidence would be proudly uploaded to Facebook, questionable angles, smudged mascara and all. Nobody cared. The pictures were there to document a gloriously messy night out, not audition for a beauty campaign. Fast-forward to an age of carefully curated feeds, filters and the expectation of looking camera-ready at every conceivable moment, and it's little wonder we're yearning for some of that freedom again. For a generation raised on carefully curated feeds, that kind of freedom must seem almost radical. For everyone who remembers it, the prospect of getting dressed up, going out and forgetting what we look like for once feels rather irresistible.
From smudged smoky eyes and lipstick with a life of its own to the return of unapologetic colour, these are the Spring/Summer 2027 beauty trends worth borrowing now.
The Smoky Eye Is Back (And It's Lost Its Manners)
Remember the days when black eyeliner was applied generously, smudged enthusiastically and rarely confined to the upper lash line? The grunge girls of the nineties made a convincing case for looking a little dishevelled, with Courtney Love's wonderfully chaotic glamour and Kate Moss's lived-in beauty setting the mood. By the noughties, heavily kohl-rimmed eyes had become practically compulsory for a night out, whether your inspiration was the indie scene or the latest backstage photograph. For Spring/Summer 2027, that rebellious streak is back, although this time the smoky eye has acquired a little more colour and creative freedom.
At Gucci, makeup artist Sam Visser channelled the spirit of indie sleaze with heavily smudged black shadow, gothic shapes and flashes of cobalt blue, green and red. Roberto Cavalli embraced a more colourful interpretation, with makeup artist Yadim creating high-impact metallic eyes, while Giorgio Armani offered a sophisticated counterpoint. There, makeup artist Hiromi Ueda softened elongated black shadow with touches of gold. Three distinct takes on a look that has never been especially interested in behaving itself.
A little black or charcoal pencil worked along the lash line, softened with a brush or fingertip, gives the eyes definition without demanding a professional makeup artist's precision. Chocolate brown and muted plum offer a gentler alternative for anyone reluctant to commit to full grunge. Keep the complexion fresh, or take your chances with a statement lip too. The old rule about choosing one or the other can stay firmly in the past.
The Beauty Edit: Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Liner (£33) — Cocoa
Richly pigmented and creamy, this is the sort of eyeliner that makes a smoky eye look deceptively effortless. The formula glides along the lash line and gives you enough time to soften the edges before setting. Cocoa delivers sultry, lived-in definition without the severity of jet black. A little smudging is positively encouraged.
Blurred Lips Are Getting A Little Messier
Perfectly outlined lips are looking a little too well-behaved for fashion's current mood. The blurred lip has already spent much of the past year enjoying its moment, with softly diffused pinks, romantic finishes and that unmistakable just-bitten effect. But for Spring/Summer 2027, makeup artists are taking the idea somewhere less innocent.
At Diesel, makeup artist Inge Grognard took red lipstick from immaculately applied to deliberately smeared, creating the impression of a night that had gone on far longer than planned. It was a fitting tribute to the dishevelled party-girl aesthetic, when lipstick rarely survived the evening intact and nobody lost any sleep over it. Luisa Beccaria went in a sweeter direction, with juicy, diffused lips reminiscent of a cherry ice lolly. Two very different moods, united by their disregard for immaculate outlines.
Recreating the effect couldn't be easier. Press a richly pigmented lipstick into the centre of the lips, then blur the edges with a fingertip or brush. A soft rose keeps things romantic, while cherry red captures the bolder runway mood. The best part? There's no need to excuse yourself halfway through dinner to inspect your lip line.
The Beauty Edit: Lisa Eldridge Velveteen Liquid Lip Colour (£21) — Ribbon
With its velvety, soft-focus finish, this lightweight liquid lipstick lends itself to the deliberately undone lip. Ribbon delivers a confident, classic red that can be pressed into the centre of the mouth and diffused outwards for a just-kissed effect. The colour makes an entrance, but the application doesn't demand perfection.
The Noughties Flick Gets A Fashion-Week Makeover
Few beauty signatures are as recognisable as a noughties cat eye. From the razor-sharp flicks worn on a night out to Amy Winehouse's famously exaggerated black wings, eyeliner was rarely a subtle affair. Its roots stretch back to the feline glamour of the sixties, but the noughties gave it a rebellious edge. Now that familiar shape is finding its way back into the spotlight, reimagined in unexpected colours, metallic finishes and proportions that make the old-fashioned cat eye look positively restrained.
Sportmax sent dramatic black wings down the runway, bringing a graphic edge to otherwise understated faces. At Dior, Peter Philips took a futuristic approach, introducing delicate silver strips and glittering accents that caught the light around the eyes. Luisa Beccaria made a case for turquoise-blue liner, adding a playful shot of colour to the traditional flick.
A little experimentation goes a long way. Extend your usual eyeliner slightly beyond the outer corner, introduce a metallic accent or trade black for an unexpected shade of blue. There's no need to revive the entire makeup routine of 2005, although some of those old photographs might be worth revisiting for inspiration.
The Beauty Edit: Dior Diorshow On Stage Liner (£35)
Dior's precision felt-tip liner makes experimenting with graphic eyes considerably less intimidating. The flexible tip lends itself to delicate flicks or exaggerated wings, while the collection's colourful finishes offer plenty of room for experimentation. An excellent excuse to take your eyeliner beyond its usual territory.
Blush Is Taking A Walk In The Countryside
From the sculpted colour of the eighties to the sunburn blush that swept across social media in more recent years, rosy cheeks have had more reinventions than the average pop star. This season's interpretation is less about precisely placed pigment and more about looking as though you've spent a wholesome afternoon outdoors. Think windswept cheeks, fresh air and the sort of healthy flush that usually requires a brisk walk followed by a very good pub lunch.
At Missoni, makeup artist Aaron de Mey, working with KIKO Milano, swept rich colour across the apples of the cheeks and bridge of the nose, recreating the natural redness that appears after time spent in the elements. Max Mara's Lisa Butler took a similarly instinctive approach, pinching the cheeks to reveal their natural colour before recreating the effect with blush. Both offered a welcome departure from the sharply sculpted cheekbones of seasons past.
The technique is refreshingly unfussy. Rather than sweeping colour upwards towards the temples, concentrate a cream or liquid blush on the cheeks, blending lightly across the bridge of the nose. Let the skin's natural texture show through. The finished effect should suggest an invigorating weekend in the countryside, even if the closest you've come to fresh air is walking to the coffee shop.
The Beauty Edit: Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand (£31)— Pinkgasm
A luminous pink blush with a pearlescent finish, this Charlotte Tilbury favourite offers a wearable interpretation of the runway's flushed cheeks. Its lightweight liquid texture blends easily, leaving skin looking fresh and subtly reflective.
Burgundy Is The New Neutral (Apparently)
Nude lipstick has been a loyal companion for years, but fashion's latest colour obsession is considerably moodier. Burgundy, black cherry, oxblood and deep plum are bringing depth and drama to the Spring/Summer 2027 collections. There's a touch of nineties vamp about it, when dark lipstick was the beauty equivalent of a slip dress and a leather jacket. Who decided wine-coloured lips belonged exclusively to autumn, anyway?
At Saint Laurent, Dame Pat McGrath paired deep burgundy lips with smouldering eyes, delivering the sort of unapologetic glamour that feels deliciously at odds with barely-there beauty. Gucci explored a gothic interpretation, while at Dolce & Gabbana, McGrath created a rich Shiraz-red mouth that commanded attention. The traditional rules about saving these shades for winter have apparently been mislaid somewhere backstage.
Away from the catwalk, there's plenty of room to adjust the intensity. A sheer berry stain delivers subtle colour, while a richly pigmented burgundy makes a statement with minimal effort elsewhere. Deep wine shades look striking against darker complexions, while raspberry-plum provides a softer introduction for anyone hesitant to abandon their usual nude. Add brushed brows and a touch of mascara, and suddenly beige lipstick seems a little underdressed.
The Beauty Edit: Clinique Almost Lipstick — Black Honey
A cult classic for good reason, Black Honey delivers a sheer wash of berry colour that looks far more intimidating in the tube than it does on the lips. Its balmy texture is exceptionally easy to wear, while the buildable pigment offers everything from a subtle wine stain to something altogether moodier. Burgundy without the commitment.
Images courtesy of Victoria Beckham Beauty.
