Makeup trends that went viral in 2024

The year 2024 has seen a wave of beauty trends, from excessive blush to skinny brows, and some were certainly more popular than others.

When it came to application, makeup enthusiasts flooded social media with so-called 'hacks', claiming to be the secret to perfecting flawless glam.

While some were more memorable than others, beauty experts delve into 2024’s viral makeup trends that are actually worth taking into the new year.

Low-contrast makeup

"Low-contrast makeup" went viral on TikTok when creators began questioning how the contrast between your hair, eyes and skin tone affects the way your makeup looks.

This trend revolves around maintaining a low-contrast, where each element of your makeup seamlessly blends together, rather than allowing any single feature to dominate. The result? An arguably effortlessly chic finish.

French makeup artist, Alieenor, has been instrumental in popularising this approach, sharing a series of TikTok videos that explore the concept of "finding your contrast".

@alieenor My favourite glow up tip is playing with contrast to get more confidence ✨ #contrastlevel #mediumcontrast #highcontrast #emmawatson ♬ son original - Alieenor 🧡

To demystify the process, she developed a filter to help users determine their contrast level. By selecting your skin tone and comparing it against low, medium or high-contrast examples, you can uncover the ideal balance for a polished yet natural look.

Blush contouring

Blush certainly had its moment in 2024, thanks to singer Sabrina Carpenter and the Eighties revival, social media went mad for rosy cheeks.

Whilst ‘blush blindness’ also went viral – and not necessarily for good reason – people began to look for the best ways to properly apply blush.

@jacquelinekilikita L-shaped blush hack, you say? 🧐 IB: @glamwithdaminee #beautyinatik #blushhack #blush #makeuphacks #makeuphack ♬ Dream Girl - Slowed + Reverb - Crisaunt

"Blush contouring gives a swept look drawing the attention away from the centre of the face," explains lash technician and founder of Bonded, Elizabeth Chandler.

"Colouring from the top of the jawbone to the temple gives a more groomed squared-off look instead of a rounded shape."

Blush contouring soon became the go-to hack, where you hold your thumb and index finger in an ‘L’ shape and hold it in line with the outer edge of your nose, facing inwards.

It’s the negative space between your hand and your face that creates the perfect position to apply blush for a healthy and lifted look.

Lash curler hack

While eyelash curlers work wonders immediately after use, sometimes you can find your lashes fall flat just an hour later.

The hack that went viral this year was the use of eyeshadow primer to keep that curl in place.

The method included curling your eyelashes as normal with your curler, then taking an eyeshadow primer on a small brush and applying it to your lashes. Following this up with mascara then means your lashes will stay put all day long.

@nats_tutorials I found this hack from the QUEEN @Alexandra Anele 🫶🏼✨ #mascarahacks #lashcurler #mascaratips #natstutorials ♬ Made You Look - Meghan Trainor

However, Chandler warns about the consequences of this method over prolonged periods of time.

"Anything that clogs the follicle is ultimately bad, so full removal of mascara is absolutely key," she explains. "Any powders followed by liquid can introduce bacteria which can cause infection."

Using a primer lash-curling hack over time could lead to breakage.

If consumers find their lashes need a break from that extra lift, Chandler says to "keep things simple and use tubing mascara and non-toxic products".