NYFW Runways Are Like a Crystal Ball for Beauty Trends—10 You Can Expect to Define the Next 12 Months

I’d legitimately sell my soul for some sunny, balmy weather right now (Punxsutawney Phil, you’re in the doghouse), but dare I say I’m already eager for some fall beauty? Blame the breathtaking crop of hair, makeup, and nail looks at New York Fashion Week, where designers paired their rustic yet polished and “artfully askew” fall/winter collections with runway glam that subverts expectations. From the deconstructed lips at Proenza Schouler to the unexpected splashes of color at TWP, Michael Kors, and Carolina Herrera, it’s clear that beauty this year will be playful, bold, and anything but perfect. I, for one, am fully ready for it.

While the collections themselves won’t be available until fall rolls around, you can get a running start on the beauty trends poised to shape the months ahead—and trust me, they sure will. Consider the baby-doll beauty trend we saw this past autumn, which initially debuted on the Marc Jacobs, Thom Browne, and Christian Cowan runways last year, or models’ bold fringe at the Anna Sui and Christopher John Rogers F/W 25 shows, which sparked a bevy of bang trends. We can expect a similar trickle-down effect from the 10 looks below, so scroll on to get acquainted.

Low Ponytails

When it comes to hair trends, we can expect voluminous, intricate updos to make way for lower, looser twists. Consider models at Proenza Schouler, who donned “quiet” ponytails down the runway, or the next-day knots seen at LoveShackFancy. “It’s a little more romantic. It’s softer, a little more lived-in,” celebrity hairstylist Brent Lawler says backstage regarding the latter. “[Like] she loves to party, but she also loves poetry.” Even braids this season followed a similar, simple fashion—like at Tory Burch, where simple plaits hung close to the nape of the neck.

Seen Backstage

Bottom Eyeliner

I can’t even begin to count how many bottom-eyeliner looks we saw this season. From the crisp strokes at Ashlyn and Christian Cowan to the feline lines at Sergio Hudson to the smoked-out wings at Tory Burch, it’s clear that this fall, we’ll all go heavy on the kohl pencil. It’s arguably the easiest way to add a bold statement, as tracing your bottom waterline requires a lot less effort than, say, a razor-sharp wing. It’s also gloriously retro, giving ’60s Sophia Loren (as seen at Sergio Hudson) or ’90s grunge (like the edgy looks at Ashlyn), depending on your technique.

Seen Backstage

Hair as the Main Accessory

Remember when we predicted that hair “clothing” details would take the main stage during fashion week? Well, consider us trend fortune tellers because hairstyles have officially become accessories in their own right. This couldn’t be more evident than in Evanie Frausto’s first fashion collection, Showpony—a line of “wearable hair” using materials recycled from his work as a celebrity hairstylist. You might not don a full-body wig like the models on his debut runway, but you can select outerwear that closely matches the color and texture of your own strands, as if your tresses were cascading into one continuous silhouette. If you can’t tell where your hair ends and your outfit begins, you’re doing it right.

At Christian Siriano, swoopy hair “scarves” took over the runway, as if models had a permanent Olsen tuck. “As New Yorkers, we know a hair scarf moment,” lead hairstylist Lacy Redway tells me backstage. So why not make it intentional? The braided halo crowns at Cult Gaia—fashioned by Frausto—are also a work of art, resembling Joan of Arc–like armor without any added embellishments.

Seen Backstage

Something Askew

Rachel Scott’s first Proenza Schouler collection embraced the artfully askew, from rumpled dresses to irregular buttons and unconventional tucks. The accompanying glam followed a similar assignment, as lead artist Thomas de Kluyver intentionally distorted three classic makeup looks: mascara, which was deliberately clumpy thanks to delicate metal foils; eyeliner, which was deconstructed with one swipe on the lid and one across the bottom waterline; and lipstick, which was purposefully smudged. No detail was too “perfect,” which is exactly what makes it work.

Similarly, at Collina Strada, models sauntered down the runway with intentional hat hair—just one tuft sticking up from the crown of their heads. “This idea actually came from my son,” lead hairstylist Mustafa Yanaz shares backstage. “He started to wear hats, and when he takes it off after a long day, he always has a swirl on top. I’m like, ‘I need to put that in this show.'” Gaze closely at the manicures at Cinq à Sept, and you’ll find another sneaky, off-kilter detail: a matte topcoat covering only half of the nail plate. “It’s spontaneous but structural,” lead nail artist Amy Lin tells me of the geometric slash.

Seen Backstage

Hollowed Eyes

Designers have eschewed the concealer for a few seasons now, but we’re seeing the hollowed effect growing more and more intense—almost vampire-like, which was the exact inspiration at Collina Strada, makeup artist Dick Page shares backstage. For a slightly subtler effect, feel free to replicate the “’90s grunge meets Zoë Kravitzcool” glam from Bronx and Banco, which features a halo of smoky brown shadow around the eyes, or the “sleepy girl” makeup seen at Sandy Liang. “It’s like she’s rubbing her eyes,” lead makeup artist Romy Soleimani says backstage as she runs a rosy-brown pencil underneath a model’s waterline. “She still looks kind of fresh, but she has a little bit of sleep under the eyes with taupe and pink.”

Seen Backstage

Vermillion Accents

A typical fall beauty color story includes rich berries and moody plums, so consider my surprise when I saw fiery pops of red (not burgundy) across this season’s runways. Take Michael Kors’s and Proenza’s collections, for example, which were punctuated by bright vermillion lips, while models’ claws at Kim Shui were coated in intense scarlet. Red is timeless, of course, but if you’re one to save your more vibrant shades of crimson for the warmer months, don’t bother—red-hot glam appears especially striking against a cozy winter silhouette.

Seen Backstage

Petal-Pink Cheeks

Similarly, delicate pink blush trumped berry-stained cheeks (quintessential for fall) across shows—namely, TWP, LoveShackFancy, Kim Shui, and Ralph Lauren—making a case for a pretty, romantic flush this season. (I blame Wuthering Heights!) Whether you opt for a softer shade of pink à la TWP or a high-impact metallic like the “icy princess” looks at Kim Shui, don’t be afraid to lean into the cooler-toned hue. You’ll look perfectly windswept, or as Romero Jennings, lead artist at Kim Shui, describes backstage, “Frozen from the winter but still chic.”

Seen Backstage

Metallic Punches

So long, moody, burnished metallics. This fall, we’ll see vibrant shimmers in an array of bold colors, like the platinum Cupid’s bows and earlobes at Collina Strada, the chrome lips at Prabal Gurung, and the gleaming purple eyes at Carolina Herrera. Not into metallic makeup? Commit to a lustrous nail look à la Alice+Olivia (fashioned by celebrity nail artist Miss Pop) or Sandy Liang, the latter of which has a subtle, satin-like sheen inspired by Marie Antoinette.

Seen Backstage

Deep Side Parts

Side parts have officially taken over the beauty space, from runway shows to the red carpet—and the deeper they are, the more iconic. “We took a ’60s-slash-’90s approach to the side part,” notes lead hairstylist Garren of the Bardot-inspired topknots at Anna Sui, while models at Christian Cowan and Sandy Liang sported polished blowouts with side bangs. “[It’s] kind of a Veronica Lake–inspired side part but with beveled ends,” Justine Marjan, lead stylist at Christian Cowan, says of the look backstage.

Seen Backstage

Statement Wings

From punchy, sharp wings to colorful flicks, eyeliner looks were certainly en vogue on this season’s runways—just consider the ultra-sharp lines at LaQuan Smith, the ’60s Sophia Loren–inspired eyes at Sergio Hudson, and the purple and teal baby wings at Ulla Johnson. Key artists (such as Raisa Flowers at LaQuan Smith and Soleimani at Ulla Johnson) even decided to forgo the heavy lashes so laser focus would remain on the eyeliner.

“The LaQuan girl is very sexy and edgy, but she’s also a glam girl,” Flowers shares backstage. “We tied that in by adding black liner and making the eyes really bold this time.” For a softer look that still makes a statement, do like Soleimani and opt for a colorful flick. “It’s very clean and minimal, but instead of using brown or black, plum and teal is your neutral,” she notes. “That’s your little accessory.”

Seen Backstage