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Ok my friends, here’s the deal. I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with trends. And for good reason! I’m a child of the 80’s, and every trend I ever tried to rock in high school has only served to make me eternally grateful there were no cell phones to snap pics or social media to record and document all the things I did in the name of fashion and makeup trends. And as much as I love to laugh at myself and my friends from back in the day, I need not supply my children with one more ounce of comedy relief since that giant bucket of hilarity is already quite full!
Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t ALL bad. Since I didn’t officially land my first makeup gig until 1992, I was able to duck and dodge a lot of the Cindy Lauper striped eyeshadow trends of 1985 and move straight into full-blown Glamour Shots cakey makeup looks, complete with gigantic hair and a feather boa! Ah, the good ole days!
Speaking of good ole days, let’s crack into those not-so-new TikTok trends I love and have been using since before contouring began to look like stripes of Neapolitan ice cream on your face!
The Under Lash Trend
@impressmanicure @byjaimeerae “MAJOR @kissproducts ♬ original sound - impressmanicure
Applying lash sections has been en vogue for hundreds of years, popular during various fashion eras, but I think the most memorable for me was when legendary supermodel, Twiggy wore them in the 60’s. Sometimes they were simply drawn on with liner, but once in a while you can catch an image where they’re noticeably created using false lash sections up and underneath her natural lash line.
In the early 2000’s, when the bridal makeup industry was still just beginning to grow into the full-grown giant it is today, I was using sections of false lashes to do an under lash when the band of a strip lash was inconvenient and needed to be less noticeable. Sometimes when the look called for a little more pizazz, I would cut sections of lashes to enhance the look of a strip lash by adding the clusters to create extra volume and depth at the outer corners of the eye.
Fast forward a couple of decades, and here I am in my makeup studio using an under lash technique on clients ranging from pre-teens to grandmas and creating beautiful looks with tons of new and innovative types of lashes. Clusters and singles are now available in all shapes and sizes, and with products like imPRESS Falsies Press-On False Lash Clusters, anyone can give this trend a try without the long-term commitment of bonding glue. I absolutely love this technique and highly recommend you give it a try!
The Under-Eye Blush Technique
If you haven’t seen this one, do yourself a favor and immediately put ‘Under Eye Blush’ on your “TikTok To-Do List.” However, this lovely little trick isn’t being showcased as the truly genius camouflaging technique it is! It’s one I’ve been using since I had eyes to see the dark circles on an early morning photoshoot after a really late night bachelorette party. I learned the hard way how to use a little blush in order to avoid making ladies with dark circles under their eyes look 20 years older. Remember I said I started doing makeup when I was 17? Well, I had the privilege of learning alongside some of the best artists in the biz. I mean the big dogs. The OG’s. The Godfathers (and mothers) of the pro makeup industry. Those who were resourceful enough to glue the ears of supermodels to their heads if the photographer said their ears stuck out too far, and makeup artists unafraid to use something like margarine on their model’s faces and hair for that oh-so-popular poolside wet-look photoshoot! These were the pioneers and keepers of the sacred makeup secrets we now know as “the newest tip and trick” or the eternally sought-after “viral TikTok trend!”
I know that sounded as intense as the intro to a new Star Wars movie but learning from makeup artists of that magnitude when I was only 17 was epic!
All that to say I was young and didn’t have any idea I wasn’t supposed to put half a pound of color corrector and concealer under someone’s eye to cover dark circles! And I didn’t understand that “covering up wrinkles and bags” isn’t really a thing. It was only after I had made a 30-year-old bride look 45 when one of those amazing makeup artists I mentioned had the compassion and wisdom to tell the bride gently to remove the pile of makeup under her eyes. He then showed me how to apply a thin layer of BB cream, a light dusting of setting powder, and then with a fan brush, he took a few swipes at a beautiful peachy-pink blush and swept it under her eyes and up, around her cheek bones. The warmth in the blush began to correct and balance the purplish-dark circles peeking out from behind the sheer layer of foundation he applied. It was amazing and it saved the day! I’ve been using this incredible technique ever since… and you should too!
The Cool-Toned Sparkly Eyeshadow Trend
@beautystylelist Liquid Glitter Eyeshadow @elfcosmetics #discoqueen #glitter #glittereyeshadow #glittereyes #elf #elfcosmetics #eyeslipsface #holidaytiktok #holidaymakeup ♬ Christmas Bells - StudioKolomna
Other than a smoky dance floor lit only with lasers and a giant mirrored ball, nothing gives me disco vibes more than cool-toned, sparkly eyeshadow. And keeping in mind that the very definition of the word ‘trend” is literally “a fashion”, it only makes sense that what’s trending has probably already been a thing.
The eyeshadow-swatching, sparkle-loving TikTokers who are making these videos usually already know this too. It’s not that they think it’s a brand new thing no one’s ever seen, it’s just that they’re helping some of the best things ever in the history of fashion make a comeback! So, kudos to you my sweet social media rockin’ friends! Keep on bringing back my faves and giving me an excuse to start strutting into the grocery store like I’ve got Saturday Night Fever with my sparkly eyelids while grabbing a bag of kale for my smoothies!
One of the great points of this trend is the emphasis on cool tones, which I love in a sparkly eyeshadow. This means soft blues, pinks and purples in the mix with a little pop of silver. It’s super simple to just swipe along the bottom eyelid and fade up toward the brow. If your eyelids are a little too mature for sparkles in the crease, the bottom lid and just above the lash line is where you’ll want to keep it.
If you’ve experienced problems with the sparkles falling down into the fine lines under the eyes, you may want to opt for a cream version of this shimmery goodness. And it doesn’t have to be spendy. Don’t be afraid to try a less expensive brand till you get the hang of it or decide if it’s something you’d actually attempt more than just once. Even if it is just for the sake of strutting into the grocery store, give it a try! This one’s definitely a keeper and will probably resurface every few years if I have any say in the matter!
Overall, this veteran Makeup Artist loves the heck out of a good TikTok makeup trend. But you definitely won’t see me on video trying them all. Some things are better left to the 19-year-old influencer. So, keep up the incredible reels, collabs and tutorials, you brave innovators!
Here’s to going viral my friends! Cheers!
Jackie Alves
About Jackie Alves
Jackie Alves helps women rediscover their beauty, gain new confidence, and boldly step into their next season of life. She’s the Co-Founder & Head Makeup Artist of The Beauty Bar Skincare & Makeup Studio, as well as the Head Educator of The Beauty Bar Pro Makeup Academy & Creator of the studio’s line of professional makeup products.
Jackie is the Founder & Beauty Educator of The Real Makeup Artist, a beauty brand featuring on-demand masterclasses and personal, online makeup tutorials focusing on “Real Makeup for Real Women” and how to “Become Your Own Makeup Artist”.
After landing her first makeup gig at the age of 17 in Las Vegas & now having over 30 years of experience in the beauty industry, Jackie uses her experience to help women overcome the challenges of finding practical beauty choices & techniques to fit their individual styles & needs in a world overrun with cosmetic companies, products, and procedures.
Jackie has worked with dozens of A-listers, including iconic fashion designers, Estel Day & Mark Tango of the fashion brand Mark & Estel, Movie Producer & Director, Kate Cohen of Straight Up Films, and several top photo & film studios in Las Vegas, Nevada.
