Image Credit: Shutterstock
It was inevitable.
This summer saw the emergence of ‘Strawberry girl’ and ‘Tomato girl’ make-up trends on social networks like TikTok. Come autumn, it’s all about pumpkin spice. It was only a matter of time before this warm, welcoming colour palette became the latest trending aesthetic in the world of beauty.
We spoke with Sana Afzal, a bridal make-up specialist with five years of experience, based in Dubai, who runs her own business @youbysana. She decoded why pumpkin spice holds such universal appeal: “[It’s] a prevalent trend in make-up due to its warm, earthy, and cozy vibes. Much like the beloved autumnal beverage, pumpkin spice make-up incorporates shades that evoke the spirit of fall. It’s all about capturing the warmth and richness of the season, creating a sense of comfort and nostalgia that resonates with many make-up enthusiasts.”
How do I feature the pumpkin spice trend in my make-up?
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Barbiecore, which rose to prominence with the Hollywood film Barbie earlier this year, celebrated the colour pink. Pumpkin spice, on the other hand, makes the jump to a palette of warmer, earthier colours.
Afzal said: “You’ll find shades like burnt oranges, deep terracottas, spicy cinnamons, and rich browns. These colours reflect the changing leaves and the cozy, inviting fall atmosphere. Additionally, pumpkin spice make-up often includes shimmering metallics and golden hues to add a touch of glamour and warmth.”
If these colours appeal to you, it’s worth exploring ways to incorporate the colour palette into your regular make-up routine. The idea is to start with a lightweight foundation or bronzer for a natural glow, and then move on to a monochromatic pumpkin spice look, by choosing the same or similar tones for your eyes, lips and cheeks.
Afzal shared three ways to include pumpkin spice in your make-up arsenal – through an eyeshadow palette, nail polish, and a blush and highlighter.
We scoured Amazon for the perfect match, based on her recommendations, and TikTok trending picks. Pick up pumpkin spice make-up and cozy up to the season’s biggest beauty trend as early as tomorrow, with Prime membership.
1. Best Compact Powder: PÜR MINERALS 4-in-1 Skin-Perfecting Powders Face Palette, Dark-Deep
Begin with a bronzer to warm up your complexion – it’s the element that ties all your make-up components together. PÜR MINERALS has been all the rage lately, because its compacts serendipitously feature the perfect pumpkin spice shades to suit all skin tones. Its all-in-one kit includes a bronzer, highlighter, blush and translucent setting powder in a sleek, travel-friendly palette. The powders are infused with green tea, ginseng and vitamin B to rejuvenate the skin. When applying the bronzer, make sure to touch all the spots where the sun naturally shines on your face – this includes your temples, cheek, nose and chin. Afzal shared other application tips: “Apply the blush to the apples of your cheeks and dust the highlighter on your cheekbones and the bridge of your nose to achieve a warm and radiant pumpkin spice look.”
2. Best Eyeshadow Palette: Too Faced Pumpkin Spice Warm & Spicy Eye Shadow Palette
Too Faced’s limited edition selection of 18 eyeshadow tints hit the mark. It features both warm and cool toned shades, and while 12 of them are matte, the rest are shimmers – perfect for nights out. Reviewers love the colour variation, from hues like ‘whipped cream’ to ‘ginger spice’ and ‘cocoa drizzle’. Our expert recommends investing in such eyeshadow palettes, as they’ll come in handy even after the trend fades. Afzal said: “Use the matte pumpkin orange for your lid, deepen the crease with a cinnamon shade, and apply the shimmering gold as a highlight in the inner corner of your eyes for a captivating pumpkin spice eye look.” You can pair it with a warm nude lipstick “for a subtle touch”, she added.
Bonus: Redeem 10 per cent extra discount with Citibank MasterCard by entering the code ‘CB10NOV’ at checkout.
3. Best Lip Pencil: MAC Lip Pencil, Cork
While the pumpkin spice aesthetic is a product of perfectly bronzed skin and glamorous eyes, what you put on your lips could make or break the look. One way to nail the trend is to complete your make-up with a brown lip liner, paired with a clear gloss on the lips. Reviewers love MAC’s lip pencil in the cork shade, which they say adds to their overall natural, autumnal look. You can also try it in chestnut or oak, for the perfect subtle addition to your lips.
4. Best Lip Gloss: ILIA Natural Balmy Gloss Tinted Lip Oil
A few swipes of nude gloss brings the pumpkin spice look together. TikTok trending ILIA is a vegan, all-natural brand that packs its lip oils with moisturising and plumping ingredients, like hyaluronic acid and a blend of botanicals. Reviewers say ILIA’s Neutral Nude shade is exactly as it says – it makes them feel like they’re not wearing any lip tint, but still produces a natural, glossy sheen that makes the lips feel fuller, smoother and softer.
5. Best Nail Polish: essie Nail Polish, Playing Koi
It’s the details that make any fashionable look stand out. Afzal said adding a pumpkin spice nail colour “for a chic and autumn-inspired manicure is an easy way to add a pop of the trend to your overall look”. With over 3,000 4.5-star reviews, essie’s Playing Koi nail polish fits perfectly in the pumpkin spice colour spectrum, with its beautiful burnt orange finish. Afzal advises applying two coats for full coverage.
Bonus: Redeem 10 per cent extra discount with Citibank MasterCard by entering the code ‘CB10NOV’ at checkout.
Our recommendations are independently chosen by Gulf News editors. If you decide to shop through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission, as we are part of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.