Mauve Makeup Trend: The Cool-Toned British Aesthetic Takes Over
Allow me to be the first and possibly last person to inform you that mauve is now firmly in fashion. Yes, that purply-pink hue reminiscent of a 1990s mother-of-the-groom's duster coat has become the height of chic on cheeks, lips, and even eyes. It is often euphemistically labelled as "cool toned," which in practical terms translates to traditional nude makeup shades such as dark brown, caramel, taupe, pink, and beige, all customised with a mild mauvey tinge to reduce their respective temperatures.
A Godsend for Olive Undertones
The sudden wide availability of mauve blushers, lipsticks, and eyeshadows is a godsend to those with an olive undertone. For individuals with olive skin, whether pale, medium, or deep, warm-toned makeup can often turn an unflattering Trumpian orange. This cool-toned trend provides a much-needed alternative, ensuring a more natural and polished finish.
It is also excellent news for those who aspire to that brisk, windswept British aesthetic over, say, the bronze California beach babe look. You can probably tell that I am very much aboard the mauve train—I have been testing every iteration I can get my hands on.
Top Picks for Mauve Makeup
My favourite for sheer ease and laziness is Lisa Eldridge's Liquid Silk Eyeshadow, priced at £26, in the shade ione. This is an everywoman mauvey beige that is incredibly user-friendly. When I say a mittened toddler could make this work, I mean it. Simply swipe the applicator over the lids, stopping just after the crease, and blot with your ring finger or a small fluffy brush to soften the impact.
Just this and a black mascara is plenty to look polished and cool, but it sits equally well as a base for more colours should you want to get a palette out—for instance, Ilia's The Necessary Eyeshadow Palette at £40.
The blusher equivalent to ione is MAC's Glow Play Cushiony Blush, costing £28, in the shade Blush, Please. This is a very flattering and truly foolproof mauve-beige that requires neither brush nor mirror to apply, giving a breezy, cold-day flush to the cheeks.
Affordable and Bold Options
NYX makes brilliant lipliners at a terrific price. Its mauve Slim Lip Liner, priced at just £4, is really more of a medium, cool-toned brown that pairs well with any lipstick devoid of yellow and orange. Alternatively, it can be used alone and smudged all over with your little finger and some clear lip balm for subtlety.
For something bolder on pale to medium skin, one could fill in with Jones Road The Classic Lip in mauve, costing £30. This is a satiny, ultra-comfortable lipstick in a sophisticated cool, nude pink.
On deeper tones, Merit's new Lightweight Lip Blush, priced at £25, in Archival baby mauve, is beautiful—a deep but vibrant mauve with a hazy, blurry finish that adds a touch of elegance.
