Runway Makeup Trends 2022: The Top 5 Beauty Trends

From facial embellishments to bleached brows, these beauty moments dominated fashion catwalks.

This year, runway makeup trends 2022 were two things: expressive and extra. Metallics lined models’ eyelids, brows were bleached to a barely-there state, and faux lashes and kohl black eyeliner were taken to gothic extremes.

As far as runway makeup trends are concerned, designers and makeup artists are the vanguards of what beauty looks are considered “in” or “out” for the upcoming season. With each look sent down a catwalk, there’s the potential to birth the next beauty trend du jour. So when face gems appear at both Peter Do and Halpern — or statement blush debuts at both Gucci and Christian Cowan — we take note of a makeup trend on the rise.

To sum up 2022 in beauty looks, we’ve rounded up the top five runway makeup trends of the year below.

Glam goes goth

Will goth ever die? This year’s runways say not any time soon. Faux curtain lashes fit for a horror movie, witch-length black talon nails, black lacquered lips and of course — the quintessential icon of gothic grunge — black liner smudged smokey eyes signalled that gothic beauty was back (again). In a year where the runways forecasted funeral fashion and Wednesday Addams is having a moment, the resurgence of gothic beauty was all part of the trend cycle.

Ultra-embellished

Nothing says “extra” like a face bedazzled with chunky gemstones, iridescent pearls and OTT glitter. By this definition, 2022 catwalks were a high-class case study in how to achieve maximalist makeup at the highest degree. Move over, TikTok. If you’re not dressed in Schiaparelli haute couture and dripping rhinestone tears, you’re not doing “crying makeup” right.

Mega-bleached brows

Both on and off the runway, bleached brows shifted the beauty paradigm. This subversive beauty trend pushed back against the barely-brushed fluffy brow phenomenon, and broke out in full force at the biggest fashion shows of the year. Love it or hate it, it’s still a major makeup moment.

Statement blush

High-octane pinks and strategic product placement characterized high fashion’s take on statement blush. For these Spring 2023 shows, the standard rules of blush application did not apply. Instead, chiselled cheeks doused in bubblegum powder that blended upwards to frame the forehead were more than welcome.

Major metallics

Copper-coloured hair and chrome textured nails punctuated the 2022 beauty trend space, so runway models painted in foiled metallic finishings are well deserving of a mention on this list. From Dries Van Noten to Giambattista Valli, frosted metal makeup was swept over eyelids for maximum impact.