For the past few months, makeup trends have largely leaned toward high glam. Lip combos have become increasingly overlined and hyper-defined. Meanwhile, blush placement keeps drifting higher and brighter with every new trend cycle. But lately, a softer approach has started to take over my social feeds—and honestly, my own makeup routine, too. Enter: watercolor makeup.
Instead of relying on sharp definition or super intense color payoff, watercolor makeup is all about diffused pigment that melts into the skin, almost like, as the name suggests, diluted paint on paper. Makeup artist Corey White tells me the look feels “softer and more romantic” than traditional natural makeup. While the “clean girl” aesthetic tends to focus on perfected skin and muted tones, watercolor makeup embraces sheer washes of color that melt into the complexion. “Nothing looks too sharp or sculpted,” he explains. “The blush, lips, and eyes have this diffused, flushed effect that feels dreamier, effortless, and a little more expressive.” That translates to blush placement that looks naturally flushed rather than sculpted; lips that have a blurred stain effect instead of a crisp outline; eye makeup feels hazy in a way that's intentionally imperfect, and the overall effect leaves room for skin to actually look like skin.
