The return of glam: How to embrace the maximalist make-up trend

From Zara Larsson to JADE, female popstars have set a bold new beauty mood for the year ahead. We asked the experts how to do it.

Chappell Roan sporting a maximalist make-up look at the Grammy Awards Picture: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

After years of barely-there skin, brushed-up brows and the relentless pursuit of “effortless” beauty, full glam is making a comeback.

The clean-girl aesthetic, all that dewy minimalism and neutral restraint, isn’t going anywhere (thank god, I have just perfected the no-make-up make-up look), but its hold on beauty is starting to soften. In its place, maximalist makeup is stepping back into the spotlight, confident, creative and colourful.

Bold pigment, texture and “the full beat” is firmly back on red carpets, runways and our social feeds. Graphic liner, flushed cheeks, high-impact lips and lots of colour are once again signalling a shift away from beauty as quiet conformity and towards beauty as expression.

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Inspired by pop artists JADE, Chappell, and Zara Larsson, there’s a growing desire for makeup that feels playful, expressive and just a little rebellious. If you have been holding off on experimenting with some colourful eyeliners or sparkly shades, now is your time to get creative.

In a cultural moment shaped by uncertainty, aesthetic fatigue and algorithm-driven sameness, maximalist beauty feels both like a reaction and a release. Where “clean” beauty promised control and polish, maximalism embraces individuality and creativity. It’s not about fitting into an aesthetic, this is all about standing out.

JADE make-up look by Byron London Picture: @byron_london

The need to innovate

For makeup artist Christine Lucignano, known across the industry as Cloochy, a master of self-expression in both her work and her presence, the shift feels inevitable.

“I think a girl can only be ‘clean’ for so long!” she laughs. “And the times we are in necessitate an escape, and creating through makeup is one of the best escapes there is.”

For years, flawless skin and neutral tones dominated beauty feeds and fashion shows alike. As a model, so many of the editorials I’ve worked on in recent years have embraced the same pared-back aesthetic and don’t get me wrong, I love it. There’s comfort in that kind of polish. But somewhere along the way, in the pursuit of perfection, I think something playful was lost.

Makeup artist, influencer and Kash Beauty founder Keilidh Cashell sees the return of boldness as part of fashion’s natural rhythm.

“Every trend runs its course,” she explains. “Does this mean people will stop wearing natural makeup? Absolutely not. But we’ve overindulged in one look for a long time, and that always makes us want to experiment with the opposite.”

Kash Beauty Blush Duo Coral flush

History backs her up. In the 1980s, colour and heavy blush ruled. The 1990s stripped it all back into grunge and neutrality. Beauty has always swung between extremes, and right now, the pendulum is  winging decisively toward fun.

“How exciting to think that more playful makeup is on the horizon,” Cashell adds.

And, fear not, this isn’t a return to thick foundation and rigid, overworked looks. Today’s maximalism is softer, more intuitive and far more wearable. The base remains sheer. Skin still looks like skin. The drama comes from colour, texture and placement.

“We’ve mastered our base products during the ‘natural’ era,” Cashell suggests. “We’re no longer wearing super full-coverage foundations, and I don’t think that will leave. But we will play with our other features more, especially eyes and lips.”

Lucignano echoes that sentiment, stressing that maximalist makeup begins with skin that’s nurtured, not hidden.

“Maximalist makeup is skin that’s really glowing without heavy coverage,” she explains. “Go sheer with your foundation, think Natasha Denona Hy-Glam or CHANEL Les Beiges then conceal only where you need it with something precise like Lisa Eldridge Pinpoint Concealer.”

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation, €50

Once the base is balanced, everything else is fair game: saturated eyeshadow, smudged liner, blurred lips that shift from powdery to hyper-shine.

That appetite for bolder colour is something Suzy Dunne, founder of Hildun Beauty, sees across generations.

“I’ve noticed younger girls embracing berry lips and bolder tones, breaking out coloured eyeliners and smokey, contoured eyes again,” she says. “Our Immortal Metallic Liner in Silver was a huge hit with all ages recently — it works beautifully in the inner corner to brighten the eyes and is incredibly flattering on everyone.”

Mythical Romance Hildun Beauty

Bold makeup is more likely to attract critics. Minimal beauty is praised as virtuous and effortless, while dramatic looks are framed as disguises. It’s a narrative Lucignano is quick to challenge.

“‘Natural’ is often praised because it looks like you were born flawless, which nobody is,” she says. “Dynamic, intense makeup is thought of as hiding something, but that’s just a myth. Do what makes your heart happy and express your individual self.”

For Dunne, the conversation goes deeper than trends; it’s all about inclusivity. “Not everyone suits the ‘clean girl’ look,” she explains. “We don’t all have naturally plump, dewy skin. Some faces are lifted by a berry blush, a smoky eye or a strong lip. By embracing colour, we embrace everyone.”