Brontë-Core Beauty is Taking Over My FYP—These Products Give 1800s Romance In the Best Way Possible
Have you seen Wuthering Heights yet? If you have, you'll know exactly what this beauty mood board is all about. While Emerald Fennell's cinematic interpretation strayed pretty far from the original novel, this fresh take on the classic really got my beauty inspiration wheels turning. The costumes, cinematography, and overall aesthetic of the movie were a sight to behold—matched only by lead Margot Robbie's ultimate 'soft girl' makeup.
MAC Cosmetics's director of makeup artists Terry Barber says this acted as the sounding board for the Brontë-core beauty trend taking over my For You page. "It's about a more soft-focus, romantic beauty devoid of any sharp lines and defining contours," she says. "Think low-key eyes, outdoorsy flushed cheeks and blushed, unlined lips. In terms of color, it's about opting for shades which look like heightened versions of tones that are already in the skin, as if you’ve just come in from cold weather. It's a shadowy halo around the eye with no mascara, a ruddy pink 'pinched' stain worn high on the apples of the cheek and rubbed into the lip. All of this on a canvas of soft matte blurry skin."
Lots to unpack here, so I created the ultimate cheat sheet for this beauty aesthetic. As a self-proclaimed lazy girl when it comes to my makeup, I'm really into this vibe. Below, Barber shared a few products to get us started on our own Brontë-core beauty journey and I included a few items I'll be using to hop on this trend.
To achieve the lit-from-within ethereal glow Robbie has in the film, there's never been a more perfect serum to get the job done. It supports soft, supple, glowing skin with ingredients like ashwagandha and chicory root extract. I've been dying to get my hands on it because I've seen what it can do along with the rest of the brand's incredible products.
According to Barber, this lip and cheek mousse from MAC was practically made for this trend. "It's a pretty fool-proof flush in a soft suede finish," she says. It has more of a matte finish, but leaves a beautiful, soft light finish on the skin that whispers *windswept* like no other.
Personally, I prefer a foundation that has a dewier finish and while Robbie's makeup in the film is often understated and soft, her skin still looks flawlessly luminous. This serum foundation is the perfect companion to help create the look. It keeps your skin fresh, radiant, and hydrated throughout the day with next to no creasing which is no small miracle for dry or dehydrated skin.
Barber says that this paint pot cream shadow from MAC says this is a key product to master the naturally flushed look. "This provides a subtle there-but-not-there wash of color around the eye," she says. While it has a bit of shimmer to it, it perfectly emanates the film's "subtle glow" aesthetic.
Danessa Myricks products never miss—period. This soft, low-light highlighter will help you nail the look. TBH, I wouldn't be surprised at all if it was the actual product they used on Robbie in the film—it's that much of a perfect match to the wash of color on her cheeks!
This mirror is just so dang cute. It matches Fennell's Wuthering Heights aesthetic so perfectly. While the film does dive into a tragic romance, Fennell focuses on moments of quiet beauty in the film too like a snowy night, beautifully arranged dining table, and opulent home décor.
While I don't usually prefer a powder foundation myself, Barber says this O.G. formula from MAC is perfect if you aren't a fan of wearing a more luminous foundation. She describes this as having a blurring effect, smoothing pores and giving a clean, soft-matte look to the skin.
Shawna Hudson is a beauty, wellness, lifestyle, and travel writer with over 10 years of experience. She graduated from California State University, Fullerton, with a degree in journalism and has written for other publications such as Bustle, The Zoe Report, Byrdie, Elite Daily, and more. She is currently a beauty writer at Who What Wear and hopes to continue feeding her (completely out-of-control) beauty obsession as long as she can. Stay up to date on her latest finds on Instagram @shawnasimonee.