Makeup Artists in Paris, London, L.A., and NY Predict Fall's Top Makeup Trends

Thanks to a little thing called Instagram, it's so much easier in this day and age to feel in the know when it comes to noteworthy beauty trends. We have HD photos of stars like Zendaya and Margot Robbie at the beck and call of our tap-thirsty fingertips and the very cool ability to basically stalk the pros who prep our favorite celebrities with the hairstyles, hair colors, and makeup looks we lust over via our five-inch screens. It's neat, right?!

Still, we occasionally experience trend and sensory overload thanks to the sheer number of products and beauty looks dominating our feeds, and a season-specific guiding hand straight from the makeup artists we love can be helpful if you make it your life's work to navigate (and try!) fall's biggest makeup trends.

Since we're consuming the best beauty trends at the same rate as we're indulging our pumpkin-spice coffee habit (alarmingly fast), we reached out to four top makeup artists based in four different locales—New York, London, Los Angeles, and Paris—to unveil the most important fall makeup trends of 2020. From their top eight trend predictions to product recommendations and how-tos, we have it all waiting for you just up ahead. Keep scrolling!

New York

Trend 1: Matte, Smoky Eyes

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(Image credit: @quinnmurphy)

As NYC-based celebrity makeup artist Quinn Murphy points out, fall is the quintessential time for transition. It's often when we look to add some extra polish or sophistication to our beauty MO compared to the more laissez-faire approach we adopt throughout spring and summer.

"The smoky eye is a classic makeup look that exudes power, confidence, and mystery," he shares. "Shimmer has been stealing the spotlight lately as the element that jumps out and catches the eye, but a matte smoke finish is more alluring, cozy, velvety, and all-around cool for fall. When done right, a matte eye is moody yet luxurious like a wool cashmere sweater."

How to Try It

Trend 2: Delicate Brows

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(Image credit: @quinnmurphy)

"As everything '90s continues to trend, another huge makeup trend for fall is a soft, understated brow," Murphy tells us. "However, unlike the '90s, there will be no overplucking in 2020!"

"Fall's brow trend is all about embracing the natural shape and fullness of your brows—filling in only where necessary, which creates a softer, more elegant outcome that still frames the face. It's also just a nice change from the heavy, overdone brows that have been taking over."

How to Try It

London

Trend 3: Gleaming Skin

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(Image credit: @naokoscintu)

"A firm favorite of mine, and more of a relentless and aspirational trend, is glowing, healthy-looking skin," London-based celebrity makeup artist Naoko Scintu tells us. "This type of makeup is my ethos, so I will never get bored with a complexion oozing wellness and radiance. Who doesn't want to look healthy at all times?"

How to Try It

Trend 4: Playful Eyeliner

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(Image credit: @naokoscintu)

Bright, exuberant eyeliner has had a slow and promising burn all year long, but, according to Scintu, the trend is set to truly ignite this fall.

"Forget your standard black eyeliner this season because it’s all about creating a look with a flash of colour," she elaborates. "Neon is in, and I also love a strategic flick of eyeliner in white or red to add some interest to the face while still emanating that feline vibe, which I personally love."

How to Try It

Los Angeles

Trend 5: Fudge & Charcoal-Hued Lids

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(Image credit: @ash_kholm)

We've already featured a matte and smoky shadow finish as one of the biggest makeup trends on our radar for fall, but as L.A.-based celebrity makeup artist Ash K Holm points out, certain colors are especially amazing this time of year. The best shades from her pro makeup artist perspective? Variations of brown and gray in lieu of your basic black.

"Instead of a black smoky eye this fall, it’s more about creating a softer iteration," confirms Holm. "I suggest using fudge-y browns or charcoal grays on the eyes. Buxom's Smoke and Violet Eyeshadow Palette ($40) and Grey-Eyed Glamazon Eyeshadow Palette ($40) are all you need for soft, sultry eyes."

How to Try It

Trend 6: Bold, Graphic Liner

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(Image credit: @ash_kholm)

The graphic liner trend isn't going anywhere this fall, and in tandem with that other fall makeup trend we mentioned above (ahem, color!) prepare for all the major eye looks this season. 

"Bold, graphic takes on liner will really make a statement this fall," elaborates Holm. "Play up your liner by creating different shapes with a matte black or add hints of color to give your makeup some edge." 

How to Try It

Paris

Trend 7: Super-Separated Lashes

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(Image credit: @aureliepayenmakeup)

In addition to fresh, glowing skin (almost every makeup artist we spoke to mentioned the no-makeup-makeup look as enduringly important for fall), Parisian makeup artist Aurélie Payen says a certain lash look—ultra-fanned and separated—will also have major legs this season. 

How to Try It

Trend 8: Deep, Brown-Toned Lips

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(Image credit: @aureliepayenmakeup)

Forget your berries and burgundies and get ready for spectrums of brown. "This fall we will also see a deeper, brown-toned lip trend," predicts Payen. "I think we'll see a focus on brown hues throughout fall and winter for an intense-looking lip that really pops."

How to Try It

Beauty Director

Erin has been writing a mix of beauty and wellness content for Who What Wear for over four years. Prior to that, she spent two and half years writing for Byrdie. She now calls Santa Monica home but grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and studied writing, rhetoric, and communication at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, and spent a summer in L.A. interning with the Byrdie and Who What Wear family. After graduating from UW, she spent one year in San Francisco, where she worked as a writer for Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen before moving down to L.A. to begin her career as a beauty editor. She considers her day-to-day beauty aesthetic very low-maintenance and relies on staples like clear brow serum (from Kimiko!), Lawless's Lip Plumping Mask in Cherry Vanilla, and an eyelash curler. For special occasions or days when she's taking more meetings or has an event, she'll wear anything and everything from Charlotte Tilbury (the foundations are game-changing), some shimmer on her lids (Stila and Róen do it best), and a few coats of the best mascara-type product on earth, Surratt's Noir Lash Tint.