These days, beauty and makeup trends are just as likely to originate from social media as they are from the runway. Beauty forecasters and those who term themselves as ‘trend-savvy’ are now asking more than ever, what is more, powerful in directing makeup trends, the street or the runway?

According to the folks over at ESMOD Dubai Fashion Institute, when designers send their seasonal collections marching down the runway, they have a curated vision of how the show will be portrayed. All of the elements that make a runway show (lighting, sound, hair, and makeup) are key to conveying the designer’s vision.

These designers often envision looks that are avant-garde or extremely minimal; while make-up on the runway is used for theatrical effects. The looks are aspirational and are made to be used as inspiration as they make their way into fashionistas’ homes via a punchy colored lip, highlighted cheeks, or a glitterati eye.

Makeup Trends and the Streets

Makeup trends often defy the seasons dictated by the high-fashion superpowers that dominate the international fashion weeks. On the other hand, ‘the streets’ are always encouraging free spirits to come together in a carefree environment to create subcultures.

Diverging from normality to influence one another and develop their own sense of identity, these subcultures often represent everything in excess and exaggeration, especially makeup. Once seen as outsiders, using make-up as a form of self-expression and empowerment, think glitter, sequins, neon colors, and face paint, these looks have now been adopted and embraced by the masses (squiggly or braided brow anyone?). This goes on to show how the evolution of subcultures from the streets has had a massive influence on the trend’s direction.

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Impact of Blogging on Makeup Trends

Still, on the subject, the ESMOD Dubai folks go on to state that the influential world of blogging has also had an enormous impact on the way trends from ‘the street’ are communicated; meaning more and more people are becoming involved in street styling. For instance, the notable Sartorialist blog that documents everyday street style has led the way to digital marketing trends that revolutionize how the beauty (and fashion) industry markets and projects to customers. Much like the fashion industry, there are a lot of new hurdles and territories to be conquered within the beauty landscape, and what gives us hope is that there are more girls and boys leading the way.

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Beauty Trends and Social Media

Social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube have also changed the way beauty trends are shared. From the catwalk, where makeup is used to create an ideal, to the streets, where makeup trends take on a form of self-expression, we see pros and amateur makeup artists carving out their ‘style’ for the world to see.

This goes on to show how trendsetters (whether they know it or not) in cities around the world, including Dubai, are not afraid to show who they really are by using make-up and fashion to express their personalities.

From where I’m sitting, it seems the streets and the runways complement each other when it comes to influencing makeup trends. What do you think?

Just in case you cannot seem to perfect your grasp on that blender or brush, feel free to hit up one of ESMOD Dubai’s daytime or evening makeup trends courses, which run for 2.5 months periods.