The Parisian Beauty Forecast
Image Courtesy: Marie Claire
The finale of one of the most fashion-forward months is upon us. Paris Fashion Week has long been a predictor for our closets and what we’ll wear, but its global influence does not seem to stop there. The runways are also taking over our cosmetic bags. However, there’s a definite shift in this season as Paris isn’t giving us one all-consuming trend to copy. Instead, the Spring/Summer 2027 runways are embracing maximalist experimentation and expressive minimalism. More than anything, designers are leaning into personal expression, creating beauty looks more specific to their individual brand identities rather than following one universal formula.
The first notable example of this shift is the unexpected eye. The smoky eye is no longer the advanced eye-makeup look to conquer. This season, Paris is expressing itself through eyes, whether it be with glitter, graphic liner, or uncanny realism. Instead of giving us another beauty trend to perfectly recreate at home, designers are using the eyes as another area of expression and stylistic experimentation to challenge existing ideas of makeup.
On Dior’s runway, makeup artist Peter Phillips used a fresh approach with a natural, barely-there base and then went in with metallic silver details and glitter on the eyes. Paired with natural, surfer-girl waves, this gave the runway an almost futuristic, but still approachable look. The glittery eyes, fresh skin, and undone hair all came together to create a perfect blend of maximalist and minimalist beauty. Elle Magazine is describing this look as “Surfer Girl That Goes to a Rave,” and this might be the closest to a universal description of this season’s beauty looks that we’re going to get. On the complete opposite spectrum, Matières Fécales and Hodakova are embracing a much more confrontational, uncanny look. Whether it be a dramatic red eyeliner paired with red eyes at Matières Fécales or hyper-realistic fish eyes on the eyelids of models at Hodakova, makeup artists are adding unexpected details into their looks via the eyes. These looks weren’t made with the intention of being replicated into our everyday routines, but come off as more of a cultural statement. Designers are challenging conventional beauty standards by making viewers uncomfortable with the strange and surreal, showing that beauty is also an expression of creativity, not just aesthetics.
Image Courtesy: Vogue Singapore
However, Paris isn’t only experimenting with the extreme. The runways also seemed to embrace the undone French beauty style of their homeland, especially at Dior and Acne Studios. Instead of perfectly curled hair and contoured skin, stylists intentionally left models a little imperfect with loose waves and bare faces. At Dior, the effortless hair and fresh, dewy skin contrasted with dramatic silver eyes, proving that minimalism and maximalism don’t have to exist separately. Acne Studios leaned into this softer direction, creating a Renaissance-inspired look with pink blush and lips to achieve a more feminine, romantic look that felt almost like a painting brought to life on the runway. While this look felt much softer than the surreal looks seen on other runways, it felt distinct and individual to the brand, which was the overarching trend of this season.
The contrast between these runway looks is definitely the most interesting beauty trend to come out of Paris this season. Instead of one beauty look dominating every runway, designers are paving the way for their own beauty trends. For years, beauty has revolved around mass micro-trends, like clean-girl glazed skin, that spread rapidly from runways to influencers to our own routines. But these runways seem to show that we are moving away from mass trends and toward beauty that feels more personal. Rather than seeing a certain look on the runways or an influencer’s page, beauty is becoming another way to express individuality. These runway looks seem to serve as more creative inspiration than a strict lookbook, and it looks like we’ll be stepping outside our comfort zones this season.
Strike Out,
Writer: Natalie Sadler
Editor: Alexia Cretoiu
Graphic Designer:
Tallahassee