Goodbye, Heavy Contouring: How Natural Makeup Trends Can Affect Your Hairstyle

Goodbye, Heavy Contouring: How Natural Makeup Trends Can Affect Your Hairstyle

Tired of heavy contouring? Kim Kardashian’s makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic, who helped make contouring one of fashion’s most-buzzed about trends, is over it, too, and is all about natural makeup trends.

For ladies who don’t want to spend hours in front of the mirror, a return to natural makeup trends feels like it’s been a long time coming.

Here’s everything you need to know about new trends in natural makeup – and how you can switch up your hairstyle to match:

Leave Contouring Behind for the Summer

Just because contouring looks good on the runway or in a fashion shoot doesn’t mean it’s a good look when you’re headed out to the pool.

In fact, Dedivanovic told Grazie, an Italian magazine, that he’s trying to get women to understand contouring isn’t the only tool you should have in your makeup kit.

“A defined brow, a simple bit of liner, a little pop of color in the lips and natural skin is really great and it’s the way I would go if I was a woman and had to wear makeup everyday,” Dedivanovic said.

Even if you’re having fun playing around with contouring, wearing heavy makeup in the summer can be a disaster, says beauty editor Marianne Mychaskiw.

“Too much makeup in peak heat and humidity can clog your pores and trigger a breakout,” writes Mychaskiw at InStyle, “so we recommend swapping your weighty products for a lightweight tinted moisturizer, and applying concealer only in areas where your skin needs a little extra love.”

And at the end of the day, it’s more important than ever to remember to take all that makeup off before you hit the hay.

Forgetting to wash your face before bed is actually “one of the biggest mistakes” you can make, according to dermatologist Dr. Dennis Gross.

“Doing so can block pores, leaving oil trapped inside,” Gross explained to Refinery29. “This leads to bacteria build up, breakouts, and enlarged pores – which are many of the reasons women wear makeup in the first place.”

Use makeup remover, cleansing oil, or micellar water to take off most of your makeup for the evening, then follow up with your regular cleanser and a night cream for hydration.

The result? Perfectly clean, moisturized skin that makes the perfect base for a natural look.

How to Rock the Natural Makeup Trend

Ever wonder how celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow and Alicia Keyes manage to look polished and put together once the weather gets hotter?

Strategy. And we’re not just talking “no-makeup makeup,” which can be incredibly time- and product-intensive.

Instead, try out tinted moisturizer, a small swipe of color on the cheeks, and mascara for the ultimate pared-back natural look.

“Creme blushes work well because you can rub them in as much as you like for a dramatic or subtle look,” advises Taylor Post at StyleCaster. “Depending on your skin color, blush colors will vary – but peaches tend to look great on everyone.”

For Dedivanovic, pulling off a more natural look is all about a strategically-placed pop of color – like the sheer red eyeshadow he used to style Naomie Harris at this year’s Oscars.

The other key? A nude lip.

“To me, it’s the sexiest kind of lip,” Dedivanovic told People. “It’s usually a really natural lip liner and a mixture of 3 or 4 lipsticks that I always mix on my hand.”

Need some ideas for natural looks for the summer? Check out this post from Natural Healthy Concepts.

How to Wear Your Hair with Natural Makeup

Ready to embrace the natural makeup trend but need hair to match? We’ve got you covered. Here are 5 ways to wear your hair when everything else is pared back:

1. BEACHY WAVES

Nothing says calm, cool, and comfy quite like beach-inspired waves. While this style takes a bit of prep work to pull off, you’ve saved time on your makeup, so it all balances out.

The key to a good beachy wave is to use product – like a salt spray – on damp hair first, before letting hair air dry or diffusing.

“Salt sprays are terrific for creating texture in even the finest hair, thereby recreating the tousled waves of a beach day,” advises Annie Crawford at Bustle.

To learn more about summer hair care, check out our post on How to Keep Your Hair Healthy All Season Long.

2. NATURAL TEXTURES

Why not pair a natural face with the natural texture of your hair?

Whether you twist it up, puff it out, or just grab a head wrap, the point of wearing your natural hair in the summer is to go with the flow – no sense in fighting heat and humidity!

If you’re looking for natural hairstyles that will help you cool off, check out this incredible list of styling suggestions from the team at BuzzFeed.

3. SHAGGY BOB

Want to show off your features without using makeup? A shaggy bob – with more graphic features like bangs or face-framing layers – can help define your cheekbones and eyes.

This was the look hairstylist Guido Palau embraced for the spring/summer 2017 runway, explains fashion editor Lisa Niven at Vogue.

While you don’t have to bleach your hair, you can ask for a flattering, face-framing style to showcase your new natural look.

4. BRAIDS GALORE

Braids are pretty much the ultimate summer styling weapon. And not only do they keep you cool, but they’re all over the runways this year, too.

“Anyone who’s ever had bangs shellacked against their forehead or hair stuck to the back of their neck… knows that braids are the hair equivalent of a portable A/C unit,” writes Jenna Rosenstein at Allure.

Whether you pull your long hair back in a loose braid or go for a whole headful of hair extensions, braids look down-to-earth and as pretty as your pared-back makeup palette.

Need a few styling tips? Glamour has got you covered.

5. PONY UP

Classic and chic, the ponytail was all over the 2017 fashion week runways. It was especially a knockout at Monique Lhuillier, says fashion editor Jenna Rosenstein.

“Hairstylist Bob Recine pulled the hair back into a ponytail right in the middle of the head,” reports Rosenstein at Harper’s Bazaar. “The hair was loosely gathered, giving the appearance that the girls might have just quickly pulled back their hair themselves.”

It’s a girl-next-door look that pairs perfectly with natural makeup – plus, you can dress it up or down by adding a pop of color on the lip.

Now that we’re so over contouring, it’s time to embrace au natural looks for summer. As Dedivanovic reminded his fans, it’s all about feeling cool and comfortable in your own skin.

Once you have your natural palette picked out for the face, be sure to try one of these complementary hairstyles for pared-back chic.