Statement wear

This time of year is ripe for a seasonal makeup boost. Aqueous washes and coral glosses are usually swapped for rich russets and full-bodied clarets now, but this Autumn the customary beauty brief is being pushed a little further.

Call it a creative expletive after 18 months of dressing down but after a cacophony of colour on the catwalks and a riot of textures backstage, we’re pleased to report that beauty brands are pushing the boat out too. Think makeup treasures that will transform your look, elevating an elegant LBD to something a little more renegade and souping up a simple tee to couture levels.

What’s more, going bold and wearing makeup for the sheer pleasure of it is good for the soul. ‘One way of stepping out of the security of your comfort zone can be changing up your image and experimenting with a statement makeup look,’ says makeup artist and psychotherapist Lee Pycroft. ‘Not only is it playful and fun, it can lead to confidence-building experiences.’

Keen to join the Roaring Twenties but are feeling a little colour shy after such a long hiatus? The key to easing back into experimentation and carefully side-stepping away from the nudes is picking the feature you want to emphasise and choosing a product that sparks joy.

Make way for attention-grabbing gems which are easy to integrate into your everyday essentials but have enough mileage to last into the next season and beyond. Then just wait for the compliments to roll in.

Proving that you don’t need bright primary colours to make an impact, this sumptuous palette boasts plush pigments in a trio of textures that work on every skin tone. Add a dab of one of the metallic hues over your go-to eyeshadow colour for a more subtle focal point or go full throttle with a shade like Brocade Renegade all over the eyes, building up the intensity with each layer. The covetable limited-edition packaging makes dressing your eyes in swathes of colour all the more decadent.

Brows continue to make beauty news. The headline? Go big or go home. As well as giving structure to the face and framing the eyes, bold brows can make a fashion-forward statement that’s less obvious than adding a splash of colour. This everything-proof pomade bulks up even the scantiest of arches, bestowing them with 36 hours of staying power. For the most natural result, apply with an angled brow brush, using hair-like, upward strokes. If in doubt, always go a shade lighter.

Lips tend to be the most wearable way to do statement makeup. While red is the obvious choice for making an impact, why not step out of your colour comfort zone by opting for a hot pink (it looks particularly striking on pale or dark skin) or magenta? Apply straight from the bullet for a power pout or (for a more subtle take) dab on the colour with your fingers and keep the edges diffuse.

It may not be the most obvious choice for making a makeup statement but blusher can be a really fun, flattering way to add a pop of colour to your face. Vibrant peaches look great with a tan while fuchsia lends a youthful energy that makes you look instantly perkier. Remember: this is blusher designed to be seen rather than offering a natural flush. If you’re feeling daring, apply in a C shape from the temples to the cheekbones in a nod to ’80s glamazons or for a more daytime look, simply pat onto the apples of the cheeks. We love this cheerful rose colour by fashion aristocracy Hermès.

A vibrant eyeliner makes wearing colour altogether more palatable and this clean, mineral-based one glides on in a single seamless stroke, before setting to a long-wearing finish. Apply as a colourful take on a traditional feline flick, or, for something a little more brazen, etch along the crease to join your wing for a modern take on a quintessentially ’60s look. The Earth-conscious packaging (using 15% less plastic) makes it all the more appealing.

Image: Getty Images