Formal season is in full swing for Brisbane and all over the country! We are already seeing some amazing makeup trends dominating the scene here. If you have a semi formal or formal coming up, you’ll definitely want to know what the top trending makeup styles are this season. Whether you’re planning to be the wild card with a completely different look, or show up on point with current trends, check out some of the most requested formal makeup looks below for inspiration:

Rose Gold

Not only are we seeing rose gold dominating the eye makeup game, but the highlighter scene as well. Thanks to brands like Anastasia Beverly Hills and Kylie Jenner’s new line of Kylighters, we’re able to subtly bring those incredible rose gold hues on the eyes to other areas of the face, tying everything together.

Glitter

Glitter. Everywhere. No, I’m not joking. On the lid, off the lid, above the brow, on the temple, in the centre of your luscious pout. The best way to make this fun makeup trend wearable for formal? Choose a single feature area for it on the eye. Some of the most popular options for that include the centre of the eyelid, the entirety of the eyelid, a stroke simply following the eyeliner, a subtle swipe of it along the lower lash line, or outlining a cut crease.

Glowing Skin

This is huge for keeping a youthful look despite how full on many of the top trending makeup styles are. Our formal girls are loving a strong sheen of highlight on the tip of the nose, just above the cupids bow, and, of course, the top of the cheeks. You can bring this beautiful makeup trend in just under the outer third of the brow and inner corner of the eye as well to help open eyes up even more.

A few of the other trends we’re seeing for formal makeup this season include going without blush, super tan skin, more subtle contouring, a focus on eyes rather than lips, and dramatic lashes to complete the look.

We can’t wait to create more of these looks on our Bliss Babes throughout the rest of the year!

xx Reanin

Now that you know the perfect product for your personal brow needs, we wanted to share our absolute fave brushes and tools to team up with those products.

The Spoolie Brush

This is a must have for every step of brow creation. Use it first to brush through your brows and get the hair situated the way you want. Then, use it throughout the process of filling in your brows, whether you’ve selected powder, pencil, gel or wax/pomade as your product. It breaks up any areas you might have been a bit heavy handed with product and creates a wispy, hair like effect. Once you’ve finished filling in your brows, you can use it again for a final sweep through to collect excess product and perfectly place each of your natural hairs without adding any additional colour.

Buying disposable spoolie brushes is a great way to keep things simple, sanitary and low cost. They can be bought in bulk packs online and in makeup stores.

The Small Angled Brush

This brush makes handling easy when filling in your brows. It’s perfect to use in conjunction with brow powders as well as brow waxes/pomades. For powders, you want to choose a soft, fluffier angled brush and for waxes/pomades, using a thinner angled brush (one that can be pressed into a sharper edge) is best. When it comes to pencils, you won’t need a brush to apply the product and the same goes for gels which you will simply use the spoolie wand that comes attached inside the tube to apply it.

One of our favourite small angled brushes for powders is the Sedona EB 23 (Cruelty Free Brand).

One of our favourite small angled brushes for waxes/pomades is the Morphe MB 32 (Cruelty Free Brand).

The Small Concealer Brush

We love using a small concealer brush to clean up around our brows. While we know the more natural and fluffy brow is making a come back in a huge way this year, it’s still great to get a more defined edge underneath your brow (and let the tops of your brows be the fluffy, undone side). Putting a little bit of concealer or using your foundation to underline your brows will give a more defined edge.

One of our favourite small concealer brushes is by E.L.F. (Cruelty Free Brand).

Happy brow shaping!

xx Reanin

*Next week on our blog we’ll be outlining exactly how to create a professional, polished look in minutes with minimal products and price!

In today’s brow focused world, it can be incredibly overwhelming having to make more decisions and investments than simply stopping by your local brow waxing place once a month. No, no, there is far more to it now.

But don’t worry! We’re here to demystify the many brow tools available out there and help narrow down which one is ideal for your personal beauty routine and makeup goals, not just what that one high profile vlogger swears by.

First, consider what is important to your brow game. Is it simplicity and ease of use; something for beginners? Is it something that will hold all day and night, whether in splashing around the pool or dancing at best club in town? Do you need more colour for your already full brows? Or do you need more brows for your nonexistent brows? Check out all your options and which ones are best for your brow needs:

Powder

Best for: Beginners & light coloured brows.

Why we love it:
Powders create a shadow under your brows making them appear fuller and denser. It’s easy to manipulate if you use too much or too dark of a colour, so it’s a great option for those just starting out. A top tip is to begin with a light colour to practice getting the perfect technique and then slowly building the colour to increase the effect.

Pencil

Best for: Sparse or patchy brows.

Why we love it:
Brow pencils offer the most realistic effect, making it the perfect tool for those with areas in the brow that are sparse or have no hair at all. It gives the ability to create individual feather strokes of colour mimicking that of your real hairs. Brow pencils are great for starting lightly and gradually increasing pressure for increased intensity and impact.

Gel

Best for: Defining existing brows & long lasting wear.

Why we love it:
Gels are applied with the same style applicator as a mascara wand, so you will already feel comfortable with the tool. It will help to define existing brow hairs by attaching product to them individually, making them fuller and darker. They are ideally used by someone who already has good shape to their brows but wants more colour, long lasting hold or a finishing touch to secure other products used underneath. You can also purchase it as a clear gel to set brows in place either on its own or over top of pencil or powder.

Wax / Pomade

Best for: Dramatic brows & long lasting wear for those with more experience.

Why we love it:
Waxes and pomades offer a far more defined brow and a direct route to a bold look. Definitely a great product to work your way up to after mastering the pencil and powder options – or if you have plenty of time and patience to practice!

Bonus tip for every product mentioned…

If you find you’ve gone a bit too heavy with any of these products, you don’t need to wipe it off and spoil all your hard work! Simply use a spoolie (just like a mascara wand applicator but without any product on it) and swipe through your brows. This will collect excess product and help to create a more natural feathered effect.

Have fun with your new brow product insights!

xx Reanin

*Next week on our blog, we’ll explore what other tools might come in handy for brow shaping perfection, including our top brush picks for application!