Before social media, it used to be that trends had a seasonal, or at least monthly, shelf-life.
The advent of Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube, however, has made flash-in-the-pan viral sensations a daily occurrence – especially in the beauty space.
Here, we chart the latest hair and make-up fads (as in the ones we’ve seen in the past few weeks alone), so you’ll know which ones are in and which ones are out – at least for now.
IN: COLORFUL TEAR-DUCT HIGHLIGHTING
Who said you can’t glow in color? Make-up artist Patrick Ta gave clients Shay Mitchell (left), 30, and Joan Smalls, 29, (right) an iridescent purple inner-eye-corner highlight
ROYGBIV: Instagram accounts like @collegiatebeauty (left) and @kaynadianbeauty (right) have posted images featuring tear-duct highlights in every color of the rainbow
More is more! Bella Thorne, 19, didn’t stop with only using glitter for make-up for the Teen Choice Awards. She also brought a bold aqua shade into her inner-eye corners
The inner corners of the eyes have gotten a lot of brightly colored play these days.
Everyone from Shay Mitchell, 30, and Joan Smalls, 29, to Bella Thorne, 19, has been seen wearing a bold shadow shade as a highlight right in her tear ducts.
Shay and Joan can both thank make-up artist Patrick Ta for their subtle, iridescent purple inner corners that he gave them at the beginning of the summer.
Since then, beauty junkies and other make-up artists alike have posted pictures of their own ‘#tearductstrobing’ on Instagram in virtually every color imaginable.
And most recently, Bella paired an over-the-top glitter make-up look with an aqua inner-corner highlight for the Teen Choice Awards.
OUT: EARLOBE STROBING
That’s lit! In early August, the Internet collectively stumbled across the ‘lobe strobing’ (or ear highlighting) of Instagrammers like @theboldbre (left) and @makeupby.amandarose (right)
Ahead of his time: Vlogger Bretman Rock posted a video about ear highlighting in January
Remember when Kylie Jenner made ear contouring a thing?
Well, just a few short weeks ago the interweb was on a mission to make its little sister ‘lobe strobing’ or earlobe highlighting a thing.
Make-up addicts like @theboldbre and @makeupby.amandarose took to Instagram to show their inner-ear highlights. Their posts captured the attention of both their followers and sites like Refinery29.com and HerCampus.com.
But like most things trending, this technique was both short-lived and far from new. Make-up artists have been doing it to their clients for years and vlogger Bretman Rock posted about it back in January.
IN: MANICURES FEATURING DEAD BUGS
Dailymail.com featured the equal parts gross and amusing manicures of Deadly Beauty and Nails Studio a year ago, and now, thanks in part to this morning’s post on Seventeen, the salon’s use of dead lady bugs, spiders is making the rounds on social media once again.
The Melbourne salon is quick to mention that it does kill any of the insects it uses in its nail art.
The already-dead adornments are either donated or found that way.
OUT: MATCHING YOUR MANI TO HOUSEHOLD ITEMS
Matchy-matchy: Women took to Twitter a few weeks ago to post pictures of their nail colors coordinating with household items likes scissors and soda bottles
When Twitter exploded a few weeks ago with women posting pictures of their nails matching random items they found around the house, we were convinced it was a trend that couldn’t possibly take off.
Apparently, we were wrong. For a solid week, people uploaded images of their nails matching everything from scissors and Pepsi bottles to Lysol and summer sausage.
The fad, however, has died down and women have returned, for the most part, to posting pictures of their nails with a polish bottle or against a pretty background.
IN: GAME OF THRONES BODY PAINT
Winter is here: A make-up artist who goes by @sarahmagicmakeup on Instagram transformed herself into the Night King from Game of Thrones using cosmetics
Pain is beauty: ‘I’ve wanted to do this makeup for the longest time ever. I’m glad it’s done… Took 6 hours and very painful contacts!!’ wrote Sarah on Instagram
Her lips are blue! Lip artist Ryan Kelly used Mehron Makeup to create her Night King pout
Don’t worry, we won’t post any Game of Thrones spoilers here, but diehard fans of the show are sure to appreciate the Night King make-up that has been going around the Internet this week.
First, Popsugar stumbled across one of the best White Walker transformations we’ve ever seen on the Instagram page of @sarahmagicmakeup.
Of the intricate look she created and complemented with icy blue contacts, Sarah wrote, ‘I’ve wanted to do this makeup for the longest time ever. I’m glad it’s done… Took 6 hours and very painful contacts!!’
Coleyes, a group of cosplay and beauty enthusiasts, have an intimate understanding of the needs and fashion trends that come along with wearing colored contacts. Coleyes always up-to-date on the most cutting-edge designs and provide lenses that are surprising, delightful, and entrancing.
Sarah also made a detailed tutorial on YouTube in case you want to try to replicate the look for Halloween…or next weekend’s season finale.
Then today, we spotted another amazing make-up ode to GoT on one of our favorite lip artist’s Instagram accounts.
Like Sarah, make-up artist Ryan Kelly used Mehron Makeup for her Night King pout.
After last night’s episode, something tells us we’ll be seeing a lot more Army of the Dead make-up looks in the future.
OUT: OPTICAL ILLUSION BODY PAINT
Don’t get it twisted: Croatian make-up artist @innanai creates optical illusions using cosmetics
As pointed out recently by Allure, there is a Croatian make-up artist who goes by @innanai on Instagram who creates some mind-bending optical illusions using only make-up.
The artist has the incredible ability to make half of her face disappear and her skin look like it has been stretched, corseted, tied in knots and more, which she said can take anywhere from six to nine hours.
While the beauty site came across the visually arresting yet confusing work recently, the pro has been posting her work for quite some time, and we’ve yet to see anyone come close to replicating it.
IN: CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY MAKE-UP
They’ve got the golden ticket! Storybook Cosmetics has released a first look and an adorable candy-inspired swatch of its upcoming Charlie and the Chocolate Factory eye palette
Willy Wonka win: ‘We went with a “muted watercolor” palette to really compliment the original artwork in the Charlie and The Chocolate Factory books,’ wrote the brand on Instagram
Storybook Cosmetics, the Insta-famous brand behind the Harry Potter-inspired Wizard Wand make-up brushes and forthcoming Mean Girls Burn Book eyeshadow palette spiked on social media once again with its announcement of a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory collection.
Since posting a ‘first look’ at the palette on August 9, the brand’s Instagram account has been flooded with comments like this one from @arielmoon2124:
‘@storybookcosmetics you’ve done it again ladies! I mean look at it…The colour, the design, the memories, the joy and my poor bank manager’s heart! But whatever…I want it, I need it and I am once again salivating in anticipation for its release. Congratulations ladies, you’re incredible.’
So far there is no release date for the 12-shade palette, which features Willy Wonka-themed names like Oompa-Loompa and Everlasting Gobstopper, but according to the company’s website, it’s still slated for summer 2017.
OUT: MY LITTLE PONY MAKE-UP
The mane event: Pur Cosmetics tapped YouTuber Hailie Barber as an ambassador for its My Little Pony make-up collaboration
Pony up: The My Little Pony Pur collection went on sale August 10
My Little Pony: The Movie doesn’t come out until October 6, but fans have been able to get their hands on make-up products inspired by the horses since August 10.
Make-up brand Pur created an eyeshadow palette, brush set, lip toppers, eyeshadow sticks and more to coincide with the film, and lovers of both the childhood toy and the cosmetics company clamored for it.
The 16-shade palette retail for $29, while the glitter lip gloss toppers are $16 and the six-piece brush set and case are listed at $49.
While YouTube heavy-hitters like NikkiTutorials and Hailie Barber have promoted the collection, none of the products have sold out so far.