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Manhattan | Style > Beauty

Perfect Fall Makeup Looks

Grace Cardinal Student Contributor, Manhattan College
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Manhattan chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

It’s that time of year again! As the leaves change color, so do our makeup looks. This fall, some older makeup fashions combine with the trends of 2023 to create picture-perfect looks. 

Unsurprisingly, fall brings with it a neutral palette of browns, golds, and even some burgundies. Basically, any color you can find on the trees is going to look phenomenal when mixed in with your makeup routine. This palette is being referred to as “latte makeup,” a trend from summer that will undoubtedly make it into the fall months.

Just as clear and clean skin follows the “natural” trends of the summer, the heavier our clothes get, our makeup does too. This fall you can expect to see some 2016-esque glam making a reappearance, with smoky eyes, glittery eyeshadow, and bold lips. That being said, natural is always in, so whatever you’re most comfortable in will be “on trend.” 

The theme for the season is “grungy glam.” While this is a term that gained popularity in February of 2023, it’s sticking around for the fall months. For those who don’t know, the term “grungy glam” refers to heavier makeup, including smokey and smudgy eyes, bold matte lips, and full-coverage foundation. Much of this trend came about from makeup looks on Gen-Z stars such as Jenna Ortega, Doja Cat, and Zoe Kravitz. While the trend is reminiscent of 2016, we’re not going all the way back. Fluffy brows are still in, as is blended contour (you can imagine my side-eye). 

Another major trend we’re going to see a continuation of is dewy skin. Whether you achieve this with a glossy foundation or a lighter skincare product like Glossier’s FutureDew Serum, the shinier and brighter, the better. 

Get ready to pull out those Kylie Lip Kits! Matte, boldly lined lips are coming back once again. Dark neutrals, such as brown, purple, burgundy, and classic bright red are all coming back this fall season. We started to see this trend emerge again on the runway during fall NYFW and watched it continue on many celebrity’s instas. Even if you’re a clean-faced skincare queen, a bold lip will make your look pop this fall.   

Remember that despite the trends, what you’re most comfortable in will always be in style. Whether you’re looking to completely revamp your fall routine, or you just want to implement a new technique into your style, makeup is all about having fun and expressing yourself in your own way. 

Grace Cardinal

Manhattan '26

Grace Cardinal is the Social Media Director of Her Campus at Manhattan University. She loves designing Instagram posts on Canva to promote her team's work and creating short-form videos that get campus engaged with the HC community.

Apart from Her Campus, Grace works as the Editor-in-Chief of The Quadrangle student newspaper and as the Lifestyle and Opinions Editor for the fashion magazine on campus, Lotus. She is currently a senior, graduating in December 2025, and is majoring in communication with a minor in political science.

Over the summer, Grace worked as a Commerce Intern with Shop TODAY at NBC News. Previously, she worked as a News Intern with Decider at the New York Post. After graduation, Grace plans to stay in NYC and hopes to work as a political reporter at a national newsroom.

In her free time, Grace dances as a company member at DanceWorks NYC. She enjoys grabbing coffee and dinner with her friends around the city, and attends as many broadway shows as possible.