Not too long ago we followed the same old pattern of the repeated ‘full beat’ makeup style for about 10-ish years when it came to festive, glam, or occasion- based makeup. A thick long wing liner, cheekbones chiseled and brown, a smoky eyeshadow that transitioned from beige to dark brown, and a red lipstick. Sounds familiar? Commonly recognised for its social media trend value, Kylie Jenner with the overlining, Huda beauty with her matte lipkits, and several YouTube makeup artists were responsible in making the full beat go viral.
Over the last few years, and more decisively since the pandemic, the attention has moved to the skin itself, built on the belief that makeup simply looks better when the face underneath is healthy. Festive glam has followed the same logic, which means a full-coverage Armani Luminous Silk, an overlined lip and a swipe of Becca highlighter no longer make much sense unless the skin beneath is smooth, clear and, hardest of all to achieve, genuinely glowing.
The shift came from several directions at once. Lifestyles changed, interest in health and wellness grew, rising pollution pushed skin protection into everyday routines, and Hailey Bieber’s glazed donut skin gave the movement a visual shorthand, all while the beauty industry’s pendulum swung, as it eventually always does, from excess back towards restraint.
“Our younger customers are treating festive makeup as an extension of how they already wear it, rather than a completely different look. They’re not building a full party face. They’re picking one moment of sparkle, whether that’s a wash of shimmer on the lids, a glossy cheek or a chrome lip, and keeping everything else skin-like and easy. Shimmer feels more playful and personal now, and people want to wear it in a way that still looks like them,” says Danielle Wood, product director at REFY, a brand that is itself a product of this moment, launched in 2020 by model and influencer Jess Hunt and entrepreneur Jenna Meek and built into a social-first favourite largely on the strength of its Gen-Z following.
Sarah Saya, a Dubai-based makeup artist whose work spans private glam clients, magazine shoots and influencers headed to large-scale galas, has watched the same change unfold from her chair. “There’s a real appreciation for luminous, healthy-looking skin, softly sculpted features, lifted eyes and statement lips, with the freedom to experiment with colour, shimmer and texture within beauty enthusiasts, and especially Gen-Z,” she says, adding that “social media may be a great source of inspiration for many, but the key is knowing how to adapt a trend to your own features, skin tone, outfit and the occasion”.
The biggest difference in modern festive makeup lies less in the finished look than in what happens before it, in the skin preparation, the choice of complexion products and the way each layer is applied. Luxury formulas can offer beautiful textures, refined finishes and a more seamless application, but the real advantage comes from choosing products that wear well with your skin type and testing them well before the evening itself. Saya’s own approach to longevity runs against the instinct to pile on more product for a long night. “For longevity, I like building thin layers rather than applying too much product at once, setting strategically with powder, particularly around the T-zone, and using a setting spray to bring everything together.” She also advises thinking ahead about how a look will translate under different lighting and in photographs, and how it will hold up through hours of celebration.
That same restraint shapes how Gen-Z shops. “Gen-Z are more considerate than people assume: they’d rather buy fewer products that work harder, feel good on the skin and are easy to apply, than a large collection they rarely reach for. Premium also means a formula that delivers on its promise. If it makes someone feel confident in minutes, it’s worth the investment,” says Wood.
The luxury houses have noticed. Chanel Beauty has marked the festive season with a regional Diwali collection built around a tight edit of skin-focused products: the Sublimage Le Soin Perfecteur — an illuminating primer; Les Beiges Water-Fresh Complexion Touch — a hydrating complexion tint; the Baume Essentiel: a multi-purpose glow stick; and the Les Beiges Healthy Glow Natural Eyeshadow Palette, whose name alone reflects the shift Saya describes, from festive makeup that covers the face to festive makeup that lets it show through.
As Saya puts it, “investing in a few well-chosen products that genuinely perform is often more valuable than having an overflowing makeup bag”. The full beat has not disappeared from the festive calendar, but for a generation that grew up watching it on screen, the more interesting statement now is a face that still looks like their own.
Source: Khaleej Times