How To Perfect A Cute Makeup Look

You’ve heard someone or their look described as “cute” but what does this actually mean? What is a cute makeup look and how do you do your perfect one?

Don’t worry, we’re not talking about the kind of look that a little kid would do, it is perfectly possible for a makeup look to be cute but also look sophisticated. Here’s how:

Add Some Sparkle

Whilst minimalist makeup has been fashionable for quite a while now, and it is a fantastic look, there is a bit of a change in the air with some people embracing bolder choices. 

One of the trends emerging in the fashion world in 2023 and looking set to go big in 2024 is adding some sparkle to the face. Typically this is being achieved with glittery eyeliner or eyeshadows as well as by adding rhinestones onto the face. 

Using rhinestones creates a really strong look and you have to own it, but when you do it will look amazing. Some designers are placing them around key features of the face such as the eyes or mouth symmetrically so it highlights and enhances natural patterns in the face. Others are opting for a more random or asymmetrical approach with stones dotted around the face. This is a feature of more full on mermaidcore looks that are gaining popularity at the moment. 

If you’re not ready to go full rhinestones, adding glitter around the eyes is a great way to highlight your eyes and a sparkly pop of color to the face. If you’re confident with eyeshadow, try two different colors, for example red and gold that work well together. You can either go for sharp contrasting lines or blend them together to create a transition effect. 

Cut Crease

This isn’t a look that’s had loads of coverage or has been seen on the catwalks but it is a really good way of making your eyes look big and giving you a very cute doe eyed look.

To create this look, tilt your head back slightly to find where your eye naturally creases and then highlight this with an eye pencil. Experiment with color but we’d suggest going quite dark with this.

Next take a thin makeup brush and slightly blend the edges, this takes the hardness off the crease line and diffuses it out a little bit. Next brush on some eyeshadow with, you guessed it, an eyeshadow brush to further diffuse.

Then take a lighter tone of eyeshadow and brush onto the lid. We’d suggest going for a very light color here as you want it to contrast with the dark colors around the eyebrow crease. 

Take your brow pencil and create a small wing on each eye and gently bring it into the lower eye. Add a little bit of light, or white, pencil below the eye on the water line as this will really help give you the doe eyed effect. You can further emphasize the eye by adding a very thin line of eyeliner over the pencil you’ve just added as it will sit just below it and emphasize it even more, making the eyes look bigger. 

Add mascara to your eyelashes, you want these to look big and dark, sitting up so they stand out and contrast with the paler shades pon the eyelid.  Finally, apply mascara heavily to your lower lashes as again this will help create a super cute doe eyed feel. 

Floral Inspiration

Taking a cue from 70s flower power looks, and perfect for a fall/winter look with a difference, floral inspired makeup looks are a great way to create a unique look. One of the joys of this look is that the color palette you have to play with is virtually unlimited, browns, oranges and reds can be used to create a fall inspired feel, whilst greens and brighter hughes are ideal for a lush, summer tropical vibe. 

To build your look, start by sketching out petals on the face, around the eye is ideal, with a small, dense brush using eyeshadow. Once the petals have been outlined, trace around the petals using eyeliner. Then it’s a case of filling out the shapes you’ve created with color. Solid color blocks look great and once you’ve got the hang of it try adding in multiple colors to each petal and blending. 

So it is possible to create really cute makeup looks that nevertheless have plenty of sophistication about them. The exciting thing is that these looks can be blended together and combined to create really exciting and fresh looks. 

What’s also exciting is that these looks can be scaled up and down so you can go really big for a music festival or night out, but try more muted takes for the office or work.