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Makeup trends come and go and then come back once again but every now and then come trends that we don't want to say goodbye to. 2021 saw an evolution of makeup trends thanks to Instagram and TikTok and some of those trends have left a mark on our Pakistani makeup-loving hearts that are so used to gold and brown eyeshadows and 'trendy' but done crimson lips.

There's a lot out there in terms of makeup trends — from Kylie Jenner's matte skin and glossy lips to Ariana Grande's retro inspired graphic eyeliner and pink pout. This year we've seen lip tints, glass skin, minimal eyeshadow, eyelids packed with glitter and even graphic eyeliner. These trends are still dominating our social media feeds and we think it's a refreshing change from the usual safe looks.

Here are five beauty looks and hacks we loved seeing this year and want to see carried in to 2022.

A little glitz and glam with rhinestones

A pop of colour and rhinestones became a trend in early 2021 thanks to HBO's Euphoria. It started a trend on TikTok and has now become a staple for beauty influencers as well as celebrities looking for a glamorous look.

In Pakistan you don't have to look any further than your local tailor's shop or nearby cloth market for these stones. They're widely available in every colour. You can also opt for Swarovski's crystal pixie or rhinestones — something celebrities often choose for their high shine and longevity. But in a pinch, your local lace shop vendor does just fine.

The makeup process is quite very simple. All you need is a colourful eyeshadow on your lid that you will then then outline with rhinestones. You can also add some stones around your winged eyeliner. I went for a pop of colour in the inner corner and created a graphic liner with the help of the stones. Pro tip — use a white or nude eyeliner pencil to outline the shape before going in with the stones.

As far as the application is concerned, you can use a nail art pen to place the stones on your eyes. To glue them in place you can use lash glue to secure them on the line you drew prior to the placement. To finish it off, you can use medium length lashes or mascara for the look to pop!

Less is more!

Soft matte was a new trend this year. There are still many dewy skin devotees out there but matte is back and it's here to stay (for a while at least). Over the past couple of months many celebrities have been going all out with soft matte makeup looks, be it Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry, Deepika Padukone, Taylor Swift or Selena Gomez. The trend is a soft matte look to accentuate your features in a natural yet glamorous way.

All you need to recreate this look is a neutral eyeshadow palette that has both cool-tones — pink, mauve, grey — and warm tones ranging from peach to browns. With brown eyes, peach and neutral colours tend to add warmth. Soft looks are often seen with a cut crease but that's so 2011. Now it's all about using less products and blending them in until your arms give up!

The look is followed by a soft eyeliner, another trend that reached new heights in 2020 due to the fox-eye trend (also called the foxy-eye trend). You need a flat eyeliner brush and cool-toned brown and plain black eyeshadows to follow the outline of your eyes to pack in the product. For the first layer use the brown eyeshadow to create an outline for the black eyeshadow, which will be used right after. After creating the shape, you can apply black or skip the step if you want an even softer look. If you want to amplify the look, black eyeshadow tightly packed close to your lashes will give you a subtle lash-lift, followed by mascara. Who needs false eyelashes anyway?

Doing it old school

Sophia Loren is a name that instantly pops into our heads when we think of winged eyeliner with a colourful lid or glitter. The newish kid on the block in 2021 was a hybrid of graphic eyeliner and a glittery lid.

The glitter haters of the world can replace it with a colourful matte eyeshadow. What you need for this look is black eyeliner and black eyeshadow, glitter, adhesive, false lashes for the extra drama and a skin-coloured eye pencil for the waterline.

You can start by marking the winged eyeliner — the trick is to use a grey or neutral eye pencil starting from under the waterline to the wing. Connect it to the crease and follow the natural crease to create a sharp line. One trick is to keep your eyes slightly open and looking down in the mirror so you can easily follow the crease. You can then trace your eyeliner on top.

After that, you can apply glitter adhesive on the lid and carefully pack the glitter in the centre. If you're going for a pastel shade or an eyeshadow, you will have to follow the same steps but in reverse by placing the eyeshadow in a winged shape and the using the eyeliner to trace the eye.

Beauty hacks

Cut lashes into half

You no longer have to flee at the thought of false lashes! While they seem like an added weight, cutting lashes into half allows you to get the winged look without adding winged eyeliner. This hack is laughably simple but so useful.

Measure the lashes, cut them in the middle and apply them on the outer edge of your eye with the inner corner of the trimmed lashes applied in the centre, right above your pupil, to add length. If you want to achieve a fox-eye look, you can apply the half lash right in the outer corner, in a slightly winged shape to give a more fox-like shape to the eyes.

Skin prep is key

You can't just go in with foundation and call it a look. The key to the very on point glass like skin is 'slugging' and the most important product to achieve this is a great moisturiser. Despite having oily skin, moisturiser has changed the game for me. I mix my hyaluronic infused cream with a liquid illuminator, both of which suit my skin type.

Skincare first and makeup second is the mantra with this look. You use foundation, concealer, blush and bronzer. The skincare products make for easier application. You use powder with an eyeshadow brush to complete the look.

The trick is to apply to powder close to your T-zone and set the blush and bronzer with a powder highlighter that adds more luminosity to already luminous skin.

What are some beauty looks you don't want to see disappear with the end of 2021?