We were spoilt for choice in 2024 when it came to the make-up looks to save to our beauty mood boards. We were all experiencing blushmania thanks to Hailey Bieber and Sabrina Carpenter, and let’s not forget the viral ‘strawberry girl’ make-up.

Yes, there was a lot to pick from. However, the make-up look that trumped them all when it came to search this year was ‘contrast make-up’. According to Beauty Pie’s 2025 trend report, the search for the make-up look increased by a whopping 45,320% last year. This probably means it isn’t going anywhere in 2025 either. 

If you’re unfamiliar with the term that’s risen to popularity on social media, we’ll give you the rundown. As the name suggests, it focuses on assessing your hair, eye and skin colour and picking shades that don’t clash, to make your make-up look cohesive and complementary. Essentially, it’s the opposite of the bold 80s look of clashing a red lip with a smokey blue eye.

The trend was pioneered by make-up artist Aliénor, who has a series on everything from low to medium to high contrast looks, depending on your features. The higher the contrast, the bolder the look is. It’s similar to the colour analysis theory that’s risen in popularity in the fashion scene, only this time it’s focused on your beauty routine. 

For example, if you have deep-toned hair and darker eyes and skin, this would give you a low contrast, as everything blends together cohesively. If you’re a high contrast, this could mean you have lighter skin and eyes but darker hair, creating more of a clash. You get the gist.

Of course, beauty is all about having fun and we’re fans of throwing the rule book out the window. However, if you’re up for trying a contrast make-up look, here’s some beauty inspiration. 

Image: Getty