Runway Revelations: Decoding the Captivating Beauty Trends of NYFW SS25

As the curtain falls on New York Fashion Week's Spring/Summer 2025 season, the fashion world is abuzz with the captivating beauty trends that graced the runways. From bold and unconventional makeup to avant-garde hairstyles, this season's showcases have left an indelible mark on the industry, offering a glimpse into the future of beauty.

Unleashing the Unexpected: NYFW SS25's Boundary-Pushing Beauty Moments

Tattoo Makeup: Skin as Canvas

The runways of NYFW SS25 witnessed a remarkable trend that blurred the lines between fashion and body art. Makeup artist Yadim, the mastermind behind the looks at Area and Luar, introduced a groundbreaking technique that transformed models into living, breathing canvases. By utilizing tattoo-like stencils, Yadim adorned the skin with intricate patterns and prints, creating a mesmerizing fusion of fashion and body modification. At Area, one model's chest, neck, and face were adorned with elongated fingerprint-like loops, while at Luar, the makeup artist used a digital file of a distorted leopard print to stencil-on eye shadow, complementing the collection's bold aesthetic.

Quiet Grunge: A Refined Rebellion

The 1990s grunge aesthetic has long been a source of inspiration for the beauty industry, and NYFW SS25 was no exception. Makeup artists Romero Jennings and Marcelo Gutierrez channeled the era's gritty charm, but with a refined twist. At Kim Shui, Jennings tapped into a "wabi-sabi" approach, using MAC's Luminous Lift Concealer and unreleased shades of Macximal Silky Matte Lipstick in black and butterscotch tones to create a "quiet grunge" look. Meanwhile, at Jonathan Cohen and Paloma Spain, the artists explored a more subdued grunge aesthetic, with smoked-out eyeliner and a blue-red toned grunge lip, respectively.

Black Lipstick: A Bold Statement

The runways of NYFW SS25 were dominated by a bold and unexpected beauty trend: black lipstick. From Area to Luar and Kim Shui, the inky hue made a strong statement, seamlessly integrating into the collections' overall aesthetics. While black lips have a reputation for being a dominant makeup choice, the way they were paired with equally powerful hair and eye looks created an unexpected symmetry. At Luar, Evanie Frausto's sculptural hair pieces and Yadim's fabric cut-out eye makeup worked in harmony with the black lipstick to convey the collection's message. At Area, the black lips served as the sole makeup for the show's face-covering looks, while at Kim Shui, the color was used in a more chic and sophisticated manner, complementing the '90s supermodel-inspired nudes.

Club Kid Hair: Embracing the Night

As the fashion world descended upon New York, the after-parties and late-night revelries became a source of inspiration for the season's hair trends. Hairstylists Davey Matthew and Jawara channeled the energy and vibrancy of the city's nightlife, creating looks that embodied the spirit of the club kid. At Kim Shui, Matthew focused on movement, texture, and humidity, setting the models' hair in ponytails and then cutting the ponytails out to create a billowing, sweaty effect. At Theophilio, Jawara used Kiss Colors Foam Mousse and Braid Sheen to showcase a range of styles, from sleek side parts to short pixie cuts, all with a "fun night at the party" vibe that complemented the collection's metallic accents.

Ultraviolet Skin: Otherworldly Radiance

The pursuit of flawless, radiant skin has long been a hallmark of the beauty industry, and NYFW SS25 was no exception. Makeup artist Pat McGrath, the renowned visionary behind the viral porcelain doll-skin moment at Margiela last year, continued to push the boundaries of skin perfection. At Coach and Alaïa, McGrath used her Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection System to give the models a natural, yet otherworldly glow. Similar skin moments were seen at Off-White, where Raisa Flowers achieved a passport-ready complexion, and at Theophilio, where the models' skin exuded a captivating, almost supernatural luminescence.