Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
PureWow
‘Soft Baddie’ Makeup Is Already Everywhere—Here’s How to Get the Look
By Chelsea Candelario,
8 hours ago
Hold on tight, we’re entering soft baddie season. Everyone from Megan Thee Stallion to Jennifer Lopez have already sported this distinctive style for fall . In fact, according to Pinterest’s Fall 2024 Trend Report , the search for ‘soft baddie makeup’ is up 700 percent, and I’ve personally seen an uptick in my TikTok feed as creators showcase their own rendition of the bold, sexy, everyday look. So, in preparation for my own soft baddie renaissance, I chatted with three celebrity makeup artists for tips and tricks on nailing the look. Read on, baddie.
Meet the Experts
Want more beauty tips sent right to your inbox? Subscribe here .
What Is Soft Baddie Makeup?
Jeff Kravitz/Kristina Bumphrey/Steve Granitz/Getty Images
The ‘soft baddie makeup’ trend is essentially a subtler approach to full-on ‘ baddie makeup ,' which was smokey eyes, defined brows, darker lips and sharper contours. This season, though, we’re softening it with blended contours, fluffy brows, glossy lips and rosy cheeks. As Boyd explains, "While regular ‘baddie makeup’ is bold and glamorous, the softer look is ideal for those who want to embrace the aesthetic for everyday wear.”
Like many recent trends , soft baddie takes a page out of the ‘90s, when icons like Janet Jackson, Halle Berry and Tyra Banks were rocking full beats that included a mix of browns and pinks. Today, celebs like Megan Thee Stallion, Sabrina Carpenter and Beyoncé have been spotted sporting those same ‘90s-inspired lined lips and rosy-flushed cheeks —staples of the ‘soft baddie’ look. And although everyone can hop on the trend, I’ve seen common love for the makeup look among women of color, specifically those with medium to dark skin tone. The mix of browns and pink shades complement these complexions perfectly for the season.
Apply a medium to full foundation. Use a blending brush (or beauty sponge) and gently cover your entire face. Boyd adds, “Use a lightweight foundation that evens out your skin without looking cakey.”
Use concealer to brighten and highlight distinct features such as the under-eye, bridge (and sides) of nose, in-between your brows, cupid’s bow and chin. Boyd recommends, “Choose a shade that is your exact skin tone to conceal and then go in with a concealer two shades lighter to brighten the area.”
Put on some neutral eyeshadow. Grab a fluffy blending brush and place nude, pink or brown tones on the entire lid and crease. As Espinoza shares, “I recommend more natural colors as we don’t want the eyes to look too harsh. When [applying eyeshadow] focus on blending it out as this will help emphasize a softer look.”
Work on the rest of the eyes. After eyeshadow, take an eyeliner and create a striking cat eye. Espinoza suggests using a brush to blend the liner out to avoid a thick, heavy finish. Once you’re done, apply a volumizing mascara or pop on some fluffy lashes .
Do some contouring. Espinoza says you should have three products handy for contouring: a rosy blush, bronzer and contour stick. These key items will help accentuate your facial features. First, use the contour stick across the cheekbones, forehead, jawline and nose. Then, Correra recommends using 1 to 2 dots of blush on the apple of the cheeks and blend with your fingers up and out towards the temples for a natural lift. Finish off with some bronzer for warmth and blend it all together with a large fluffy brush.
Consider the baking method and place setting powder along the under-eye and T-zone to set the look in place and avoid creases. A few brand faves include Laura Mercier , Saie and Huda Beauty . For those with oily skin, Boyd recommends going over the oiler areas with a pressed powder for a blurry, smooth finish.
Define your brows. Whether you prefer a brow pencil, gel or powder, take some time to define your arches and fill in any sparse areas.
Line your lips with a brown, nude or light pink lip pencil to provide definition to your pout. Expert tip: Use a lip brush to soften the outline and avoid any harshness. Correra suggests filling in the center with a nude or pink matte lipstick that matches closely with your complexion before topping it off with a lip gloss for an extra pop of shine.
Set the look. Complete the look by spritzing on some setting spray to lock everything in.
Any Other Tips for Recreating the Soft Baddie Look?
If you have hooded eyes… Espinoza suggests applying your eyeshadow higher on the eyelid and slightly above the crease. He explains, “This technique will help make your eyes pop, while also allowing your eyeshadow to have more visibility.”
Stick to neutrals. “The ‘soft baddie makeup’ trend combines the sultry eye look of now with a nod to the ‘90s brown lips, so achieve this by using neutrals in different textures to define the eyes, blend brown lip liner and finish with a creamy shine,” says Correra.
Find colors that complement your skin tone. Correra recommends selecting eyeshadow, lip and contouring shades 1 to 2 shades lighter (or deeper) than your natural skin tone to “keep the natural effect of the ‘soft baddie makeup’ trend.”
Practice makes perfect. It may feel overwhelming to go through ten steps, but Espinoza says anyone can achieve this trendy look. “It can take time to achieve your perfect ‘soft baddie makeup’ look. But if you watch tutorials, keep practicing and use the right products, you’ll be able to accomplish it!,” he says.
Once you have the makeup down pat, now it’s time channel some confidence like Stallion or Jackson. Here’s to some BBE (aka big baddie energy) for autumn.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.
Local News
Comments / 0