The Year The Makeup World Tipped Upside Down

By BR Amelia

2015 was very much a backwards year for beauty. Not in a bad way though. From strobing to reverse ombre to smoky under-eyes, trends were turned upside down.

If one thing was to be on fleek during 2015 it was to be your highlight. Yep, highlight was hot and it only got hotter when strobing, aka reverse contouring, was introduced to the masses. Basically strobing was highlighting amplified and it set off a trend where contouring was shunned for creating a look on your face that meant the light would hit the high points in order to create definition.

Following on from 2014’s reverse under-eye wing was the reverse smoky eye. A look that quickly became must-try for beauty lovers.  This look that was both metaphorically and physically eye opening. How’d it work? In a nutshell, a light coloured shadow was applied to the upper lid before the under-eye area was transformed into a sultry smoky sensation, with black eyeliner applied and smudged out, followed by a smoked out dark eyeshadow and lashings of black mascara. Beautiful! 

Ombre hair continued to be huge this year and it too saw the reverse treatment with fashion forward beauties sporting lighter locks up top fading (or should that be bolding?) into darker hues. Possibly not one for the naturally darker shaded – the maintenance costs boggles. But definitely a fun look to rock for those with lighter hair. 

So what’s next in beauty? Will we see styles flip around again with a return to classic looks? Or will the reverse trend continue? Darker cheeks with highlight in hollows? Short on top hair with long tresses in a stylised mullet? I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to find out! So do tell, which backwards beauty looks were or still are your fav?

Images:  Pinterest