In 2024, We're Having Fun With Makeup: A Celeb Artist Shares Her 3 Best Tips

In 2023, minimalist makeup was *the* trend. Call it the reverse-Euphoria effect, but my TikTok and Instagram feeds were full of no-makeup makeup looks. Don't get me wrong. As a beauty editor, I can appreciate a minimalist makeup look. In fact, my daily makeup routine is minimal. However, throughout the year, the excitement started to wear off, and fatigue started to set in. I began to miss the variety, the maximalism, and the color.

Lucky for me, the tides are turning. More and more people are dusting off their bright and bold products to—get this—bring an element of fun back to their makeup routines. Now, the minimalist looks that used to dominate my feed are sprinkled with expressive and eye-catching looks, and there are only more on their way. 

That's all well and good, but casually picking up a colorful eye shadow palette is intimidating for a lot of people, especially if they went without color for an entire year (or longer). That's why I turned to celebrity makeup artist Jo Baker. She's an expert at creating colorful makeup looks for clients that include the likes of Lucy Boynton, Olivia Wilde, Vanessa Kirby, and more. Ahead, she shares her best tips for incorporating color into your makeup routine.

If you follow Baker on Instagram, you know that she often shares the final makeup look she creates alongside reference pictures that reflect it or serve as inspiration for it. I find this incredibly inspiring and useful; I've even taken her lead and created my own makeup looks based on objects I see in my living space or out in the world, but I digress. 

She says while minimalist makeup is still reigning supreme, that is slowly but surely changing. "There are so many different personality types out there, and the people who like bold, eccentric, interesting, and confident makeup looks will always be there. I think the minimalist makeup trend is seasonal because it’s a fresh start so it’s all about skincare, health, and wellness. People are just trying to survive January, right after the holidays and vacation; it’s not a month for taking risks, but I do believe that when things settle down, around March, we will be seeing more unique and bolder makeup looks." 

Keep scrolling to learn her best tips for incorporating color into your makeup routine and see her favorite products to use (including those from her own makeup brand, Bakeup). 

1. Prep for and Control Color With a Primer

One reason bold colors can be intimidating is that they'll be difficult to disguise if they smudge, fade, or transfer. To prevent any of that from happening in the first place, and thus give you some peace of mind, Baker recommends using a primer. "When you’re using bright colors, controlling them is key," she says. "You don't want them to fall all over your face and have it be messy. So having Bakeup's Triple Threat 360 Eye Primer ($25) will lock your eye shadow in place without it getting messy. It will also create a barrier on your skin, so you won’t get that skin stain and have a smooth, even texture to work with." 

2. Apply Color Subtly and Strategically to Start

If you're not so confident using bold colors, that's okay. You can start nice and slow by using color subtly and strategically and building it up from there. Baker says doing so will prevent you from feeling like you're "suddenly becoming someone else." 

"If you want to wear a cobalt blue, try it with a smudge on your upper outer lash line with your pinky finger. When it comes to color, your ring finger and pinky finger are your best friends. Dip your finger in [the product] and smudge your lash line two to three times, and that’s it—that’s your gateway into playing with color. Try the hottest and craziest pink but a tiny bit, and then you can always add and build. Playing with color is not for everyone, but try it out so minimally that it almost feels like a breath of color." 

Oh, and you should feel free to experiment with any color or color combination—except for one. That's according to Baker's recommendation. "I don’t love red and green together," she says. "That color combo is just Christmas, and when the two blend together it just becomes brown. I steer away from anything red and green together."

Baker says all of her micro palettes are perfect for beginners. "You won’t get overwhelmed by all the color choices, and you can travel with them. I designed these palettes with encouragement in mind to try color wherever you are."

Another eye shadow that Baker loves. She says she's "obsessed" with this eye paint from French makeup artist Violette. "I just used shade Scarabée d'Or on Natasha Lyonne for the night before the Golden Globes. It was a disco eye, and I was obsessed! They are incredible and just look beautiful."

If you don't want to dive into colorful eye shadow just yet, Baker has another suggestion. "I love a bright mascara, and Shiseido's ControlledChaos MascaraInk in the shade Sapphire Spark is amazing," she says. "My mom actually wears this one every day, and she’s 81. It's been her staple since the '80s, and everyone recognizes her for it. If you’re more of a lash person and you never wear eye shadow, I recommend this mascara because it’s absolutely gorgeous and such a fun way of wearing color." 

3. Embrace a Cool, Imperfect Look Instead of a Polished One

Minimalist makeup looks are out, but do you know what else is out in 2024? Perfect, polished makeup looks. "Play with the artistic approach to makeup this year instead of the classic Instagram polish finish," Baker says. "When using color, go for a spidery, natural, and bold lash with imperfections and natural symmetry because that’s what makes it look and feel modern. For me, the false lashes make it look too theatrical, so ditch the false lashes and go for Bakeup's Tarantulash." 

Shop 5 More Colorful Makeup Products