It seems like every couple weeks there is a new beauty trend being talked about across the world. From glitter lids to rocking natural curls, some of these trends stick around and make a big imprint on society, while others flare up and die before really picking up speed. The problem is knowing which one a new trend will be as it comes out. For example, bubble nails really never caught on, while contouring is still as popular today as it was when it started.
Because there are so many trends that come and go, it can be hard for those who are living busy lives to pick out the ones they should pay attention to. For those who are unsure of what’s going on now, but who want to know what they should learning about, ear makeup art is definitely something that is trending currently.
While it may sound strange, ear makeup art is a real thing and it is growing rapidly in popularity. Over the past several months, more and more people are learning about and adopting ear makeup art as ways of extending the way they express themselves. And, for those who want to be on top of all the latest trends, ear makeup art is definitely something that needs to be explored.
For those who don’t know much about ear makeup art or for those who want a deeper look into this form of makeup art, the guide below will walk everyone through everything they need to know about ear makeup art.
The History Of Ear Makeup Art
There’s an ongoing argument about whether trends seen on the runway are influenced by society or if these styles are actually able to influence the everyday trends experienced by society. While in most cases it’s hard to see cause and effect, in the case of ear makeup art, the influencer is very easy to pinpoint.
Ear makeup art first came onto the scene in 2014 when designer Anthony Vaccarello and makeup artist Tom Pecheux decided to draw on the earlobes of their models. The drawings were done in black liquid eyeliner and were graphic and a quite subtle in appearance. Despite the subtlety of these designs, this one show was all it took for the concept to take off.
Within the next year, two other designers had used the concept of ear makeup art in their own shows. The first was Pat McGrath for Louis Vuitton Spring in early 2016. McGrath didn’t use the same black designs that Pecheux had used, but instead went with a silver statement over the earlobes of the models.
The third appearance of ear makeup art was by Yadim for the Opening Ceremony. While Pecheux and McGrath had kept their designs as small shapes on the earlobes, Yadim took ear makeup art to a completely new level. In the Opening Ceremony the models had their ears completely covered in glitter. While this idea might not have been as impressive as the first two, it definitely showed the range that ear makeup offered for those were interested in the style.
After the two shows in early 2016, ear makeup art kind of died down for a while. However, it had caught the attention of Violette Serrat who had become popular on Instagram for her expressive and progressive styles. While ear makeup art had only been thought of as being something for the runway at this point, Serrat flipped the script and used metallic ear makeup art in the CR Fashion Book. By making the trend more relatable, Serrat gave breath to the trend, making it more appealing for those who might not have been brave enough to take runway looks and try them out.
From the black, inky look that started the trend to the popular metallic look that is now being adopted, ear makeup art is definitely a trend that is gaining traction, making it something that needs to be watched by those who want to stay ahead of these things.
How To Get The Look
As explained above, there have already been several variations to the ear makeup art trend, making it a very fluid concept that can be adopted by anyone with any style preference. However, for the most part, people have kept the trend closer to the original use, drawing discreet geometric shapes on their earlobes, instead of doing the full ear glitter look.
Drawing the designs is simple enough with a little practice, though it does take someone who knows their way around makeup rather well. One of the best things about ear makeup art is that it doesn’t require the purchase of extra products, since eyeliners can easily be used to get the look. Whether the simple black eyeliner from the beginning of the trend to the more daring metallic options that are becoming popular, there is quite a bit of flexibility in the style.
The key to making the perfect ear makeup art is to make it look like the lobe was dipped into a single color. In this way, the style actually looks more like an accessory, like jewelry, than makeup or art. In fact, Serrat said that using a gold metallic liner on the lobe is a perfect way to accent small gold hoop earrings. Using the trend in this manner is actually a great way to draw attention to earrings.
For those who are more daring, ear makeup art can actually be used to draw on the whole ear. While the whole ear glitter look has definitely not picked up, drawing designs along the ridges of the ears or outlining the entire ear is a great way to be different and extreme.
While ear makeup art is a great art form and perfect for self-expression, it is definitely a style that is more for nights out or fun days around town. Because it is still such a new trend, most experts are warning people away from trying this type of art for going in to work. So, while ear makeup art is great for more freeing times, it hasn’t been accepted yet as the accessory it looks like.
Will Ear Makeup Art Stick?
The biggest question of the day is whether ear makeup art will really stick around and if it’s a trend that people should commit themselves to learning. As mentioned above, while ear makeup art isn’t huge at the moment, it is being explored by some of the leaders in fashion and makeup trends. Because it’s so new, the trend is perfect for those who want to try something a little exciting for a night out, but it might not be ready to wear into the office.
One of the strangest things about ear makeup art is that sometimes it isn’t even noticed. Because the designs that are trending right now are so subtle, many people might not even notice the extra bit of art on the ears. It’s because of the subtlety that ear makeup art might become the next big thing, allowing people to express themselves in different ways that don’t exactly scream for attention.
For those who want to try ear makeup art for themselves, it’s strongly suggested to stick with black or metallic colors. Until it really begins to pick up, it’s probably best to avoid covering the whole ear in glitter.
