Spring 2027 Runways Signal Bolder Eyes as Makeup Artists Weigh In on What's Next

The spring 2027 shows leaned toward high-impact eye looks, with metallic liner at Dior and colorful smoky eyes at Gucci cited as signs that expressive makeup is edging back into view after a long stretch of minimalist "clean girl" and no-makeup makeup aesthetics.

Patrick Ta and Mary Phillips, both celebrity makeup artists who founded their own beauty brands, offered their predictions for 2027 in separate conversations at Beautyworld Dubai, a three-day trade show held Oct. 6 to 8 at the Dubai World Trade Centre that drew more than 62,000 visitors.

The debate carries commercial weight. Streamlined routines requiring fewer products have been cited among possible factors behind makeup's slower performance, and the gap between a pared-back regimen and a multi-product dramatic look translates directly into sales dollars.

In the first half of 2026, U.S. prestige makeup sales rose 3%, according to Circana, trailing the 7% growth of the broader prestige beauty market. Some segments have outperformed: lip liner sales climbed 34%, while blush and bronzer notched double-digit gains.

Retail signals point in a similar direction. Sephora appears to have put high-impact makeup on its mood board, and in February Carolyn Bojanowski, the retailer's EVP of merchandising, said the market was seeing a return to bold makeup in 2026.