Back in December when we were forecasting 2023's biggest beauty trends, we spotlit coquette makeup. It's cute, it's flirty, it's hyper-feminine and it had all the makings to go stratospheric. Now, as predicted, it's everywhere.
Hashtags on TikTok around the term have generated bonkers numbers with #coquette (7.2 billion views), #coquetteaesthetic (1.5 billion views) #coquettecore (306.6 million views) and #coquettemakeup (112.9 million views) combining into the billions.
Defined by the dictionary as “a flirtatious woman,” the coquette makeup trend leans into old-school femininity (think pink, pearls, lace and bows), but with a knowing edge. It takes its cue from the 18th and 19th century where society women reclaimed the word “coquet” meaning wanton, or promiscuous in French, and defied etiquette by engaging in flirtation to attract more potential suitors, or to engage in lighthearted entertainment (good on ya, huns). Think: Daphne Bridgerton eyeing up the Duke from behind her fan. It was a reclamation of feminine power.
It's a look that's been referenced throughout the years, blending sultriness with innocence, but at its core, this new generation of coquette makeup simply leans into an unashamedly “girly” aesthetic because it's cute, and we can. This means fluttery lashes, elongated liner and fresh, flushed cheeks. And, in a TikTok age, it draws inspo from several of the platforms biggest beauty players, combining elements of the Cold Girl aesthetic, Vanilla Girl aesthetic, siren eyes, doe eyes and douyin blush.
Boots has already seen the impact of the trend, with sales of blush palettes increasing by 112.5% over the past year. And Pat McGrath is helping to lead the hype with several Bridgerton-inspired collection drops. The latest Love Collection is scattered with pearly pink blushers, gorgeous glittering liquid eyeshadows and glossy flushed lip colours. Meanwhile, NARS is releasing a whole edit around its glowing coral-pink Orgasm shade to coincide with Valentine's Day. Its multi-purpose Multiple Stick has been given a pretty pink packaging makeover, alongside an eye and cheek palette and its silky Afterglow Lip Balm.
As for how to create coquette makeup, one TikTok creator, @zoekimkenealy summed the trend up as blending together the below:
1. A very bright, concealed undereye2. Pouty lips3. Pearl finishes4. Pink and flushed cheeks5. Statement nose [lots of highlighter]6. Doe eyes with a siren lashAnd @02dolls showed how she achieved the look with elongated liner, shimmering pink eyeshadow, feathery lashes and glossy pink lips.
So, if you want to tap in, here's some of our favourite ways to wear the coquette makeup trend…
Shimmering eyeshadow and silky lips
Blush pink tones
Feathered, fluttery lashes
Elongated liner
Sheeny skin
Flushed cheeks
Blushed nose
Defined eyes
Feline liner
For more from GLAMOUR's Beauty Editor, Elle Turner, follow her on Instagram @elleturneruk
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qLjApqauqp2WtKLGyKecZ5ufY8Kse8Crq6KbnJp8pLvQrpytrJViuqK3xK6n