There's no denying that both the fashion and beauty industries tend to have a bit of favouritism when it comes to colour palettes. Bottega green was the go-to manicure hue for many an ELLE editor last year, while millennial pink carried us through the best part of the latter 2010s.
Despite Pantone announcing Viva Magenta as 2023's colour of the year, it appears the beauty industry isn't quite ready to give up on 2022's hue, Veri Peri. This time around, we're seeing a spectrum of purple shades dominating the runways, red carpets and new product launches.
2023's Golden Globes saw Selena Gomez opting for a soft plum eyeshadow, while Abbott Elementary star, Sheryl Lee Ralph, worked a royal purple tone to match her glittering gown. Elsewhere, House Of The Dragon actor (and negroni connoisseur) Emma D'Arcy, embraced the periwinkle with lilac tips on their pixie crop.
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The SS23 runways served up plenty of purple beauty too, with regal midnight purple lips at Versace, hazy lavender pigments at Etro, light-catching violet lids at Genny and 1960s-inspired pale wisteria eyeliner at Paul & Joe, proving there's a myriad of ways to incorporate the colour into your everyday make-up.
How To Wear Purple Make-Up
'As a make-up artist, purples have always had a place at the table. It has the ability to create an easy pop of fun and creativity to a make-up look, and the array of purples mean you have the choice of a softer plum or a vivid amethyst,' says MAC National Artist Carly Utting.
How to find the right shade of purple
Purple's popularity is certainly due in part to its universally flattering appearance on all skin tones. 'Purples can enhance so many elements of someone’s appearance, depending on which shade or tint of purple you choose will allow varying effects,' says Utting.
According to Bobbi Brown Global Artist in Residence, Romy Soleimani, not only does swiping purple on our lids help any yellow and green tones in our eyes pop, but picking certain shades based on the undertones of your skin will help to make the shade appear more defined.
If you're not sure where to start, Utting suggests pinker-hued purples, such as plum, which are flattering on warmer skin tones. Those with cooler undertones can lean into blue-toned purples, such as periwinkle and lavender.
The classic shortcut to check your undertones is by looking at your wrists. If your veins are green, you're likely to have warm undertones; if they have more of a blue-ish appearance, your skin will have a cooler hue. If you've got both, you're a middle ground neutral.
What to wear with purple make-up
Thought including more than one vivid colour in your look might make it look over-the-top? Think again. 'Purple looks gorgeous with a red lip,' says Soleimani. 'As a make-up artist, we use a lot of colour theory when selecting which shades to use; the correct combinations of colour can really enhance each other,' agrees Utting.
'Yellows, golds and ambers work particularly well as they are seen as being "complementary” to purple. You can also combine a more monochromatic colour combination aka wearing a range of purples. For example, plum eyeshadow with a more violet shade of nude on your lips will create a harmonious monochromatic look.'
How to make purple make-up subtle
If a bold statement smokey eye isn't your game, there are more understated ways to wear the royal shade. 'Give your eyes a smudge of purple along the lash line,' suggests Soleimani. 'Bobbi Brown's Cream Shadow Stick in Dusty Mauve or Violet Plum is a classic and gorgeous way to play with purple. They're super wearable and easy to blend.'
Similarly, opting for a coloured mascara, such as Shiseido's Controlled Chaos Mascara Ink can help to accentuate brown, hazel and green-toned eyes.
ELLE Edit: The Best Purple Blushers
What about purple blusher?
Don't let the unconventional tone intimidate you. 'Lavender is a soft and subtle blush tone that is quite universal,' says make-up artist Valeria Ferreira, who's worked with countless celebrities including Lily James and Bridgerton's Simone Ashley. It's not just a TikTok phenomenon either.
'Lavender blush has been around for years and years mainly showing up in Asian make-up brands such as Shu Uemura, Suqqu and Shiseido. A lilac or lavender tone is a great colour corrector that balances any extra yellow hue in our complexion therefore turning pinker when applied on a darker skin tone,' Ferreira continues.
ELLE Edit: The Best Purple Eyeshadows
Opt for deep purples and berry blushers on ebony complexions to give a healthy, rosy flush. Violet tones, such as the cream blush by Fenty Beauty, instantly lift brown and tan skin tones, while pale lavender will give fairer complexions an effortless, fresh finish.
Medina Azaldin is the beauty editor of ELLE and Harper's Bazaar UK, working across print and digital features. She has more than seven years journalism experience and has previously written for Red and Good Hoousekeeping. When she's not demystifying the latest skincare ingredient, sniffing out the next big perfume trend or uncovering the science behind wellness practices, you'll most likely find her in Hatchards Piccadilly or watching a crime series with her cats. Oh, and she's a competitive cheerleader, too.
