Five looks which took over this year's red carpets, Instagram feeds and morning routines.

Published in CanCulture Magazine.

(Suzy Hazelwood/Pexels)

CanCulture is looking back at the hair and makeup styles which complimented – and perhaps completed – 2023’s fashion landscape. Here are five of our favourites:

Balletcore

This ballet spin on classic glam wants us to embrace soft pastels and delicate frills. To bring out your inner ballerina, apply a touch of liquid highlighter before foundation. Then, elevate this lit-from-within-look with pale, shimmery eyeshadow and baby pink blush. And don’t forget the style’s staple: a well-lined muted lip. 

Balletcore exists beyond the makeup world as well. According to Elle Canada, it manifests in hairdos as buns – sleek, twisted, loose, braided and everything in between. Whichever version the bun takes on, bows are a welcome addition. 

Strawberry Makeup

Ontario-based Cheekbone Beauty says strawberry makeup is their favourite trend of the year. 

The aesthetic which ruled during this summer is all about pops of pink. Start by swiping a generous amount of berry-hued blush over a dewy base, focusing on your cheeks and eyelids. Pair this rosy glow with a glossy lip and, if you want to really commit, some faux freckles. 

To get the look, Cheekbone Beauty recommends their cedar brown empower eyeliner, power brow gel, askihk sustain lipstick and sweetgrass harmony lipgloss.

Scandi Hairline

Lightening face-framing baby hairs will make your complexion seem brighter while giving an effortless aire to blonde blowouts. This hair hack’s funky name is an homage to the sun-kissed highlights of Scandinavian influencers like Matilda Djerf. 

Marie-Anne Labrie, a beautician from Montreal, teaches her Instagram followers how to tweak this brightening effect for a soft grow-out using foils and balayage. Her method may suit darker blondes who want to test the trend but worry about maintenance. 

Cold Girl Makeup

As temperatures drop, cold girl makeup was revived and updated for 2023. 

Inspired by the frostbitten flush brought on by winter weather, this look requires a cool-toned blush on the apples of your cheeks and the tip of your nose. You can add dimension to the look with a frosted eyeshadow, an icy highlighter and a gradient lip. 

Check out how Toronto-based makeup artist Valeriia Shyshkanova adopts the aesthetic in her promotional video for Gee Beauty. 

Latte Makeup

Coffee-coloured browns are the stars of 2023’s favourite Fall makeup fad. 

Opt for this monochromatic look by bronzing up your skin, wearing a nude lip and playing up neutral eyeshadows. For inspiration, check out the video tutorial above from Toronto’s Nudestix. 

As we move into the new year, beauty lovers will wait and see whether these five trends stand the test of time.