Coloured Nose Bridges© GettyImages

Vibrantly Coloured Nose Bridges Are In This Season

As much as we love our go-to make-up styles such as the bold red lip, a classic cat eye or bushy brows, there’s something magical about editorial and artsy make-up looks that turn heads wherever you go. The latest whimsical look that has been spotted not just on our FYPs (for you pages) on social media, but the red carpet as well, is the colourful ‘nose bridge’—which honestly reminds us of a more intentionally done post-Holi face. This trend proves that we’ve been ignoring our noses for too long.

The nose bridge make-up trend not only takes the popular super-blushed look to the next level but also experiments with unconventional shades and splashes it across the bridge of the nose. Although, anyone who’s ever played the Indian festival of Holi in their life, will totally vibe with this fairy-core inspired festive look. To emulate this trend, simply use colourful eyeshadow to connect the space between your eyes and you’re done!

If you want to go all out, you can use eyeshadows and liners around the tip, bridge, sides of your nose, and even the nostrils. After playing around with these unique make-up looks, you’ll start seeing your nose in a whole different light for sure.

To label this nose-bridge makeup trend avant-garde is an understatement, yet there’s still something about it that’s unexpectedly wearable. Emma Corrin recently gave this look her stamp of approval by wearing the style to a red carpet gala in September, but we have a feeling this make-up look is here to stay. If this aesthetic has piqued your interest or if you just want to shake things up with your make-up every once in a while, we’re here to tell you how to recreate it at home below.

What is the nose-bridge make-up trend?

The nose-bridge make-up trend involves applying a generous wash of colour—usually something bright or frosty—across the bridge of the nose between the eyes. While we’re seeing this make-up trend show up in mainstream pop culture through recent runway shows like Chet Lo and Deviate and subsequently in posts shared by influencers and editorial artists on Instagram, this look has been around in various cultures which have long treated the bridge and nose as a canvas for make-up and ritualistic painting.

Historically, the semiotics of face painting or art were neither random nor drawn out of instinctive creative urges of the artists. It was rather an expression of collective beliefs and artistic manifestations that the community agreed on. The choice of colours, patterns, and the source materials for creating the dyes were specific to the geography and environment of the community or the tribe.

Taking cues from cultural creative expressions, Gen Z has drastically disrupted widely-accepted beauty standards and is presenting its take on many creative make-up looks as a way to reject traditional and long-standing ‘rules’ of make-up in favour of self-expression and artistry—especially after the pandemic reminded us how fleeting life really is. This is also seen through other trendy make-up choices including graphic eyeliner, bleached eyebrows, and shabby chic haircuts.

Inspiration for this look may have been sourced from the inner-eye-corner highlighting trend or the douyin blush look, which basically drags a rosy tint across the entirety of your cheeks, nose and the under eye area. We’re also right smack in the middle of our fairycore and grunge-inspired beauty era, and hence, people love creating looks that feel like a fantasy and an escape, while preserving that bit of a subversive edge.

How to emulate the nose-bridge make-up trend?

There are a few ways in which you can recreate the nose-bridge make-up trend at home. You only need eyeshadow or blush for an easy variation.

If you’re not too sure about how and where to start, use an eyeshadow that has a shimmer or frost finish since they are so much easier to blend out and rectify mistakes, if you mess up.

If splashes of colour strewn across your nose sounds kind of intimidating, the blush route is also great for beginners as it allows you to build colour gradually. Think of it as ‘blush draping,’ but you’re shading the inner corners of your eyes instead of the outer corners.

To really make the nose-bridge make-up the star of your look, make sure you tone down the use of other products on your face and keep mascara, eyeshadow and lipstick to a minimum. Opt for just a swipe of gloss — and voilà, you have your very own fairy-core aesthetic!