This year, the biggest beauty trends are nothing short of eye-grabbing — literally.
As the aesthetic on your feeds and red carpets shifts away from heavy foundation and layers of mascara, eyelids are taking the center stage, serving as the canvas to welcome an influx of creative glam. Think smoky chrome eyes, grungy, smudged liners, and deep plum eyeshadow.
It’s a major difference from previous years, where eyelids were kept relatively clean. But as beauty lovers know, trends are cyclical — and as the “clean girl aesthetic” quietly fades into the background, the “party girl” look is stepping forward, loud and unapologetic.
In 2025, it’s all about embracing bolder, more expressive eye makeup, and the results are as dramatic as they are fun. Ahead, the five biggest eye makeup trends of the year, according to a celebrity makeup artist.
1. Tightlining
Lining both your upper and lower waterline has long been a technique favored by pros for its ability to subtly enhance the eyes without the look of heavy liner. Now, the trick is finally trickling back into the mainstream.
“People have been tightlining for years in the makeup world, especially along the upper waterline, but now everyone’s embracing the full waterline — top and bottom,” says celebrity makeup artist Dani Parkes. “It’s especially fun to experiment with different shades that bring out your eye color. I love using Revlon ColorStay or the Makeup by Mario Master Pigment Pro Pencil in Perfect Brown.”
2. Icy Tones
Once a staple of the early 2000s, icy eyeshadow shades have made a triumphant return in recent years. As Y2K-inspired makeup continues its reign, it makes perfect sense that the nostalgic frosty look is having a moment. Today’s iteration, however, is a bit more refined when combined with neutral glam.
“Lately, I’ve been loving the effect of a soft, natural glam finished with a cool, quartz-like shimmer,” says Parkes. “It’s one of the most requested looks. Those natural shimmers with icy tones really catch the light in a way that stands out without feeling dated or overdone.”
3. Doll-Like Bottom Lashes
Once reserved for editorial shoots or avant-garde looks, bottom lashes — particularly the use of individual falsies along the lower lash line — are becoming more commonplace for everyday glam.
“I’ve been seeing more people experiment with bottom lashes,” says Parkes. “Placing a few individual lashes along the lower lash line is slowly creeping into the mainstream. It can feel like a risky move for some artists, but when done well, it creates this striking, doll-like aesthetic.”
4. Dramatic Smoky Eyes
You can thank Charli XCX and Gabbriette for the revival of edgy smoky eyes. “They’ve both got that minimal makeup vibe, but then their eyes make this cool, smoky, chrome black statement,” says Parkes. “It’s a grungy look, but it’s polished at the same time. It’s very in right now.”
The key to nailing the perfect bold eye, according to Parkes, is to keep everything else simple. “Minimal concealer, a little contour or blush, maybe a freckle pen — less is more on the skin, and the eye is the main focus.”
5. Colorful Shimmer
Pick up your colorful eyeshadow palettes, because vibrant pigment on the lids is back in a major way. Specifically, Parkes is seeing shimmering, multidimensional shadows that deliver an ethereal effect.
“I’ve been loving the look of soft, shimmery colors on the eyelids lately,” says Parkes. “I think people are just ready to have fun again, and that’s exciting.”
