How to Create the Chai Makeup Trend for You This Fall

As you may have seen on social media, the chai makeup trend is all the rage this fall, but what is it exactly?

It’s basically an updated 1990s trend that you would have seen in a Victoria’s Secret catalog or Guess ad.

In the nineties we did this with peaches and copper and still made it more smolder vs. sleek. Now we’re doing the modern version with browns instead and a tad more minimal for the sexy, “rolled out of bed and this is how i look” kind of thing. Effortless but with lots of effort behind it.

It can be any kind of makeup, but the key is that everything is a muted brown. It’s a very smoldering and smudgey look with no clear lines like winged eyeliners that we see in other makeup looks.

Now let’s get into why you should consider this trend and how to make it work.

Why This Look is Perfect for Fall Makeup

Fall is always these burnt worm colors, but because we’re harkening to the 90s we are seeing clothes with more rust, burgundy, and forest green.

We’re going more organic with our color palettes again so this makeup goes well with that.

Think: hiking through the woods in a flannel or going apple picking and you want the effortless, not-trying-too-hard makeup to go with it.

It also feels very effortless and cozy for fall. It doesn’t look like you put in a lot of effort, but you look camera ready for those apple picking photos. It’s just pretty. Everyone looks good this way.

Step-By-Step of How to Achieve the Chai Makeup Look

Cheeks/Contour:

When you do your whole face I like to use a skin illuminator that you put on to give a glow that isn’t oily but provides a brightness.

Take a cream bronzer and on your contour ensure you are putting some along the upper hairline and under the jaw bone to get warmth and depth to your entire face.

If you want to put on a blush, you can but make it super soft and peachy. Truthfully, I recommend you skip blush though.

Eyes:

1. Get an eye shadow stick. I really love the Nars line, but any stick in the brown matte range will work.
2. Swipe across your lid and rub it with your finger to smudge.
3. Add some black mascara and if you want a pop of sexy by tight lining in the upper inner rim of the lid with a black waterproof eyeliner.

NOTE: Doing it that way will not transfer to the lower lid but make your eyelashes look thicker and full without making it look like you are wearing eyeliner.

Brows:

If you have good or full brows, a clear gel to brush it through and leave it. Otherwise, fill them in lightly making sure to keep it soft.

Lips:

First off, always use a neutral tone.

For a more glam look, line your lip with a nude or slightly darker than tone color, fill in the lips with the lipliner and then go over it with a peach brown or clear lip gloss.

What Makes This Look So Great

First of all, it works for everyone no matter your skin type or color because you’re playing with the same undertone as your natural skin.

It’s taking your own shadows and highlights and deepens them. It’s not picking from a non-natural color palette. It starts with YOU and then accentuates it. That’s how you choose the colors.

It’s also really easy to just accomplish on your own.

From a makeup artist perfect, there is just a sexiness to it. For years people have wanted these other trends that are more cat liners and red-lips and this is very old stage makeup like Greta Garbot and more smoldery sexy vs. Kardashian sexy, which is very in-your-face and intense.

How To Make It Work for Different Occasions

For everyday, go for a softer ‘no-makeup makeup’ look with a swipe of bronzer and a lip gloss and maybe a light brown shadow.

For a wedding day, we’ll take it a bit deeper with a shadow right by the lash line and a full lash so the focus is on the eyes. The wedding will still need a little color on the lips, but ever so slightly.

It’s perfect for the bride that doesn’t want to be over-the-top made up and still feel very sexy. It’s the no-makeup makeup with a splash of glam.

(Want to find out what type of bridal look is best for you? Take our quiz!)