The Sugar Plum Fairy trend is the sweetest makeup look of the festive season
When Tchaikovsky dreamed up the classical ballet The Nutcracker in 1892, he probably didn’t ever imagine that the Sugar Plum Fairy would be influencing the way we do our makeup in 2023.
But thanks to the trend-making machine that is Hailey Bieber (read: the originator of the strawberry girl makeup trend and glazed donut everything), TikTokers are all creating makeup looks inspired by the sweet aesthetic of Tchaikovsky’s Sugar Plum Fairy.
In a recent TikTok video, Bieber takes us step by step through her Sugar Plum Fairy makeup tutorial, which she says was inspired by the makeup she wore on stage when she played the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker when she was just 16. “This is my 2023 version of that makeup,” she explained in the caption. “[It’s] my go to vibe for the holiday season!”.
@haileybieber when I was 16 I was the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker.. this is my 2023 version of that makeup. My go to vibe for the holiday season! 🍬✨
♬ Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (Tchaikovsky) - Ian Post
Since the Rhode Skin founder uploaded her tutorial, the hashtag #sugarplumfairymakeup has amassed over 37.9 million views on TikTok.
@jasminnlily_ forever inspo 🩰 @Hailey Bieber #sugarplumfairy #sugarplumfairymakeup #haileybieber ♬ dźwięk oryginalny - <3
TikTokers from all over the world have tried their hand at the makeup trend, which features lashings of coral pink blush diffused across the apples of the cheeks and the lids. Shimmery, sheer cream and glossy-finish makeup are then layered over the top of the blush base.
@emilielien_ Sugar plum fairy makeup 🍬🧚🏻♀️✨#makeup #sugarplumfairy #makeuptutorial ♬ Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (Tchaikovsky) - Ian Post
In the video tutorial, Bieber stuck with her ol’ faithful lip combination of a nude brown lip liner and Rhode’s peptide lip treatment and dabbed a small amount of concealer under her eyes. Then she finished off the look with a few faux freckles, groomed her brows with a clear brow gel and added a slick of mascara to her lashes.
The final result is a glowy, glittery, wet-look flush that’s so sweet it looks good enough to eat.
@biancapompeiano @Hailey Bieber never misses 🩰✨ #sugarplummakeup #makeup #makeuptutorial #haileybieber #beauty ♬ dźwięk oryginalny - <3
Want to try this look for yourself? These are the best Sugar Plum Fairy makeup products for the job…
Pat McGrath Labs Divine Blush: Legendary Glow limited-edition colour balm in ‘Fleurotique’ ($51 at Selfridges) / Makeup by Mario Master Secret Glow in ‘Expensive’ ($40 at Sephora) / Glossier Lidstar in ‘Slip’ ($33 at Glossier)
Pat McGrath Labs Divine Blush Legendary Glow ‘Fleurotique’
Makeup by Mario Master Secret Glow in ‘Expensive’
Glossier Lidstar in ‘Slip’
Makeup’s looking sweeter and sweeter; 2024 is just as fruity thanks to the ‘Peach Fuzz’ beauty trend AKA the Pantone colour of the year.
Image credit: @haileybieber
Briar Clark got her start in the media industry in 2017, as an intern for Marie Claire and InStyle. Since then, her keen interest in fashion and beauty has landed her gigs as a Digital Content Producer and Beauty Editor with titles like Girlfriend, Refinery29, BEAUTYcrew and beautyheaven. She loves the way seemingly innocuous topics like skin care and style have the ability to put a smile on people’s faces or make them think about themselves a little differently. A big believer in self love and experimentation, Briar has made a point of becoming the Australian beauty industry’s unofficial guinea pig for unusual treatments and daring hair trends. When she’s not testing out the latest beauty launches, Briar is big on broadening her horizons, mostly in the form of food but she’s also partial to travelling to new destinations both near and far (and of course, allocating an extra bag to bring their best beauty offerings home with her).
