One look in my makeup stash would tell you I’m a minimal makeup girl – especially when it comes to my base – and it seems I’m not alone. More and more I see my social media filled with barely-there looks or people just skipping a base product entirely.
And I totally get it. Those with massive Gen Z followings like Emma Chamberlain, Billie Eilish and Charli and Dixie D’Amelio are frequently seen on their platforms or in public fresh-faced. We’ve turned the page from the era of contoured Kardashian glam into one focused on skincare and a healthy glow instead of coverage.
For me, I think it all started in 2014 when Glossier launched an extremely sheer skin tint and their “skin first, make up second” message. Whilst the idea was not revolutionary, it was wrapped up and given to us in covetable packaging, literally saying “here, you don’t have to cover up anymore”. We were all out here waiting for it to be ok that our skin wasn’t ok.
Even more than that, the rise of TikTok has introduced us to an attainable standard of beauty. We see people all over the world who look like us, dancing in their bedroom with no makeup, gaining millions of views and follows. In a sea of social media that’s increasingly edited and curated, we just want to see the real stuff.
Our vocabulary around makeup has also changed and shifted to represent the new. Instead of chasing a ‘blinding highlight’ or ‘full glam’ we’re seeking natural, fresh and glowy daily looks. It’s all about altering beauty to fit into our lives, making it work for us instead of striving for contoured perfection.
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