The 60’s to early 2000’s was a defining moment for the beauty business as we know it, from over-tweezed eyebrows (which notably should never come back in style), shimmering eyeshadow, to lips lined with eyeliner. If you’ve sung your heart out to a Lana Del Rey song, watched era-defining films like Grease and Clueless, or tried your hardest to dress like Beyoncé in Austin Powers (I sure did), one thing is certain: nothing beats throwbacks. As many of our favourite beauty looks now are reinterpretations of these old trends, everything old is new again.
Exaggerated blow-dry.
No, blow-dries never really went away, although in the past couple of years we’ve been leaning toward a more tamed look, recently the exaggerated blow-dry is making a massive comeback. Nowadays, when getting ready you want people to know how much effort you put in, and what’s a more telling sign than bold, big, and beautiful hair. The style mainly of the 1970s is back in all its gravity-defying splendour, with curls and height being the focal point.
Graphic eyeliner is here to stay.
’60s Hollywood icons like Diana Ross were the queens of graphic liner in case you didn’t know. Now, the graphic-liner craze has resurfaced with a force unlike any other. Every MUA is doing it, every celebrity is requesting it, and every cosmetic business is launching amazing new pens and pencils to aid us in our efforts. It’s fair to say it’s taking Hollywood by storm. Highly credited actresses such as Lupita Nyong’o, Lily Collins, and Janelle Monáe to TikTok stars like Addison Rae are all opting for this stand-out look.
Baby hairs are now a must.
Baby hairs aka edges have become somewhat of an art form, and it is also a super-cute style that can be credited most popularly in the 1990s. When it comes to styling baby hairs, nearly every Black and Latina woman knows the drill. Using a generous amount of gel to slick down those baby hairs (with a toothbrush may I add) before leaving the house for a night out is euphoric. It is important to note that baby hairs are fine-textured hairs which sits at the hairline. These days, celebrities such as Rihanna and Zendaya have all embraced their baby, but Chilli from TLC is widely regarded as the unofficial queen of baby hairs.
Gloss is the way forward.
Matte lipsticks in the early 2000s was like Chandler Bing and Janice — destined to fail. Instead, it was all about the gloss. The stickier and shinier the better. Lipsticks did make a major comeback and are great, especially if you want a more sophisticated look, despite all of this it doesn’t give the same feeling a gloss does. Gloss is versatile. More people are now channelling their inner Paris Hilton. Nothing feels more perfect than being in public and topping up your gloss. Trust me, try it and you won’t be complaining.
You can wear scrunchies at any age.
Pinterest 100 report (2020) found a whopping 6309 % increase in searches for the term “hair scrunchies,” indicating that, despite not paying scrunchies any attention since they were our favourite primary school accessory, they’re back in a major way. This year we’ve seen the classic scrunchie being elevated to new and much needed heights. No more static fabrics damaging your hair, there are now scrunchies made using luxurious materials like silk and leather. High-end labels such as Versace are now profiting off the trend. Scrunchies are cute and add a uniqueness to any outfit. It’s a yes from me.
“Creativity is your best makeup skill, don’t be afraid to experiment.”
Pat McGrath
Toni is an Administrative Personal Assistant and Business Executive, who loves travelling, health and beauty, lifestyle and business. She regularly spends her time multitasking.
