If there’s a word to describe the top 2021 beauty trends, it should be ‘exploration’. We are no longer in the era where we try to stick to the status quo. Instead, we are trying out new things and taking giant beauty strides.
The last few years, especially 2020, have quickly disrupted (although positively) the beauty industry and created new trends for us to follow.
There are a number of trends that we should look out for this year, but there are some that you probably wouldn’t be able to do without. If you’re a beauty enthusiast, we’ve put together the top 10 beauty trends that you should have in mind when making your beauty plans as the year goes on.
- Natural-Looking Eyebrows
The one feature of the no-makeup- makeup that seems to stand out on its own is the natural-looking brows. This trend has been around for a bit now and doesn’t look like it’s going out of style anytime soon. The natural-looking eyebrows are more about actually having full and natural-looking brows than having perfectly-made brows, ones that look pretty much like how it looked on your 7-year old self.
One reason this beauty trend stands out is because of the distinct look it gives you, even with makeup on. It helps shape your face and gives you a radiant look. It’s totally different from those dark-colored brows that give the gothic look. The goal is to have brows that have people questioning if you did anything to them, or that’s how they’ve always been.
You achieve them by using colors that match your natural brow color. They are supposed to be color flicks that give a natural and fuller brow illusion. In the end, everyone doesn’t mind having brows that remain in their natural brow shape but get polished with a few minimal products to give a no-makeup- makeup look.
A bit of outward small brush strokes to fill in gaps and holes do the job of achieving this look.
- Skinmalism
Skinmalism is exactly what you think it is – a minimalistic approach to skincare and use of products. The trend has been around for a while too, but the term was only coined by Pinterest users recently. The entire idea of the trend is rooted in embracing natural skin and using minimal makeup.
Now following from the shenanigans of 2020, it’s quite understandable that this trend is here for the long ride. Through 2020, people were ‘forced’ into spending more time indoors without the need to use more makeup than necessary, but with ample time to spend on skincare. Therefore, the need to pay more attention to skincare than the use of makeup.
Again, skinmalism is also a part of the no makeup makeup trend. More attention is being paid to glowing up their natural skins, so the need to use a considerable amount of makeup will be reduced. We now have more Google searches and Pinterest pins tilting towards “face routines” and the slow but steady care of the skin.
2021 is now giving us more of ‘makeupless’ or extremely minimal makeup faces than ever. Moving on, the trend of fresh-looking, hydrated and healthy faces will be here much longer than we expect in our new post-pandemic world.
- Stylish Protective Styles
Again, the world of beauty has never been as minimal as it currently is in 2021. The trends that have lasted through the last few years have been more about transitioning to natural-based products or styles, and hair isn’t left out.
Men and women alike are paying more attention to and appreciating their natural hairs for what they are. And for people who have textured hair, there’s a compulsive need to have protective styles like braids and crochets to save their hair. And as a result of the pandemic, protective styles aren’t going out of style.
However, they’re returning with a different twist. Instead of the regular braids, we’re here to see braids in different fun styles. From jumbo box braids to bolder colored braids, they are coming at us in different waves.
There’s a couple of reasons these are happening. First, most people are becoming ‘DIY-ers’ now more than ever. So, it’s of course easier to install 30 braids by yourself than several tiny braids.
Again, people want to try out new things by themselves. So, you find new protective styles like knotless box braids taking the front row, or yarn braids styles becoming more popular than ever.
2021 is about trying out styles that stand out and creating your own style from what already exists, and stylish protective styles is one of those things on your to-do list.
- Popping Eyeliner
If you run a Google search for ‘the most thriving segment of the beauty industry for 2020’, you’ll be sure to get the ‘eye category’ an answer. Of course, the reason for this isn’t far-fetched. We all wore masks, a bit more than we’d love to and if there’s one aspect of our faces we paid more attention to, it was the eyes. There’s been so much advancement and innovation in that aspect and the industry doesn’t seem like it’s slowing down anytime soon.
Almost every day, there’s something new you can do with your eye makeup. And they all revolve around color. Color is taking over this new season.
When you think about the eyes though, what comes to your mind? Eyeliners, right? Yes. Eyeliners have taken an unexpected turn. No longer is the classic black eyeliner the classic.
Beauty enthusiasts are beginning to play around with glitters, mismatched colors, lower lash colors, and a lot more. Topping the list is using popping bright colors to line the eyes. Even if you don’t want to be super extra, you can swap the typical black color for something bold.
So now you know that even with a mask on, you can still call attention to yourself. Make your eyes the focus and let them do the magic!
- Microbiome Skincare
Chances that you’ve heard the buzzword, ‘microbiome’ in the last few years are quite high. From probiotic skincare to prebiotic skincare, there seems to be a lot of bio-words humming around. But no longer is it maintaining the buzzword status, it’s fast becoming the reality of the beauty and skincare industry.
Microbiome skincare is gradually becoming one of the biggest trends hitting the skincare industry. It’s not a hard concept to grasp, it simply is using microorganisms to prepare healthier skin products to effectively balance our microbiome.
The intersection between health and beauty is taking it upon itself to groom skincare products that aren’t harsh or toxic to the skin, like some that we’ve experienced in recent years. The new approach of using fewer products in achieving the most/best result in skincare is what hinges on this new technique.
2021 is more about minimalism like earlier said. But it isn’t only about the makeup you put on your skin or the number of products used on your skin, but even more about the ingredients and components that your products contain.
The deal with microbiome skincare is that it’s slow and conscious. It requires mindfulness and consistency to get the best result, something the pandemic-ridden year has taught us.
The world is now paying more attention to environmental health and sustainability, and the beauty industry isn’t left out. The industry is tilting towards products that are skin health-centered. Terms such as ‘soothing’, ‘hydrating’, and ‘sensitivity’ are some of what you should expect when it comes to the skincare products of 2021.
- Biotech/Plant-Based Skin Products
Plant-based products have and will continue to play a huge role in skincare as the days go by. Beauty enthusiasts know how ingredients such as ginger, witch hazel flowers, bakuchiol, and the likes are popular skincare ingredients. This isn’t in any way changing in 2021. If anything, it’ll continue to improve.
Consumers like us are becoming extra cautious of the things our products are made of, but we are also aware of how beneficial plant products can be to our skin and entire body.
More brands are turning into plant-based product companies, capitalizing on the recent eco-consciousness of consumers. Even if you have never used a biotech beauty product before, 2021 is going to be the year you do. The markets are going to be filled with beauty products either completely made from natural ingredients, or a fusion of natural ingredients and synthetic chemicals.
Brands are extending their reach to safer, sustainable, and innovative products. A number of brands have already belled the cat and started pushing out these biotech products – from 111SKIN, and U Beauty to Augustinus – and the biotech space will continue to grow.
One reason biotech products will become a fan favorite is because of how potent and efficient they can get. Who doesn’t want a product that’ll be efficient and safe for their skin at the same time? It’s a little beyond the sustainable products narrative and more about products that are excellent enough to maintain your skin’s health.
- Scalp Care
Scalp care is now the new beauty care. Scalp care is fast becoming mainstream. Hair has always had enough attention for itself, but in recent times, the focus is moving to the scalp and its care. 2021 is the year that scalp care products will become the rave and you’ll have a little more products than usual for your scalp alone on your beauty table.
Take, for instance, scalp care is almost at the level of skincare. In the first place, the scalp is the skin part of your hair, so you might as well pay enough attention to it. New scalp care trends are emerging every day – from platelet-rich plasma injections to scalp Botox for those with sweaty scalps and finally, the use of hair health supplements.
We’re also having new scalp routines like LED hair masks, scalp scrubs, and serums. So, asides the new technologies evolving around hair, individuals are beginning to include scalp care in their daily and weekly routines.
A few years ago, a lot of us may not have seen this trend coming, but self-care and wellness definition have become so broad that it’s now including every aspect of our bodies, even the minute things like the scalp that we usually ignored. Again, scalp care is the new skin/beauty care, and the earlier we get accustomed to it, the better for us!
- Funky French Tips
French manicure has maintained its buzz for so many eras, and the beautiful part is that it keeps getting better. At the point where you assume you’ve seen the best of French nails, you get your mind blown by something new. This year, more than ever, French tips will still maintain their crown as the king (or queen) of the manicure world.
There’s always a way to make your French tips funky. Whether you decide to splash glitters all over them, include smiley faces, include a retro vibe, or try out the multi-colored tips rage.
Your French nails shouldn’t remain ordinary especially when there’s a lot you can do with it. A quick Pinterest glance will show you how you can funk up your French nails. So whether you’re gracing the red carpet, or it’s just for your day-to-day nail style, you should jump on the funky French tips.
The beautiful part is that they aren’t tough to achieve. Whatever idea you have is workable. Just have bright, funky, and colorful in mind. You’re good to go!
- Matte Skin
Before now, dewy skin has been the rave of the beauty world. However, something else is beginning to call attention to itself. While dewy skin isn’t taking the back seat for anyone, matte skin makeup is steadily working its way to the top. It particularly stands out because it fits into the new masking-up reality.
Matte makeup only requires a bit of foundation, which when properly applied will stay on your skin and not entirely transfer onto your mask. For it to work best, a good moisturizer as the base is a good idea. Even if you still wish for a dewy look, you can apply dewy highlighters to the more concentrated areas of your face, the parts not necessarily affected by masks.
Good matte foundations are usually long-wear and lightweight, so it’s no surprise why this trend will quickly take over the beauty sphere.
- Faux Freckles
Freckled ladies are beginning to appreciate their standout look, so much that non-freckled ladies are looking for opportunities to achieve the look and add to their styles. Now more than ever, YouTube, Pinterest, and the likes are filled with tutorials that show how to achieve the faux freckles, irrespective of the variant you want to achieve.
Freckles add a bit of fun to everything – it adds a bit of fun whether you have makeup on or don’t have it on. As you may go on with your daily activities or scroll through your Instagram feed, you may begin to notice that more people than usual seem to have freckled faces. Don’t be dismayed, it’s the new style in town and is something you can join in too.
Conclusion
2021 has a long list of promising trends that have the potentials of changing the course of the current beauty industry, slowly but steadily. It’s important to stay connected to what is and what is no longer in vogue.
With the current uncertainty that the world is currently experiencing, it’s interesting to stay in touch with new trends, especially when it’s beauty-related.
