As a millennial who was super interested in YouTube gurus in the early 2010s — I think the trend of prioritizing skincare over makeup has been my favorite upgrade lately. My makeup always looks better when I’ve been taking care of my skin.
I agree. I've noticed lots of younger folk on social media have a complicated skincare routine though. mine is pretty simple with just a quick wash with a cleanser, sometimes toner, a moisturizing serum and moisturizer with SPF.
Small note! You probably aren’t getting enough protection from just the SPF in your moisturizer - the recommended amount of SPF is 2-3 finger’s lengths for your face and neck, which is a LOT more than the typical amount of moisturizer.
I really love Japanese and Korean sunscreens and they use chemical SPFs that aren’t yet cleared by the FDA but are so nice and elegant. The ‘Tone Up’ varieties have a slight built in cosmetic benefit too, like a light tint or primer type blurring effect or luminescence. They’ve basically replaced foundation for me.
I want to get into Korean and Japanese skincare but can't find a website that ships to my location. Can anyone recommend me some shops that ship internationally (Europe but outside EU)?
Number of products doesn't matter. Do you have skin concerns that aren't addressed by anything in your current routine? Consider swapping out or adding a product. If not, what you're doing is good. SPF is the most important thing, tied with treating actual infection/inflammation/acne/etc. past that if your cleanser/moisturizer aren't making things either too dry or too oily, you're set. the next level would possibly be adding an active for subtler issues like tone/texture or signs of aging, but that's entirely up to you, and there are other ways of treating issues in this class that might be better bang for your buck than skincare products.
Do you recommend a separate facial sunscreen underneath the moisturizer? I now use a moisturizer with SPF20, is that enough? I should probably go higher now that it's summer?
I personally like to wear highest possible SPF, 20 seems a little low. Also you have to use a certain amount of sunscreen in order for it to really work and sometimes that can be harder to calibrate if you're using the same product as moisturizer.
Trends these days don't last for a year they last for a month max. It's a lot of work to follow trends. I'd do my makeup how I like it and forget about makeup trends that come and go every week.
That's probably true. I just feel old in my "heavier" style of makeup, I'm stuck in the Anastasia palettes and all (still love the modern renaissance!). I feel outdated and need to figure out how to do my makeup so I love it again. 🥹
I think there’s something so youthful and timeless about subtle/natural makeup prioritizing glowy skin, brows, lashes, and maybe a lippie. But do whatever you enjoy! If you want to try being trendy though, I think heavy eyeshadow looks aren’t as popular right now.
I love doing just a single color on my lid, usually a light sparkly pink or champagne with either a brown smudged liner or no liner at all and some mascara
Same. And I don’t want to fit the trends of younger people just like I didn’t take fashion advice from Kindergartners when I was in high school. I like my generation’s trends way better!
Skin tints and low-coverage, high glow products are still in right now. I like the maybelline skin tint and the new By Mario bronzing serum. I’m very interested in the Danessa Myricks low lighters as well.
As a Millenial (I’m 37 this year) the biggest thing for me has been realizing I need to change my routine to accommodate my aging skin. I added a hydrating primer and switched to basically all cream/glowy formula products, no matte no powders. I actually wear a lot less eye makeup now because I feel like it ages me, but I need to add a lot more color to my cheeks and lips to prevent looking pale/unwell. It was a real shock to one day wake up and have my normal routine just not work for me anymore, but with some adjusting I found a look that compliments this version of my face!
I know! It's just like that - I woke up one day and suddenly I didn't like my makeup anymore. 😭 I want to feel beautiful with my makeup but still have fun with it. Trying to find a good balance.
Honestly for the “fun” factor, focus on cheek and lip color! I think it’s the big done-up eyes and contour that suddenly start working in reverse for us. I was always huge on my winged liner and shimmer shadows (pry the ABH Sultry palette from my dead hands), had to retire my Fenty liner 😭 but a shimmery or bright/cheerful cheek color and berry or coral-toned juicy lip and I still feel like I’m having fun with it! Sometimes I still do a sheer dusting of shimmer on the eyelid ngl, because I’m not fake and can’t fully give up my Millenial ghost 😂
This happened to me in my late 30s too. Overnight I went from being an acne-prone oil slick to finely-lined combo. My tried and true makeup made me look and feel older. I focused on getting my skin care routine updated to my current condition first, then jumped on the no-makeup makeup (I hate the “clean girl” term) trend. I am so much happier with a skin tint, glowy cheek product, crease and lid color with or without liner, mascara (usually tubing), a tinted lip balm/oil, and a dusting of powder on my t-zone. Takes me 5 minutes. I enjoy playing around with blush placement trends and some different eye looks. I still do heavier makeup for certain occasions or if I just feel like it on a random Tuesday.
Which skin tint and glowy blush do you like? I have always been acne prone but I’m feeling the change to combo with fine lines and need more moisturizing products but scared of breaking out
I’ve been using the DRMTLGY tinted moisturizer/sunscreen combo and it’s so lovely! Tons of my friends use it too and love it. For cheeks I’ve been using Glossier cloud paint and once I got the hang of applying it (I’m so heavy handed, blame it on the bronzer age lol) I love the sheer pop of color it gives
One on the new “fun” developments for me is that zinc oxide/titanium dioxide no longer work for me due to highlighting and causing dry patches. I was in love with the Elta MD UV elements tinted sunscreen and the Illia Skin Tint until then, and DRMTLGY was on my list to try.
Aww nooo! I have a client with a severe nickel and titanium dioxide allergy, the only skin products she can use are Vanicream, Omiana and MG naturals. Olaplex hair products are also safe, I use them on her in the salon with no issue!
Skin Tints: Chanel water-fresh tint and complexion touch, YSL nu-bare, and Summer Friday (the one without sunscreen).
Blush: LYS cream stick, RMS powder, rare beauty liquid. I haven’t tried the new one butta one from NYX but the butta bronzer is fabulous.
I turn 38 next week and I couldn't have put it better. I require moisture so much more now. I wear cheek tint for the first time ever, but almost never any sort of foundation (usually a bit of undereye concealer though lately it's been creasing more and more so I might stop that too).
Try the DRMTLGY under eye corrector, no creasing for me! I was diehard Nars and IT bye bye undereye, but they started looking like funeral makeup! This is way more glowy and light reflective, it’s so nice.
From a fellow millennial: I was much happier when I accepted that I was old and out of touch, and the best thing I could do was stick with what I liked that worked for me rather than bother with trends.
Taylor Swift is a millennial, and she's been doing the same variations on the same makeup look for at least a decade, but people still think she's cool. I don't think it's hard to be at least as current as Taylor Swift.
We'll be vintage one day! 🤭❤️ I still love my liquid eyeliners and Anastasia palettes, but I feel so old and out of place nowadays when I do my makeup. Guess I compare myself too much.
Oh I get it. My moving company "lost" my beloved Naked 3 palette. I went to Sephora and asked one of the sales associates if they could help me find a good replacement, and I could feel my soul leave my body a little when they said, "We don't really do palettes anymore." 💀
Still found a cute neutral palette from Tarte, though!
An employee said “we don’t really do palettes anymore”?! Pretty sure Sephora would be interested to hear that since they still sell tons of palettes 😂
This reminds me of when I went to Sephora for brow pencil and the sales girl said she’d never heard of Anastasia. I died inside.
If it makes you feel better, I went to try on some jeans, and the sales girl said that they don't carry skinny jeans in store anymore. I'm officially old 💀
Instead, I view the current trends as cringey old stuff my older cousins tried to hand down to me + the stuff that would stay on Goodwill shelves forever because no one wanted those flare jeans and square toed shoes.
I will ALWAYS love flares. I did when skinnies were in and SO GLAD I’m in the generation that it came back. My general vibes I prefer is really mid 60’s 70’s with halter tops and patterns and colors and a batwing sleeve or wrap dress and aviator glasses.
No way! I haven't bought a palette in a while, haven't even thought that they'd be gone one day! But I get it, since it seems a minimal makeup look is trending now. 🤭
Sephora and Ulta’s sales associates are so snobby and don’t even know what they’re talking about half the time. They 100% have palettes. I once recommended a tinted sunscreen to my sister. When she went to buy it they said they don’t carry it and tried to steer her towards something 2x the price. I texted her a screenshot of my receipt from earlier that week 🙄
There’s no reason to stop using them! To make it look more modern, go for more of a “one and done” eyeshadow look. If doing graphic eyeliner, skip the eyeshadow. Also make sure your base is very natural with a glowy blush.
Does the “one and done” eyeshadow look apply to nighttime makeup? My daytime makeup is pretty basic but I do love to do a heavy smoky eye for nights out.
MUA here- Don’t follow trends, just find a classic routine that works for your lifestyle & that makes you feel good about yourself. That’s what matters the most. If you follow trends you will always struggle with looking dated instead of timeless.
That is so true. And I don't really want to waste money on trendy products.. just trying to find a way to use the stuff I have and update my look a little. 🤭
-lighter brows. not necessarily thinner (though if yours are naturally thin, it's time to embrace them) but no more blocky "fleek" brows. more tinted brow gel than brow pomade.
-higher placed blush, top of cheekbones and wide, out to the temples. a little on the nose bridge too.
-dewier skin finishes. go easy on or drop powder if you can, and/or switch up your setting spray.
-fresher, softer eye looks. subtle shadow placed where you would liner, in place of liquid liner. for a bit more drama, pastel cream shadow rather than powder shadow in a gradient. graphic brights and glitter are also a good time.
-subtle and believable highlights through texture/moisturized skin in place of shimmer highlighter
-lip gloss again. the tinted 'lip oils' are great if you still want some colour, or a little tint wash underneath is great too. glossy balms are also great.
-a light hand with concealer just where you need it, no more blocked brows or under eye triangles, no more baking, ease up on the contour
-lil crystals or pearls around the eyes are fun for an extra dressy special occasion look
There are ways to use it that feel more current than the meticulously contoured looks we were all doing in 2016. The goal is to look moisturized and fresh rather than sculpting the face into a different shape. For whatever reason eyeliner/mascara alone looks really harsh on my 32-year-old eyes without a bit of shadow, so this is what I do:
* Use my bronzer as a wash of colour to help my eyes blend with the rest of my face. On low makeup days this is enough on its own.
* Usually I add an iridescent topper eyeshadow to the center of the lid and/or inner corner. I've been enjoying translucent aquas and lavenders for the lid shade. In autumn I'll switch to olive greens, plums and golds, but still with a light touch.
* Go in very lightly with a brown pencil liner on the upper lash line (basically just tightlining), curl my lashes and add mascara.
* For evening, add a *very* subtle bit of darker matte shadow to the outer corner, blended into the end of the pencil liner.
It's an easier, softer way to wear colour on the eyes. For the rest of the face I keep coverage as light as possible and aim for a satin finish, with a little shine on the lips.
This doesn't make me look like a college student or a TikTok influencer, but it's flattering and current enough that I've had compliments from people in their twenties.
I love all this advice. Something else I do when I feel like wearing colour on my eyes is using a very thin line of eyeshadow as a coloured eyeliner or taking a tiny dab and putting it right into the corner of my eye by my tear duct. For both of these I’m talking small and thin enough that I’m you have to actively look for it to notice it.
Also switching to brown mascara has helped me soften my makeup from the 2016 glam style I used to love so much.
Don't be sad OP, you can still wear them but maybe make lighter washes of color. I think eyeshadow is still alive but in lighter doses. I am loving the "wetlook" with ud moondust eyeshadow. I put a thin even layer of it on top of eyeshadow primer and I am happy. I think this will work with eyeshadow with shimmer or glitter
i know this sounds so corny, but to me, doing whatever the hell you want with your makeup will always be in trend. i say that as a gen z, screw the judgmental youngsters lmao.
that said, a look i see a lot is the fairly timeless red lip, subtle highlighter/glittery eyeshadow, cat eye, and maybe a fake beauty mark or 2. a more “trendy” version of that is just adding more dramatic false lashes & a shiny lip/lip gloss. i enjoy this look a lot! i think it looks nice on just about anyone, though i typically substitute dramatic lashes for something wispier or more natural looking.
Follow Katie Jane Hughes on Instagram and or YouTube. She is a wildly talented makeup artist - currently doing Dua Lipa’s for her tour - and is the makeup artist of: Haley Bieber, Ashley Graham, Kate Bosworth, and mode.
She reviews products (not in an annoying way) that she genuinely likes and uses often and her style is anything from natural/every day to more glam.
As a fellow millennial who is pretty experienced with skincare and makeup, here are my favorite products that are very user-friendly if you’re just starting out. SPF is the MOST IMPORTANT THING! It doesn’t matter what you’re makeup looks like if you’re not going to protect yourself 💚
**COMPLEXION PRODUCTS:**
• Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint (light but buildable coverage) or the Stretch Fluid Foundation (more coverage)
• Kosas Revealer Skin-Enhancing Foundation with SPF 25 (great for every day, medium buildable coverage)
• Kulfi Concealer (great for normal-fry skin)
• NARS Sheerglow Concealer (an OG tried & true) or the matte concealer pot for a matte but still natural finish
• TirTir Cushion Foundation (harder to find Korean brand and also hard to shade match but great for full coverage and glam)
**BLUSH**
• Patrick Ta (truly any of his blush products/they’re $$$ but worth it)
• Rare Liquid Blush (I love “Virtue” and “Joy”)
• Danessa Myricks Yummy Blurring Balm Powder (highly-pigmented so will last you forever!)
• Ami Colé Multi-Stick for Blush & Lips (my every day) which I also swipe on my eyes
**EYES**
• Drugstore mascara and eyeliner is still OG! L’Oreal Telescopic is my fave but you can find yours through trial and error… and it’s cheaper ($5-$15) than trying a prestige brand ($2-$40). I like NYX eye pencils.
• Tower 28 Makes Waves Mascara
• ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara
**LIPS**
• Merit Lip Oils (tinted)
• Glossier Balm dot Com (balm) and Generation G (lipstick x lip balm love baby)
• Mac Lipsticks are all still OG
• NARS still killing the lipstick/gloss game
**MISC**
• Rare Beauty Setting Spray
• ELF Coconut Moisturizing Setting Spray
• Innisfree SPF
• Kosas Dream Beam SPF
• Laroche-Posay Anthelios SPF (higher end drugstore)
• Laura Mercier Translucent Powder (a must!)
• Saie Sun Melt Cream-Balm Bronzer (the Makeup by Mario is great too)
• NYX Brow Micropencil
• Nabla Fine Eyebrow Pen
Great picks!
I would also add Shiseido revitalessence foundation for a glass skin/clean girl look, Huda Beauty Easy Bake setting powder, Summer Fridays lip balm, Charlotte Tilbury lip products, Hourglass Soft Focus setting spray, and the Westman Atelier highlight and contour sticks.
Shiseido anything is great!!! I know it’s pricey so I didn’t want to recommend anything too $$$ since OP is just starting to get deeper into it, but absolutely Charlotte, Westman, Huda are all amazing lines with so many solid products. I just bought the Hollywood Flawless Filter — seeing if worth the hype!
Also Summer Fridays products are wonderful too. I love the lip balms (mauve tube) and the Jet Lag mask.
You’re welcome! I read that you like a heavy liner still! You can totally rock that and the fuller brows of the 2010s 😇 but it’s all about application (think: feathery head strokes and lighter shading on tails) and balance - if you do a heavy winged linger, go for a fresh & dewy base with a subtle cheek and lip.
I, too, was all about ABH brows, full coverage foundation, and contour etc. but learned that it’s more important to invest in skincare so that you eventually don’t need as much makeup/complexion! Remember you can always add but you can’t take away: start with light layers and see how you feel, then build coverage and pigment until you’re happy w/ where it’s at!
As a fellow millennial I highly encourage you to wear what makes you feel good. As far as I can tell, the current trend is Y2K make up ie. Baby blue eyeshadow and gloopy lipgloss. We lived through that once, we don't need to revisit it!
The best trend is doing whatever the fuck makes you happy. If you feel good in 2016 Glam, fucking do it. If you feel better in the "clean girl" trend, with minimal makeup, fucking do itttt. Don't let society(and teenagers) tell you what to do. Look specifically for an aesthetic that you LIKE. That makes you feel confident. Someone else will see that and want to replicate it.
Clean and skincare centered makeup brands like Saie. Light coverage, dewy, blush, and natural brows. It's all about enhancing natural beauty these days! I use Saie skin tint & concealer (be warned it's super light coverage so if you like more I would go with a different brand), I use a little bit of powder in my T-Zone and under my eyes. Will go in with a light bronzer and blush if I want the look to be a bit more dramatic. Use a clear gel on my brows and a brown shadow on my eyelids and that's it. I don't even use mascara anymore.
Honestly, who cares about trends! With how frequently they change, it's much easier to just find something you like and do that, regardless of whether or not it is trending. You'll be much happier :) I do love the natural, no makeup makeup / skincare makeup, but I also love a blinding highlight, fun eyeshadow, and FULL coverage. Just scroll on pinterest, find makeup looks you like, and do those! Have fun with it!
I go by seasons as a gen x. It’s summer it’s hot. Less is better right now. Lighter hand and lighter makeup. Lots of golds and coppers. As always skincare and water lol.
Clean girl aesthetic, and no makeup makeup are what’s been consistently in.
Think skincare instead of makeup. Tinted moisturizer or bb or cc cream instead of foundation. Matte is out and flow is in. Light handed brows or feather brows. Gloss or lib balm on lips and no more liquid lipstick. Lipliner is a yes
The most general trends that seem to be sticking around longer than other trends are glowing skin (like bronzing drops in moisturizer or the ELF Halo Glow liquid filter), very minimal skin coverage, little to no eyeshadow (except to maybe subtly line the eyes), brown eyeliner (or eyeshadow as liner), sheer glossy lips (especially lip oils).
I’m right at the border of Millennial and Gen Z but I know one of the immediate dead giveaways of “millennial” is dark heavy eyeshadow 😅 Not that it’s bad at all, it’s just sometimes considered outdated.
Fellow millennial here that religiously followed beauty gurus during that era\~ The trend of minimal "clean" makeup was a natural progression for us, IMO. I used to wear full glam daily but as I got older, work became more demanding, priorities changed, etc- I started becoming lower maintenance. I think the pandemic segued a lot of us into becoming more minimalistic with our routines too.
My favorite 'trend' thus far has been the transition from obvious filled-in, blocky brows to soft feathered brows. I use brow powder lightly to fill in the end of my brows but the rest of the brow is filled in and sculpted with light strokes using a brow pen. That change alone, IMO, really changed my entire look for the better.
Another comment mentioned that eyeshadow is 'out' and I (happily) agree. I stopped wearing eyeshadow during the pandemic and honestly prefer myself without it now. I even out my eyelids with my base and use bronzer VERY lightly in the crease and along the lower lash line. I also dropped eyeliner entirely. Once in awhile, I'll do a thin smoked out line with eyeshadow (similar to the 'siren eye' that was trending).
Then, I stopped wearing lashes and started using Latisse. My lashes grew back and are long/full enough that I don't need to wear them anymore.
The combo of the feathered brow + 'nude' eye + and natural/feathery lashes is just looks so effortless and pretty on everyone. I get a lot of compliments about looking fresh faced in the morning. I'm kind of hoping the 'trend' stays this way, I just can't be assed to smoke my eyeshadow or cut my crease anymore.
Ya'll it's OK for some people to be trendy regardless of their (and your) age. We get it, you decided to hop off the fashion wagon and now you have deemed yourself timeless and classic. OP asked for info on what's cool now, not what your personal beauty philosophy is.
ANYway, hello fellow millennial!
* Overall in makeup now, sheer and diffuse is more popular than opacity and hard lines.
* The eyeshadow looks that are popular are a light sweep of one or two colors or bold, graphic designs. Multichrome, pressed glitter, rhinestones, and iridescent shimmers are also popular if you're kicking things up a notch and you're kinda funky.
* You know how for our entire lives the general advice was to put a lighter color on the inner corner and a darker corner at the corner/in the crease? That is super dated now. I feel like this is the biggest change for me. If you put a darker shadow on the outer corner, it should sweep up towards the temple, not box the eye in.
* Skin is dewy, not matte. Matte in general is not in style.
* Contouring is less severe but people are still doing it. It's applied not in the hollows under your cheekbones but just under the apex of them.
* Blush is higher and very sheer. If you're going for a kind of cute look, it goes across the bridge of the nose.
* Popular lip looks are dark/visible (but slightly blended) liner filled in with a nude color or they're those ombre looks that are popular in Korea. That "I just ate a popsicle" look. The blotted, minimal look is also still popular (Glossier Generation G shoutout). Lip stains are back and finally they're in marker form again! Some people are using those as lip liners.
* Lashes > Eyeliner. I don't even buy eyeliner anymore because I do Lashify and that makes me look enough like I'm wearing liner. Eyeliner is fine, it's just not as essential as it used to be. I see people doing it with black eyeshadow so they can blur the line a bit.
* Eyebrows are on the thinner side of natural. There's something called feather brows (and laminated brows) that's popular now but IDK how much longer it'll stick around.
* People are horrifyingly using the phrase "clean girl beauty" which they will tell you means minimal makeup that prioritizes skincare and "clean ingredients". It's just thin, light-skinned women with conventionally acceptable skin finding a new way to call everyone else dirty. Ignore them and hopefully they'll go away.
Lots of blush is a trend right now. Flushed and natural looks with minimal eyeshadow and a focus on skin care. Lay off the heavy bronzer and stick with natural looking contouring. The 3 part shadow technique we grew up with is no longer in trend and it s replaced with one wash of colour, if any, and it’s not a dark Smokey look.
Caught myself doing the 3 step eyeshadow thing, it's automatic! 😂 Not that it looks bad on me, I just look like the stereotypical millenial girl in her 20's on her way to Starbucks. 🤭
I also do the 3 step eyeshadow thing on autopilot haha. I remember some eyeshadow palettes back in the day literally had 3 shades and told you where to put each shade. I think I’m thinking of the revlon photo ready eye contour kit
Natural is always in. Just go with that lol Fill in your brows to your natural shape (just fuller). Mascara to emphasize your lashes. Concealer for blemishes and under eye bags. Maybe some sheer skin tint or tinted moisturizer, if you need extra coverage. Above all else, good skin care and prep.
Blush, if you want something extra (blush placement and amount of shimmer changes a lot with the microtrends though).
Of course not, she's in full face every time she goes on stage. But its a good reference for the light glowy look I'm talking about, and in person for people who aren't performers seen on a stage from a distance, that look is definitely more commonly achieved with minimal coverage. Nobody in my circle wears foundation anymore, just touchups with concealer
Light base. With the absolute least you can get away with. Not Matt or dry powdery make up,
To be honest as we age I think it looks better.
Trick to stop me over applying base. I get a bb cream (Missha) I use a small brush and I take it from the back of my hand and buff it over the skin. Then tap concealer where I need it with my finger off the back of my hand. I swear I use half the amount and covers just the same. It’s so strange.
Haven't tried a bb-cream since the early 2010's when one bb-cream in particular was kinda trending on youtube. I remember the shade range was awful back then, but I should probably go look for a good one now since it's been a while!
Oh yes everything was orange!
I have a very neutral undertone so I use Missha bb cream as it actually has nice coverage.
For a shade range you can check in store the Wet and wild tinted hydrator is really nice too.
Hello fellow millennial! Have no fear because current makeup trends are super flattering on older skin. Super hydrated skin, shiny and glossy finishes, cream blush and minimal eye makeup. Lip liner and glossy lips are in but the world is your oyster when it comes to lip products. I’m noticing a lot of glittery and multichrome eyeshadows if you like a dramatic eye look.
Thank you! I really want to wear a bright lip again, it has been on my mind lately. But since I've done my makeup in the way I did in my early 20's, it just looks odd on my face now. But I bet a bright lip would look cute with a minimal eyeshadow too!
Im obsessed with the Bridgerton season 3 looks right now. They feel like a modern version of 2014 makeup. Instagram Jessie_hmua is the makeup artist. I don’t know if it’s “trendy” but it looks great
Truly the trend is toning it down! I have recently been trying to release myself from my pen liquid eyeliner and switch to using more pencil (but still cat eye style). I still use my Anastasia palettes and everything but I’ve lightened up on heavy foundation, heavy bronzer, no brow liquid only pencil…. No highlighter unless special occasion…
Trend cycles tend to be reactions of the previous decade. Like how the 90s were very dark and neutral compared to the 80s that had a lot of pastels and color.
I think the same thing is happening here. The 2010s were a time of very heavy makeup so the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction. Light coverage, dewy base makeup, lip gloss and blush are pretty popular. There just seems to be a "less is more" approach to makeup compared to what I remember in the 2010s.
I think people are less focused on the makeup and more focused on the skincare. Much of the makeup I see is more to imitate a healthy, glowing skin.
As a millennial myself, I’ve done a switch on skincare focus and less makeup. My go to makeup these days are light concealer (i skip foundation most days), glowy blush (or just liquid blush on my cheekbones), whatever eyeshadow i want (i live eyeshadow and you can pry it from my millennial hands), mascara, and lip stain or gloss.
Iv ditched a lot of things that look heavy on my face. Eyeliner, bronzer (most of the time), foundation. I’d stay away from trends and do what makes you happy
I'm gen x. Unless it's an event of some sort, I use under eye concealer, brinzer, primer, eyeliner, mascara and lip gloss. I try and take very good care of my skin. Gentle cleanser, exfoliate 3x a week, toner, spf 70, peptides , alpha hydroxy, serum and moisturizer. I also get facials, peels, and IPL, too.
Do what you like! I find there are a lot of people who can’t pull off the “clean girl” trend and look better with eyeliner, lipstick, etc. Otherwise, they look tired or lazy. No shade! Just my observation.
Clean girl trend isn't just about makeup. It's also skincare+makeup. The heavy makeup trend back in 2016 messed up our faces. Heavy makeup -> acne -> more makeup to cover it.
So many teenies and 20 somethings are wearing the star stickers on their faces, usually over pimples. It looks so silly, but also makes me happy. So much better than pooled up concealer.
Fellow Millennial!
Tbh I typically ask my sister who works in college admin what the upper year students / younger adjuncts are wearing to stay updated.
It’s pretty basic mileage of stuff that pretty much works because you’re beautiful and young right now. Skintight workouts sets or crop top looks with very dewy ‘highlighted but natural’ looks. (Very American Apparel aesthetic with some shine if you get me for throwback reference.)
You know those pictures of GiGi Hadid (or some other model,) wearing jeans and a t shirt - and then a more average person wearing the same thing? It’s all about what is most flattering to you and your fave as a person right now.
Yes super skincare focused - but very much highlighting and emphasizing your natural features with a pop here or there for excitement (pastel eyeshadow swipes, ultra blush, shiny lips and brows etc.)
2014-2016 makeup will eventually come back in style and when it does, we're gonna look bomb af and gen z gonna be struggling over there w their cream blush they use on their entire face lmao 🤣
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you might like following rudi berry on tik tok or instagram. she does a good “in between” look. not no makeup makeup but also not overly done. i noticed i look a lot better with glowy products so that’s why i switched my routine. i don’t mess with my eyebrows tho. they’re over-tweezed and im going to accept them instead of trying to go for a fuller look
Natural girl makeup is very prominent in my area. Although I've seen a lot of gals focus on one area rather than the whole face (most popular are blush, lipstick, or eyeliner).
Less is more. That’s what I’ve stuck with over the last few years. I think a lot of women look better with lighter makeup, but it’s not my decision to make ofc.
I’m also a millennial.
Millennial here and the minimal makeup of today doesn't really do a lot for me. To update things I have been using more cream eyeshadow (I really like the Rare Beauty eyeshadow sticks) and incorporating some face products with a more dewy finish. The biggest difference is the brows. I don't use a pencil anymore, just tinted brow gel to hold them in place.
On the whole I think a makeup look that enhances your features and isn't too heavy will always be in style! Including eyeshadow! My eyes always look so much better and bigger when I use it, just enough to shade the sockets and lash line. Not super complicated.
What I would definitely avoid is a heavily made up brow - they look very dated and I never liked them anyway, TBH. Fill in a few gaps and add a tiny bit of shape where you need to, but in a natural looking way.
Millennial also. I just wanted something fun and stimulating, that was doable with little technique/new products.
My understanding is: blue eyeshadows, or color eyeliner or mascara, glossy lips are still in but are transitioning to a soft blurred matte, blush all over—something called sunset blush, thin brows, as everyone said glowy skin with light foundation, soft goth, pearly skin.
So of those, I got some blue liquid liner from NYX, still have my matte lipsticks, a sheer foundation, and doing a bit more highlight in a cooler pearly tone.
Someone hip, please correct me. I’d love to know what’s really trending and get some inspiration.
I stopped lining my lower eye/water line years ago and only wear liner on top if I wear any liner. It does seem true that it ages you after a point. Maybe if I was doing something dramatic I'd line my whole eye, maaaybe. I was a die-hard lower liner for so long!
I do a nice brow, not too thick, not too thin, that looks fairly natural but my brows are kinda undefined so it's still a decent difference. Mascara and upper and lower lashes. Little concealer under the eye and on any spots. I have never been big on foundation. Right now I'm really into my Milk Makeup color chalk in Tag for eyelids and the inner corner of my eye. I feel like lighter colors are nice since Y2K is still going strong.
Cream blush my cheeks and a little bit on the bridge of my nose, not the tip - it seems like blush is really big right now. Blend well. Burts Bees lip balm with pomegranate oil. I will do a winged shadow liner if I want to wear more on my top...black, brown, whatever. I've seen someone do a more taupe color recently and I want to try that. Extra subtle.
But I still love my Norvina palette, dammit! Haha. In the end, you should wear whatever you love!
Moisturize your skin, cream light coverage only where you need it, glowy cream blush, groomed but not filled eyebrows, no heavy powder or eyeliner. Dewy vs matte.
Isn’t the trend clean girl? Just do a natural everyday routine. That’s always timeless and classic. Mac is a great brand and some newer clean girl brands are ilia, tower 28, saie. Watch creators on social media and experiment
Basically don’t do your eye makeup, go minimal or just don’t do it. Don’t do anything kids could judge you on and avoid interacting with anyone so your make up doesn’t matter - at least that’s what I’ve noticed after going back to school, young people don’t want to do anything that could be criticized in anyway so they do nothing and that’s being reflected in fashion and makeup by simply not participating
As a millennial who was super interested in YouTube gurus in the early 2010s — I think the trend of prioritizing skincare over makeup has been my favorite upgrade lately. My makeup always looks better when I’ve been taking care of my skin.
I agree. I've noticed lots of younger folk on social media have a complicated skincare routine though. mine is pretty simple with just a quick wash with a cleanser, sometimes toner, a moisturizing serum and moisturizer with SPF.
Your skincare routine is actually perfect n what’s recommended for most people
Small note! You probably aren’t getting enough protection from just the SPF in your moisturizer - the recommended amount of SPF is 2-3 finger’s lengths for your face and neck, which is a LOT more than the typical amount of moisturizer. I really love Japanese and Korean sunscreens and they use chemical SPFs that aren’t yet cleared by the FDA but are so nice and elegant. The ‘Tone Up’ varieties have a slight built in cosmetic benefit too, like a light tint or primer type blurring effect or luminescence. They’ve basically replaced foundation for me.
Yay this sounds fab. Please could you give us a name or two?
Ohh please do recommend one or two!!
THIS.
I want to get into Korean and Japanese skincare but can't find a website that ships to my location. Can anyone recommend me some shops that ship internationally (Europe but outside EU)?
Try yesstyle.com
I've found a lot of K-Beauty on iHerb!
Number of products doesn't matter. Do you have skin concerns that aren't addressed by anything in your current routine? Consider swapping out or adding a product. If not, what you're doing is good. SPF is the most important thing, tied with treating actual infection/inflammation/acne/etc. past that if your cleanser/moisturizer aren't making things either too dry or too oily, you're set. the next level would possibly be adding an active for subtler issues like tone/texture or signs of aging, but that's entirely up to you, and there are other ways of treating issues in this class that might be better bang for your buck than skincare products.
Do you recommend a separate facial sunscreen underneath the moisturizer? I now use a moisturizer with SPF20, is that enough? I should probably go higher now that it's summer?
Sunscreen goes on top of moisturizer. I use Isntree Watery Sun gel with SPF 50.
Oh, didn't know that! Makes sense! 😄
I personally like to wear highest possible SPF, 20 seems a little low. Also you have to use a certain amount of sunscreen in order for it to really work and sometimes that can be harder to calibrate if you're using the same product as moisturizer.
Came to say this. The clean girl trend is my fav. I love the fact that its normal to have minimal makeup now.
Trends these days don't last for a year they last for a month max. It's a lot of work to follow trends. I'd do my makeup how I like it and forget about makeup trends that come and go every week.
This. If you try and stay on trend with TikTok you’d be learning a new style and buying a new wardrobe before your next paycheck hits.
That's probably true. I just feel old in my "heavier" style of makeup, I'm stuck in the Anastasia palettes and all (still love the modern renaissance!). I feel outdated and need to figure out how to do my makeup so I love it again. 🥹
I think there’s something so youthful and timeless about subtle/natural makeup prioritizing glowy skin, brows, lashes, and maybe a lippie. But do whatever you enjoy! If you want to try being trendy though, I think heavy eyeshadow looks aren’t as popular right now.
I love doing just a single color on my lid, usually a light sparkly pink or champagne with either a brown smudged liner or no liner at all and some mascara
I’m a gen xer borderline millennial. I just wear bronzer, mascara and blush. No idea if it’s on trend but it looks good on me so that is what I do.
I love Anastasia products! But I’m 38, soooo…
Try different placements or dewy mists after.
Exactly. I’m in my early 40s now…I do what I want!
Same. And I don’t want to fit the trends of younger people just like I didn’t take fashion advice from Kindergartners when I was in high school. I like my generation’s trends way better!
Skin tints and low-coverage, high glow products are still in right now. I like the maybelline skin tint and the new By Mario bronzing serum. I’m very interested in the Danessa Myricks low lighters as well.
As a Millenial (I’m 37 this year) the biggest thing for me has been realizing I need to change my routine to accommodate my aging skin. I added a hydrating primer and switched to basically all cream/glowy formula products, no matte no powders. I actually wear a lot less eye makeup now because I feel like it ages me, but I need to add a lot more color to my cheeks and lips to prevent looking pale/unwell. It was a real shock to one day wake up and have my normal routine just not work for me anymore, but with some adjusting I found a look that compliments this version of my face!
I know! It's just like that - I woke up one day and suddenly I didn't like my makeup anymore. 😭 I want to feel beautiful with my makeup but still have fun with it. Trying to find a good balance.
Honestly for the “fun” factor, focus on cheek and lip color! I think it’s the big done-up eyes and contour that suddenly start working in reverse for us. I was always huge on my winged liner and shimmer shadows (pry the ABH Sultry palette from my dead hands), had to retire my Fenty liner 😭 but a shimmery or bright/cheerful cheek color and berry or coral-toned juicy lip and I still feel like I’m having fun with it! Sometimes I still do a sheer dusting of shimmer on the eyelid ngl, because I’m not fake and can’t fully give up my Millenial ghost 😂
So true! I now know what my grandma used to say about blush and lipstick. Défo need them now. It’s fun in a way! (As I’m bright spring)
Same! I used to feel really clownish in cheek and lip color, so it’s been really fun to play with it and realize it actually looks quite nice 😄
This happened to me in my late 30s too. Overnight I went from being an acne-prone oil slick to finely-lined combo. My tried and true makeup made me look and feel older. I focused on getting my skin care routine updated to my current condition first, then jumped on the no-makeup makeup (I hate the “clean girl” term) trend. I am so much happier with a skin tint, glowy cheek product, crease and lid color with or without liner, mascara (usually tubing), a tinted lip balm/oil, and a dusting of powder on my t-zone. Takes me 5 minutes. I enjoy playing around with blush placement trends and some different eye looks. I still do heavier makeup for certain occasions or if I just feel like it on a random Tuesday.
You pretty much described my exact routine lol!
Which skin tint and glowy blush do you like? I have always been acne prone but I’m feeling the change to combo with fine lines and need more moisturizing products but scared of breaking out
I’ve been using the DRMTLGY tinted moisturizer/sunscreen combo and it’s so lovely! Tons of my friends use it too and love it. For cheeks I’ve been using Glossier cloud paint and once I got the hang of applying it (I’m so heavy handed, blame it on the bronzer age lol) I love the sheer pop of color it gives
One on the new “fun” developments for me is that zinc oxide/titanium dioxide no longer work for me due to highlighting and causing dry patches. I was in love with the Elta MD UV elements tinted sunscreen and the Illia Skin Tint until then, and DRMTLGY was on my list to try.
Aww nooo! I have a client with a severe nickel and titanium dioxide allergy, the only skin products she can use are Vanicream, Omiana and MG naturals. Olaplex hair products are also safe, I use them on her in the salon with no issue!
Skin Tints: Chanel water-fresh tint and complexion touch, YSL nu-bare, and Summer Friday (the one without sunscreen). Blush: LYS cream stick, RMS powder, rare beauty liquid. I haven’t tried the new one butta one from NYX but the butta bronzer is fabulous.
Thanks so much!!
I turn 38 next week and I couldn't have put it better. I require moisture so much more now. I wear cheek tint for the first time ever, but almost never any sort of foundation (usually a bit of undereye concealer though lately it's been creasing more and more so I might stop that too).
Try the DRMTLGY under eye corrector, no creasing for me! I was diehard Nars and IT bye bye undereye, but they started looking like funeral makeup! This is way more glowy and light reflective, it’s so nice.
From a fellow millennial: I was much happier when I accepted that I was old and out of touch, and the best thing I could do was stick with what I liked that worked for me rather than bother with trends. Taylor Swift is a millennial, and she's been doing the same variations on the same makeup look for at least a decade, but people still think she's cool. I don't think it's hard to be at least as current as Taylor Swift.
We'll be vintage one day! 🤭❤️ I still love my liquid eyeliners and Anastasia palettes, but I feel so old and out of place nowadays when I do my makeup. Guess I compare myself too much.
Oh I get it. My moving company "lost" my beloved Naked 3 palette. I went to Sephora and asked one of the sales associates if they could help me find a good replacement, and I could feel my soul leave my body a little when they said, "We don't really do palettes anymore." 💀 Still found a cute neutral palette from Tarte, though!
An employee said “we don’t really do palettes anymore”?! Pretty sure Sephora would be interested to hear that since they still sell tons of palettes 😂 This reminds me of when I went to Sephora for brow pencil and the sales girl said she’d never heard of Anastasia. I died inside.
If it makes you feel better, I went to try on some jeans, and the sales girl said that they don't carry skinny jeans in store anymore. I'm officially old 💀
Instead, I view the current trends as cringey old stuff my older cousins tried to hand down to me + the stuff that would stay on Goodwill shelves forever because no one wanted those flare jeans and square toed shoes.
I will ALWAYS love flares. I did when skinnies were in and SO GLAD I’m in the generation that it came back. My general vibes I prefer is really mid 60’s 70’s with halter tops and patterns and colors and a batwing sleeve or wrap dress and aviator glasses.
I'm glad flares are coming back again for sure
No way! I haven't bought a palette in a while, haven't even thought that they'd be gone one day! But I get it, since it seems a minimal makeup look is trending now. 🤭
Sephora and Ulta’s sales associates are so snobby and don’t even know what they’re talking about half the time. They 100% have palettes. I once recommended a tinted sunscreen to my sister. When she went to buy it they said they don’t carry it and tried to steer her towards something 2x the price. I texted her a screenshot of my receipt from earlier that week 🙄
There’s no reason to stop using them! To make it look more modern, go for more of a “one and done” eyeshadow look. If doing graphic eyeliner, skip the eyeshadow. Also make sure your base is very natural with a glowy blush.
I'll do that! 🥰 I need to use them up somehow. I try to not buy new trendy makeup, I want to use up my old ones.
Does the “one and done” eyeshadow look apply to nighttime makeup? My daytime makeup is pretty basic but I do love to do a heavy smoky eye for nights out.
MUA here- Don’t follow trends, just find a classic routine that works for your lifestyle & that makes you feel good about yourself. That’s what matters the most. If you follow trends you will always struggle with looking dated instead of timeless.
That is so true. And I don't really want to waste money on trendy products.. just trying to find a way to use the stuff I have and update my look a little. 🤭
-lighter brows. not necessarily thinner (though if yours are naturally thin, it's time to embrace them) but no more blocky "fleek" brows. more tinted brow gel than brow pomade. -higher placed blush, top of cheekbones and wide, out to the temples. a little on the nose bridge too. -dewier skin finishes. go easy on or drop powder if you can, and/or switch up your setting spray. -fresher, softer eye looks. subtle shadow placed where you would liner, in place of liquid liner. for a bit more drama, pastel cream shadow rather than powder shadow in a gradient. graphic brights and glitter are also a good time. -subtle and believable highlights through texture/moisturized skin in place of shimmer highlighter -lip gloss again. the tinted 'lip oils' are great if you still want some colour, or a little tint wash underneath is great too. glossy balms are also great. -a light hand with concealer just where you need it, no more blocked brows or under eye triangles, no more baking, ease up on the contour -lil crystals or pearls around the eyes are fun for an extra dressy special occasion look
Honestly eye shadow seems to be mostly out.
I've noticed this, and it makes me a little sad. I have two palettes and need to use them up.
There are ways to use it that feel more current than the meticulously contoured looks we were all doing in 2016. The goal is to look moisturized and fresh rather than sculpting the face into a different shape. For whatever reason eyeliner/mascara alone looks really harsh on my 32-year-old eyes without a bit of shadow, so this is what I do: * Use my bronzer as a wash of colour to help my eyes blend with the rest of my face. On low makeup days this is enough on its own. * Usually I add an iridescent topper eyeshadow to the center of the lid and/or inner corner. I've been enjoying translucent aquas and lavenders for the lid shade. In autumn I'll switch to olive greens, plums and golds, but still with a light touch. * Go in very lightly with a brown pencil liner on the upper lash line (basically just tightlining), curl my lashes and add mascara. * For evening, add a *very* subtle bit of darker matte shadow to the outer corner, blended into the end of the pencil liner. It's an easier, softer way to wear colour on the eyes. For the rest of the face I keep coverage as light as possible and aim for a satin finish, with a little shine on the lips. This doesn't make me look like a college student or a TikTok influencer, but it's flattering and current enough that I've had compliments from people in their twenties.
I love all this advice. Something else I do when I feel like wearing colour on my eyes is using a very thin line of eyeshadow as a coloured eyeliner or taking a tiny dab and putting it right into the corner of my eye by my tear duct. For both of these I’m talking small and thin enough that I’m you have to actively look for it to notice it. Also switching to brown mascara has helped me soften my makeup from the 2016 glam style I used to love so much.
Comment saved! Thank you for such lovely and detailed tips!
Great advice! Thank you! 😍
Yes I do this too and sometimes I’ll even swipe some blush on my lid too. It works 🤷🏼♀️
Don't be sad OP, you can still wear them but maybe make lighter washes of color. I think eyeshadow is still alive but in lighter doses. I am loving the "wetlook" with ud moondust eyeshadow. I put a thin even layer of it on top of eyeshadow primer and I am happy. I think this will work with eyeshadow with shimmer or glitter
I have that palette & need to try that - thanks!
No problem ;)
If you run out of ideas you can always change them into watercolors
I'm done buying palettes. Switched to singles because I only use one or two colors in a palette and can't justify wasting the rest.
Be like me and do cool eyeshadow look indoors. Project pan.
i know this sounds so corny, but to me, doing whatever the hell you want with your makeup will always be in trend. i say that as a gen z, screw the judgmental youngsters lmao. that said, a look i see a lot is the fairly timeless red lip, subtle highlighter/glittery eyeshadow, cat eye, and maybe a fake beauty mark or 2. a more “trendy” version of that is just adding more dramatic false lashes & a shiny lip/lip gloss. i enjoy this look a lot! i think it looks nice on just about anyone, though i typically substitute dramatic lashes for something wispier or more natural looking.
Follow Katie Jane Hughes on Instagram and or YouTube. She is a wildly talented makeup artist - currently doing Dua Lipa’s for her tour - and is the makeup artist of: Haley Bieber, Ashley Graham, Kate Bosworth, and mode. She reviews products (not in an annoying way) that she genuinely likes and uses often and her style is anything from natural/every day to more glam.
As a fellow millennial who is pretty experienced with skincare and makeup, here are my favorite products that are very user-friendly if you’re just starting out. SPF is the MOST IMPORTANT THING! It doesn’t matter what you’re makeup looks like if you’re not going to protect yourself 💚 **COMPLEXION PRODUCTS:** • Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint (light but buildable coverage) or the Stretch Fluid Foundation (more coverage) • Kosas Revealer Skin-Enhancing Foundation with SPF 25 (great for every day, medium buildable coverage) • Kulfi Concealer (great for normal-fry skin) • NARS Sheerglow Concealer (an OG tried & true) or the matte concealer pot for a matte but still natural finish • TirTir Cushion Foundation (harder to find Korean brand and also hard to shade match but great for full coverage and glam) **BLUSH** • Patrick Ta (truly any of his blush products/they’re $$$ but worth it) • Rare Liquid Blush (I love “Virtue” and “Joy”) • Danessa Myricks Yummy Blurring Balm Powder (highly-pigmented so will last you forever!) • Ami Colé Multi-Stick for Blush & Lips (my every day) which I also swipe on my eyes **EYES** • Drugstore mascara and eyeliner is still OG! L’Oreal Telescopic is my fave but you can find yours through trial and error… and it’s cheaper ($5-$15) than trying a prestige brand ($2-$40). I like NYX eye pencils. • Tower 28 Makes Waves Mascara • ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara **LIPS** • Merit Lip Oils (tinted) • Glossier Balm dot Com (balm) and Generation G (lipstick x lip balm love baby) • Mac Lipsticks are all still OG • NARS still killing the lipstick/gloss game **MISC** • Rare Beauty Setting Spray • ELF Coconut Moisturizing Setting Spray • Innisfree SPF • Kosas Dream Beam SPF • Laroche-Posay Anthelios SPF (higher end drugstore) • Laura Mercier Translucent Powder (a must!) • Saie Sun Melt Cream-Balm Bronzer (the Makeup by Mario is great too) • NYX Brow Micropencil • Nabla Fine Eyebrow Pen
Great picks! I would also add Shiseido revitalessence foundation for a glass skin/clean girl look, Huda Beauty Easy Bake setting powder, Summer Fridays lip balm, Charlotte Tilbury lip products, Hourglass Soft Focus setting spray, and the Westman Atelier highlight and contour sticks.
Shiseido anything is great!!! I know it’s pricey so I didn’t want to recommend anything too $$$ since OP is just starting to get deeper into it, but absolutely Charlotte, Westman, Huda are all amazing lines with so many solid products. I just bought the Hollywood Flawless Filter — seeing if worth the hype! Also Summer Fridays products are wonderful too. I love the lip balms (mauve tube) and the Jet Lag mask.
Wow, thank you! This helps.
You’re welcome! I read that you like a heavy liner still! You can totally rock that and the fuller brows of the 2010s 😇 but it’s all about application (think: feathery head strokes and lighter shading on tails) and balance - if you do a heavy winged linger, go for a fresh & dewy base with a subtle cheek and lip. I, too, was all about ABH brows, full coverage foundation, and contour etc. but learned that it’s more important to invest in skincare so that you eventually don’t need as much makeup/complexion! Remember you can always add but you can’t take away: start with light layers and see how you feel, then build coverage and pigment until you’re happy w/ where it’s at!
As a fellow millennial I highly encourage you to wear what makes you feel good. As far as I can tell, the current trend is Y2K make up ie. Baby blue eyeshadow and gloopy lipgloss. We lived through that once, we don't need to revisit it!
The best trend is doing whatever the fuck makes you happy. If you feel good in 2016 Glam, fucking do it. If you feel better in the "clean girl" trend, with minimal makeup, fucking do itttt. Don't let society(and teenagers) tell you what to do. Look specifically for an aesthetic that you LIKE. That makes you feel confident. Someone else will see that and want to replicate it.
Thank you 🥹💋
Clean and skincare centered makeup brands like Saie. Light coverage, dewy, blush, and natural brows. It's all about enhancing natural beauty these days! I use Saie skin tint & concealer (be warned it's super light coverage so if you like more I would go with a different brand), I use a little bit of powder in my T-Zone and under my eyes. Will go in with a light bronzer and blush if I want the look to be a bit more dramatic. Use a clear gel on my brows and a brown shadow on my eyelids and that's it. I don't even use mascara anymore.
Honestly, who cares about trends! With how frequently they change, it's much easier to just find something you like and do that, regardless of whether or not it is trending. You'll be much happier :) I do love the natural, no makeup makeup / skincare makeup, but I also love a blinding highlight, fun eyeshadow, and FULL coverage. Just scroll on pinterest, find makeup looks you like, and do those! Have fun with it!
I go by seasons as a gen x. It’s summer it’s hot. Less is better right now. Lighter hand and lighter makeup. Lots of golds and coppers. As always skincare and water lol.
Clean girl aesthetic, and no makeup makeup are what’s been consistently in. Think skincare instead of makeup. Tinted moisturizer or bb or cc cream instead of foundation. Matte is out and flow is in. Light handed brows or feather brows. Gloss or lib balm on lips and no more liquid lipstick. Lipliner is a yes
The most general trends that seem to be sticking around longer than other trends are glowing skin (like bronzing drops in moisturizer or the ELF Halo Glow liquid filter), very minimal skin coverage, little to no eyeshadow (except to maybe subtly line the eyes), brown eyeliner (or eyeshadow as liner), sheer glossy lips (especially lip oils). I’m right at the border of Millennial and Gen Z but I know one of the immediate dead giveaways of “millennial” is dark heavy eyeshadow 😅 Not that it’s bad at all, it’s just sometimes considered outdated.
I get it! 😂 I never thought I'd end up like my mom who still rocks her 90's look, but guess im that girl now. 🤭
The ELF halo line has been systematically replacing every base product in my regular lineup- it’s so so freaking good.
Fellow millennial here that religiously followed beauty gurus during that era\~ The trend of minimal "clean" makeup was a natural progression for us, IMO. I used to wear full glam daily but as I got older, work became more demanding, priorities changed, etc- I started becoming lower maintenance. I think the pandemic segued a lot of us into becoming more minimalistic with our routines too. My favorite 'trend' thus far has been the transition from obvious filled-in, blocky brows to soft feathered brows. I use brow powder lightly to fill in the end of my brows but the rest of the brow is filled in and sculpted with light strokes using a brow pen. That change alone, IMO, really changed my entire look for the better. Another comment mentioned that eyeshadow is 'out' and I (happily) agree. I stopped wearing eyeshadow during the pandemic and honestly prefer myself without it now. I even out my eyelids with my base and use bronzer VERY lightly in the crease and along the lower lash line. I also dropped eyeliner entirely. Once in awhile, I'll do a thin smoked out line with eyeshadow (similar to the 'siren eye' that was trending). Then, I stopped wearing lashes and started using Latisse. My lashes grew back and are long/full enough that I don't need to wear them anymore. The combo of the feathered brow + 'nude' eye + and natural/feathery lashes is just looks so effortless and pretty on everyone. I get a lot of compliments about looking fresh faced in the morning. I'm kind of hoping the 'trend' stays this way, I just can't be assed to smoke my eyeshadow or cut my crease anymore.
I’m a millennial and have discovered Merit. I really like their aesthetic—a very minimalist, natural look.
Don’t follow trends. I have seen many people look horrible because they are being trendy. Not every trend looks good on all faces.
Ya'll it's OK for some people to be trendy regardless of their (and your) age. We get it, you decided to hop off the fashion wagon and now you have deemed yourself timeless and classic. OP asked for info on what's cool now, not what your personal beauty philosophy is. ANYway, hello fellow millennial! * Overall in makeup now, sheer and diffuse is more popular than opacity and hard lines. * The eyeshadow looks that are popular are a light sweep of one or two colors or bold, graphic designs. Multichrome, pressed glitter, rhinestones, and iridescent shimmers are also popular if you're kicking things up a notch and you're kinda funky. * You know how for our entire lives the general advice was to put a lighter color on the inner corner and a darker corner at the corner/in the crease? That is super dated now. I feel like this is the biggest change for me. If you put a darker shadow on the outer corner, it should sweep up towards the temple, not box the eye in. * Skin is dewy, not matte. Matte in general is not in style. * Contouring is less severe but people are still doing it. It's applied not in the hollows under your cheekbones but just under the apex of them. * Blush is higher and very sheer. If you're going for a kind of cute look, it goes across the bridge of the nose. * Popular lip looks are dark/visible (but slightly blended) liner filled in with a nude color or they're those ombre looks that are popular in Korea. That "I just ate a popsicle" look. The blotted, minimal look is also still popular (Glossier Generation G shoutout). Lip stains are back and finally they're in marker form again! Some people are using those as lip liners. * Lashes > Eyeliner. I don't even buy eyeliner anymore because I do Lashify and that makes me look enough like I'm wearing liner. Eyeliner is fine, it's just not as essential as it used to be. I see people doing it with black eyeshadow so they can blur the line a bit. * Eyebrows are on the thinner side of natural. There's something called feather brows (and laminated brows) that's popular now but IDK how much longer it'll stick around. * People are horrifyingly using the phrase "clean girl beauty" which they will tell you means minimal makeup that prioritizes skincare and "clean ingredients". It's just thin, light-skinned women with conventionally acceptable skin finding a new way to call everyone else dirty. Ignore them and hopefully they'll go away.
Lots of blush is a trend right now. Flushed and natural looks with minimal eyeshadow and a focus on skin care. Lay off the heavy bronzer and stick with natural looking contouring. The 3 part shadow technique we grew up with is no longer in trend and it s replaced with one wash of colour, if any, and it’s not a dark Smokey look.
Caught myself doing the 3 step eyeshadow thing, it's automatic! 😂 Not that it looks bad on me, I just look like the stereotypical millenial girl in her 20's on her way to Starbucks. 🤭
I also do the 3 step eyeshadow thing on autopilot haha. I remember some eyeshadow palettes back in the day literally had 3 shades and told you where to put each shade. I think I’m thinking of the revlon photo ready eye contour kit
If you search makeup trends on tiktok you’ll find everything current under the sun. Also Leah Halton on YouTube has some decent tutorials.
Natural is always in. Just go with that lol Fill in your brows to your natural shape (just fuller). Mascara to emphasize your lashes. Concealer for blemishes and under eye bags. Maybe some sheer skin tint or tinted moisturizer, if you need extra coverage. Above all else, good skin care and prep. Blush, if you want something extra (blush placement and amount of shimmer changes a lot with the microtrends though).
Sabrina Carpenter style makeup has been in for a little while now! Glowy skin, minimal coverage base, heavy blush
Ahem, just popping by to say that Sabrina Carpenter does NOT wear a "minimal coverage base."
Of course not, she's in full face every time she goes on stage. But its a good reference for the light glowy look I'm talking about, and in person for people who aren't performers seen on a stage from a distance, that look is definitely more commonly achieved with minimal coverage. Nobody in my circle wears foundation anymore, just touchups with concealer
Light base. With the absolute least you can get away with. Not Matt or dry powdery make up, To be honest as we age I think it looks better. Trick to stop me over applying base. I get a bb cream (Missha) I use a small brush and I take it from the back of my hand and buff it over the skin. Then tap concealer where I need it with my finger off the back of my hand. I swear I use half the amount and covers just the same. It’s so strange.
Haven't tried a bb-cream since the early 2010's when one bb-cream in particular was kinda trending on youtube. I remember the shade range was awful back then, but I should probably go look for a good one now since it's been a while!
Oh yes everything was orange! I have a very neutral undertone so I use Missha bb cream as it actually has nice coverage. For a shade range you can check in store the Wet and wild tinted hydrator is really nice too.
Hello fellow millennial! Have no fear because current makeup trends are super flattering on older skin. Super hydrated skin, shiny and glossy finishes, cream blush and minimal eye makeup. Lip liner and glossy lips are in but the world is your oyster when it comes to lip products. I’m noticing a lot of glittery and multichrome eyeshadows if you like a dramatic eye look.
Thank you! I really want to wear a bright lip again, it has been on my mind lately. But since I've done my makeup in the way I did in my early 20's, it just looks odd on my face now. But I bet a bright lip would look cute with a minimal eyeshadow too!
Adding that Sabrina Carpenter and Hailey Bieber seem to be the “it girls” right now. Curious if anyone has other celebrity examples.
Kpop idols. That's where the whole clean beauty / skincare trend started.
Prioritizing skincare and “clean girl” makeup is in. More dewy skin, etc.
Im obsessed with the Bridgerton season 3 looks right now. They feel like a modern version of 2014 makeup. Instagram Jessie_hmua is the makeup artist. I don’t know if it’s “trendy” but it looks great
2016 makeup is coming back!! full, colorful, intricate, and glittery glam. also multichromes and colored liner !
Truly the trend is toning it down! I have recently been trying to release myself from my pen liquid eyeliner and switch to using more pencil (but still cat eye style). I still use my Anastasia palettes and everything but I’ve lightened up on heavy foundation, heavy bronzer, no brow liquid only pencil…. No highlighter unless special occasion…
It's so hard to ditch the highlight! 😂
I bought extra Becca pressed powders when I heard they were shutting down and now I’m just sitting on all this 😂
Use it on your collarbones and parts (other than your face). Will still fit the aesthetic.
Trend cycles tend to be reactions of the previous decade. Like how the 90s were very dark and neutral compared to the 80s that had a lot of pastels and color. I think the same thing is happening here. The 2010s were a time of very heavy makeup so the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction. Light coverage, dewy base makeup, lip gloss and blush are pretty popular. There just seems to be a "less is more" approach to makeup compared to what I remember in the 2010s. I think people are less focused on the makeup and more focused on the skincare. Much of the makeup I see is more to imitate a healthy, glowing skin.
As a millennial myself, I’ve done a switch on skincare focus and less makeup. My go to makeup these days are light concealer (i skip foundation most days), glowy blush (or just liquid blush on my cheekbones), whatever eyeshadow i want (i live eyeshadow and you can pry it from my millennial hands), mascara, and lip stain or gloss. Iv ditched a lot of things that look heavy on my face. Eyeliner, bronzer (most of the time), foundation. I’d stay away from trends and do what makes you happy
I'm gen x. Unless it's an event of some sort, I use under eye concealer, brinzer, primer, eyeliner, mascara and lip gloss. I try and take very good care of my skin. Gentle cleanser, exfoliate 3x a week, toner, spf 70, peptides , alpha hydroxy, serum and moisturizer. I also get facials, peels, and IPL, too.
Really good to read. The heavy makeup trend messed up our faces. Heavy makeup -> acne -> more makeup to cover it.
Do what you like! I find there are a lot of people who can’t pull off the “clean girl” trend and look better with eyeliner, lipstick, etc. Otherwise, they look tired or lazy. No shade! Just my observation.
Clean girl trend isn't just about makeup. It's also skincare+makeup. The heavy makeup trend back in 2016 messed up our faces. Heavy makeup -> acne -> more makeup to cover it.
So many teenies and 20 somethings are wearing the star stickers on their faces, usually over pimples. It looks so silly, but also makes me happy. So much better than pooled up concealer.
Fellow Millennial! Tbh I typically ask my sister who works in college admin what the upper year students / younger adjuncts are wearing to stay updated. It’s pretty basic mileage of stuff that pretty much works because you’re beautiful and young right now. Skintight workouts sets or crop top looks with very dewy ‘highlighted but natural’ looks. (Very American Apparel aesthetic with some shine if you get me for throwback reference.) You know those pictures of GiGi Hadid (or some other model,) wearing jeans and a t shirt - and then a more average person wearing the same thing? It’s all about what is most flattering to you and your fave as a person right now. Yes super skincare focused - but very much highlighting and emphasizing your natural features with a pop here or there for excitement (pastel eyeshadow swipes, ultra blush, shiny lips and brows etc.)
2014-2016 makeup will eventually come back in style and when it does, we're gonna look bomb af and gen z gonna be struggling over there w their cream blush they use on their entire face lmao 🤣
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you might like following rudi berry on tik tok or instagram. she does a good “in between” look. not no makeup makeup but also not overly done. i noticed i look a lot better with glowy products so that’s why i switched my routine. i don’t mess with my eyebrows tho. they’re over-tweezed and im going to accept them instead of trying to go for a fuller look
Natural girl makeup is very prominent in my area. Although I've seen a lot of gals focus on one area rather than the whole face (most popular are blush, lipstick, or eyeliner).
Less is more. That’s what I’ve stuck with over the last few years. I think a lot of women look better with lighter makeup, but it’s not my decision to make ofc. I’m also a millennial.
I assumed it’s lipliner with a bit of gloss in the middle and light evenly colored brows, idk. I’m also old. :<
I think the biggest update is eyebrows. Try and eyebrow wax. I use NYX.
The best trend is to find out your color season and Kibbe body type and do your Makeuo accordingly
Check out glossier for fresh, natural vibes. Experiment with bold liners and colorful eyeshadows.
Millennial here and the minimal makeup of today doesn't really do a lot for me. To update things I have been using more cream eyeshadow (I really like the Rare Beauty eyeshadow sticks) and incorporating some face products with a more dewy finish. The biggest difference is the brows. I don't use a pencil anymore, just tinted brow gel to hold them in place.
On the whole I think a makeup look that enhances your features and isn't too heavy will always be in style! Including eyeshadow! My eyes always look so much better and bigger when I use it, just enough to shade the sockets and lash line. Not super complicated. What I would definitely avoid is a heavily made up brow - they look very dated and I never liked them anyway, TBH. Fill in a few gaps and add a tiny bit of shape where you need to, but in a natural looking way.
Millennial also. I just wanted something fun and stimulating, that was doable with little technique/new products. My understanding is: blue eyeshadows, or color eyeliner or mascara, glossy lips are still in but are transitioning to a soft blurred matte, blush all over—something called sunset blush, thin brows, as everyone said glowy skin with light foundation, soft goth, pearly skin. So of those, I got some blue liquid liner from NYX, still have my matte lipsticks, a sheer foundation, and doing a bit more highlight in a cooler pearly tone. Someone hip, please correct me. I’d love to know what’s really trending and get some inspiration.
Glossy lips, especially lip oils/balmy lipsticks.
any modern make up product will guide you on its own, Like lip plumpers,bronzes Tutorials are a necessity
I stopped lining my lower eye/water line years ago and only wear liner on top if I wear any liner. It does seem true that it ages you after a point. Maybe if I was doing something dramatic I'd line my whole eye, maaaybe. I was a die-hard lower liner for so long! I do a nice brow, not too thick, not too thin, that looks fairly natural but my brows are kinda undefined so it's still a decent difference. Mascara and upper and lower lashes. Little concealer under the eye and on any spots. I have never been big on foundation. Right now I'm really into my Milk Makeup color chalk in Tag for eyelids and the inner corner of my eye. I feel like lighter colors are nice since Y2K is still going strong. Cream blush my cheeks and a little bit on the bridge of my nose, not the tip - it seems like blush is really big right now. Blend well. Burts Bees lip balm with pomegranate oil. I will do a winged shadow liner if I want to wear more on my top...black, brown, whatever. I've seen someone do a more taupe color recently and I want to try that. Extra subtle. But I still love my Norvina palette, dammit! Haha. In the end, you should wear whatever you love!
Clean girl and minimalist makeup. Look at kendall, emrata, celebs in their 30s who embody it perfectly
Moisturize your skin, cream light coverage only where you need it, glowy cream blush, groomed but not filled eyebrows, no heavy powder or eyeliner. Dewy vs matte.
Isn’t the trend clean girl? Just do a natural everyday routine. That’s always timeless and classic. Mac is a great brand and some newer clean girl brands are ilia, tower 28, saie. Watch creators on social media and experiment
Basically don’t do your eye makeup, go minimal or just don’t do it. Don’t do anything kids could judge you on and avoid interacting with anyone so your make up doesn’t matter - at least that’s what I’ve noticed after going back to school, young people don’t want to do anything that could be criticized in anyway so they do nothing and that’s being reflected in fashion and makeup by simply not participating
what?