Beauty trends, for the last few years, have been, quite frankly, a little wild. It feels like more people than ever love make up and spend time collecting and experimenting with beauty products and skincare. Over 2017, I started collecting a list of things I really, really wanted to see when it came to beauty--things that go against the trend (specifically on Instagram) when it comes to beauty.
Here's what I'm going to be experimenting with in 2018.
1. A reduction in skincare complexity
Does it feel like skincare routines have reached peak complexity? Some people are walking through 10+ steps every single night! When people talk about the Ordinary, a brand that sells affordable skincare products, they seem to start speaking a language I don't understand. To those new to skincare, who might not have skincare concerns (like serious acne or congestion), it's all just a lot. It's too much.
Personally, even though I have serious skincare concerns (y'all know my acne story), I've dialed back my skincare routine a lot. I wash my face with jojoba oil every night, then a cream cleanser, spritz with Mario Badescu rose toner, and then top with jojoba oil. That's it! That's all I do! When people ask me about their skincare routine and how to improve it, and I see they're working with 8+ products already, I tell them the truth: you're doing too much.
Sometimes, it's just too much! Some of these things really do work, like the 11-step Korean Beauty process, but realistically, it's just not good for every single skin type out there. In 2018, I want to see a return to simple, clean skincare routines that work without fuss and constant adjustment.
2. Single-shadow eye looks
I love doing my eyeshadow. It's my favorite part of doing my makeup. But sometimes, working with all the transition shades and blending gets really exhausting. It just makes me tired. Lately, I've been experimenting with single-shadow looks that still allow for interest and dimension (without looking like I did in 7th grade, like I'd just smeared a color over my lid and called it good). I specifically like shiny, glossy, and metallic single-shadow looks.
3. Purple blushes
I've been really into blush lately, a part of my routine that I think I ignored for most of my life. I used the same blush for about 10 years straight, and then in the last few months, I've acquired... 10 blushes, probably. I'm kind of a sucker for them. And all of them are the same purple-mauve family, a color that you don't often see. Most people think of blushes in shades of light pink or peach, but I really want to see more people rocking deep mauve and purple-toned blushes, because they look more natural and give your face more dimension. I'm about it! I really love the Beauty Crop's Mauve-ulous* blush duo. (I also recommend the Let's Get Cheeky set*, because it's such a great deal!)
4. Reduced contouring & highlighting
Listen: contouring is great. It looks great. Highlighting is pretty. It looks pretty!
But I'm so tired of doing them. I stopped contouring about 3 or 4 months ago because my make up routine was so long every morning! As well, I think we've hit peak contouring and highlighting; it's just become, like skincare, too much. It's being forced on us now. It's not fun anymore! Lately, I've been rocking a more subtle highlight, primarily by mixing the Beauty Crop's Lighting Crew* into my foundation. For an everyday look, I just don't think contouring and highlighting are realistic and, frankly, we don't need any more contouring and highlighting palettes on the market. There are so many as it is! Let us use up what we've got!
5. Light or medium coverage foundation
Sometimes, I watched those sped up beauty videos on Instagram and find myself marveling. Extremely talented men and women will cover their face in stripes of Hourglass's stick foundation, one of the most full coverage foundations out there, then blend it in... and add Shape Tape and contour and more. It's just... a lot. And in person, that doesn't look so great.
If you learn make up from YouTube and Instagram videos, it gives you the wrong idea of how those things look in person because they're using smoothing filters on their videos! Most people can't use more than medium coverage foundation or else it will end up cakey, no matter your skin texture. I would love to see more beauty guru's rocking light or medium coverage foundation and showing some real skin texture--freckles, pores, congestion, everything!
What beauty trends do you want to see this year?
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