The Beauty Trends That Felt Like Both The Beginning And End Of An Era
I’ve only been alive for 22 years, which… I guess is a long time if you’re waiting for something. But I’m not waiting for anything I don’t think; I often feel like most of my existence has been spent closely observing anything that peaks and holds my interest. And I know everyone is dying to know my interests, so! I have always loved the art of “beauty,” and I especially love that right now it feels as though we are in a sort of renaissance of it. (I will be patenting “Beauty Renaissance.”) And although there is no right way to be beautiful, there are a handful of trends that have popped up in the past few years that I think everyone should try at least once. Even if it means bleaching your eyebrows in your bathroom, realizing you look like a giant baby and dyeing them back immediately.
MESSING WITH YOUR EYEBROWS
We can all admit as a group that we were traumatized for a few good years after having plucked the living hell out of our eyebrows in 2012. Personally, I was later relieved by the retaliative trend being fluffy, up-brushed, caterpillar eyebrows. This is considering my eyebrows hairs will literally grow all the way onto my eyelids if I let them. I happily rode the bushy wave for years until a few months ago when I was like, “why don’t I want my eyebrows anymore?” Not literally, but I did bleach them temporarily gone. I was inspired by runway looks, cute Instagram girls and I guess blonde people. It was very “cool” and I’ll probably do it again. Also, “brow lamination”? I’m intrigued. That’s a whole different discussion.
MICK JAGGER CALLED
He left you a nice voicemail. He doesn’t want his hair back, he’s just happy it’s being appreciated again.
I recently got my hair professionally cut for the first time ever as a grown, 22-year-old woman. This being because I am deathly afraid of salons, and even the faintest idea of a bad haircut. The experience in its entirety is a different story, but nonetheless, the cut itself thankfully came out well! For months and months I couldn’t take my eyes or my mind off the array of cute-as-a-button girls with androgynously shaggy manes. Long bangs and face framing layers just do something to my soul and I needed to take a break from my usual blunt bob (that after 3 months of growth made me look like Lord Farquaad.)
“NO MAKEUP” MAKEUP, BUT ADD SOME MAKEUP
I have an interesting relationship with makeup. It’s something that I’ve always been “into” and admired, and sadly I was surprised when I found out that I was pretty mediocre in my application skills. The “no makeup” makeup trend was my savior when I found out that I could just slap some dewy stuff on my face, brush up my eyebrows and call it a day. The intimidation that always came with makeup being a precise art drew me back, typically. Eyeliner goes here, eye shadow stops here, etc. But in the past few years, brands like Glossier and Milk, high fashion, and social media have all drastically changed the way makeup is being looked at; some rules are being bent and others are simply being thrown out the door. You can contour with blush, glitter is acceptable pretty much anywhere, and the brighter the better. Honestly, as long as your skin looks dewy and your eyebrows are fluffy as hell, people will ask you about your routine.
HAIR ACCESSORIES THAT 9-YEAR-OLD ME WOULD BE PROUD OF
There is absolutely nothing comfortable about wearing a hard headband, but there is something weirdly nostalgic about the headache that ensues. And that feeling of taking off the headband, but it still feels like you’re wearing one? You know. Padded headbands, hair scarves tied every which way, and giant hair bows seemed to pop up out of nowhere a few months ago and every fashion girl that I follow on Instagram had them all. And now I have them. Am I a fashion girl?