Since the pandemic, makeup has drastically changed. From graphic eyeliner and blush, to futuristic and contemporary, social media has helped evolve today’s makeup which has been inspired by the resurfacing y2k style and beauty influencers overseas.
Before Tik Tok came on the scene, YouTube was the pioneer for makeup tutorials in 2016 with beauty gurus such as James Charles, NikkiTutorials, Jaclyn Hill and Manny Mua. These influential vloggers are what helped set the trends for that era.
“NikkiTutorials inspired me to want to learn how to do makeup. My favorite type of makeup look is probably a full glam, but without eyeshadow,” senior Yago Buendia-Rodriguez said. “I’ve grown accustomed to doing a full face of concealer, bronzer, contour, blush, lipstick, mascara and eyeliner.”
As new apps developed, a new wave of makeup influencers began to push out their content into other platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. Many new looks emerged and resurfaced on the internet such as the coquette, secretary, grunge, clean girl, Gyaru and the y2k makeup aesthetic. These looks were inspired from pinterest, movies, manga, video games, pop culture, anime and tv shows.
Coquette
Coquette emphasizes girlhood and channeling inner femininity. It involves a dainty look that sways towards a monochromatic palette of soft pinks and whites. The main focus of this look is pink blush on the center of the cheeks, a soft foundation base that is almost satin like and doll-like eyes which can be executed through wispy lashes and accentuating eyeliner in a shade of black or brown.
Coquette has emerged because of the Lolita resurgence that is inspired by Lana Del Rey. The aesthetic started around early 2010 on Tumblr through the nymphette look and became popular around TikTok in 2022. This style has gone through many phases on various social media platforms. In early 2020, it was known as Cottegecore and from there it has broadened into Academia, Balletcore, Princesscore and Dollette.
Secretary
Secretarycore is a more recent resurfacing style that is inspired by the seductive secretary aesthetic from the early 2000’s. The style also takes inspiration from the video game “Bayonetta” because of her rectangular glasses, siren-like eyes, thin eyebrows and frosty lips. The style follows a perfect balance of y2k and corporate chic fashion.
Grunge
Grunge is a style that has existed since the 90’s and gained widespread popularity on TikTok in early 2020. This look is not to be confused with emo or goth. It is heavily inspired by Nirvana and involves thrifted clothing that de-silhouettes the feminine body type to appear more androgynous. The makeup is low-maintenance and does not need to be perfect. All it needs is smudged pencil liner in black, smokey black eyeshadow, optional mascara, and a deep cherry lip balm, lipstick, or lipgloss.
Clean Girl
The clean girl aesthetic is yet another rebrand of a look that already exists and had originally begun with black and latina girls. It is a very sleek look that involves simple makeup which accentuates already existing features. This look has a very muted and nude palette with mauve around the eyes and brown outlining the lips or just a simple clear gloss. The goal of this look is to just look put-together and neat as possible.
Gyaru
Gyaru is inspired from a subgenre of Japanese fashion that became popular in the 1990s and early 2000’s. It was created to rebel against Japanese beauty standards and is still around to this day. It caters mainly to people of darker complexions and people with monolid eyes. Others can do it as long as it is done appropriately and not overstepping any boundaries. This look is extremely hyper- feminine and has very dramatic eye makeup.
In Gyaru makeup, you drag out the eyes and create another outline which is optionally filled in with a white makeup crayon and two sets of the largest lashes you can possibly find. The white crayon is essential for this look and is used in place of highlighter. Another thing that is needed to complete the look is an aegyo-sal, which is when you highlight your undereyes with that same white crayon or a shimmery eyeshadow. You then add a white streak through the middle of the nose and blend it out. The lips are usually nude or can also be followed by any bright or light pink lipstick.
Social media has also acted as a gateway for international content from Korean and Chinese beauty influencers. People are now able to take inspiration from their skincare, makeup, and fashion and can even implement it in their own daily routines as long as it is done respectfully.
“My favorite makeup look is definitely very bold and colorful. I take a lot of inspiration from Chinese makeup, because I think that the way they use glitter and color is pretty, well thought out and three-dimensional,” junior Mars Robles-Rubio said. “I think a lot of it was just that I saw pretty colors and I wanted to see if I could do it. They enhance my features in a way that I really love.”
Although there isn’t one concrete trend for this year, people have been recycling old makeup looks from different decades and creating looks of their own. Social media has helped create a sense of individuality for many and now anyone can search and create a suitable makeup look of their own.
“I wanted to start wearing makeup because when I was in quarantine, it just felt like it was the next step for me so I could be the new person that I wanted to be,” Buendia-Rodriguez said. “Makeup helps me be confident and proud of myself. I can express that through makeup and the artistry that it involves.”