Why Y2K Hair and Makeup Could Be the Biggest Beauty Trend of 2021

Ombre lips, frosted eyeshadow, house buns, and skinny brows have all change into half of our lockdown lexicon. On Instagram, Depop, and TikTok, you don’t need to scroll far to search out magnificence references from the late Nineties to the early 2000s—#Y2K has racked up 1.6 billion views on the latter alone.Even celebrities are getting in on the development. Earlier this yr, Lizzo wore Y2K hair clips to the Grammy Awards, whereas Megan Thee Stallion was lately seen sporting ombre lips and house buns. Elsewhere, Barbie Ferreira and Dua Lipa had been noticed carrying colourful eye shadow in shades of mellow inexperienced and frosted lilac, whereas Bella Hadid has change into the Y2K poster lady along with her skinny brows and spiky updos.“I’m all the time impressed by the Nineties and the 2000s with regards to Megan Thee Stallion—we reference it a lot,” says make-up artist Priscilla Ono, who created the WAP singer’s Grammys look that includes high-gloss lips and hair piled up with strands coming down at the entrance (very promenade lady circa 2000). “I needed to remain true to her look whereas giving her contemporary, red-carpet glam. I went impartial along with her eyes, however saved a full ‘Megan’ lash. Also, she will be able to’t go wherever with out her lip liner, so I saved the heart [of her lips] the excellent nude-brown for her pores and skin tone.”How do you fashion the Y2K magnificence development?Defining the Y2K magnificence aesthetic is straightforward: it’s about taking a light-hearted and enjoyable strategy. There’s much less concentrate on heavy contouring and perfection, and extra on colour, cute particulars, and playful texture. When it involves nails, count on a renaissance of the French manicure, designer logos, and further embellishment.For hair, it means claw clips and mini pigtails, with a lot of swept-up ends protruding. Over the previous yr, when salons might safely open, hair colorist Aura Friedman from Sally Hershberger Salons noticed an increase in consumer requests for colourful streaks and chunky highlights. “I’ve been making use of chunkier highlights, which is a departure from the whisper-thin balayage that was fashionable,” she says. “Colored highlights are additionally having a second, and there’s tons of room to play with them in phrases of pigment and placement.”As for make-up, assume pale pinks and child blues, high-gloss lips and thinner brows. Model and Byredo make-up ambassador Princess Gollum is a key proponent of the fashion. “When I believe of Y2K magnificence, I believe of bright-white eyes—not simply on the lid, however throughout—lip gloss, lipstick, metallic lips, lip liner, rosy-pink cheeks, smudgy sparkly eyes, skinny brows and streaky hair. Also, metallic-blue eyeshadow with a purple lip. Such a traditional.” For her personal look, the mannequin has been obsessively utilizing Byredo’s Purple Stinger Colour Stick. “This colour screams 2000s to me,” she provides.Why is the development changing into fashionable now?After spending a yr in lockdown, it’s no surprise we’re seeking to the previous as a method of escaping—paying homage to a interval outlined, sartorially talking, by enjoyable and frivolity. “When the future is unsure, the computerized habits is to search out refuge in previous occasions and calm anxious emotions with recognized factors of references,” explains development forecaster Marie-Michèle Larivée. “Over the previous few years, we’ve seen the resurgence of each decade back-to-back: Sixties, Seventies, Eighties and Nineties. Now, style has circled its means again to virtually its tail. I really feel that youthful generations are obsessive about the aesthetics that had been current earlier than that they had an anxiety-inducing future.”There is one thing extremely highly effective about nostalgia, particularly in the face of harsh realities. “I bear in mind the early 2000s so properly,” reminisces Ono. “I used to be in my early twenties, so that point has all the time impressed my make-up. Especially now, working with a rapper, I confer with 2000s feminine rappers a lot. I’m completely satisfied it’s trending proper now, particularly all the browns and silvers.”