The Wheel of Beauty: Are Make-Up Trends Just Upcycled and Reused?
Image Courtesy: Instagram
Looking at the beauty industry, we cannot help but be mesmerized by new trends and looks. From bold, striking neon eye looks to clean, simple makeup, the beauty industry has us in a chokehold when it comes to discovering new ideas. When we dive deeper into these looks, we may realize beauty trends are being updated from the past. Are the ideas truly original, or are they an updated version of historical beauty trends?
It is no secret that makeup like “artist” or “MUA,” brands, and the beauty community as a whole take their time and go through repeated trial and error to get “the look.” Hearing about their thought and creative process, you repeatedly find that they took inspiration from someone or something, that the idea was not completely independent of outside influence. For example, NikkieTutorials, a highly successful MUA and YouTuber who is known for her palette of looks ranging from elegant to bold. Throughout her videos, she often speaks of influences for the look or dedicates the entire video to an inspired look. Although her and other makeup artists are not ripping off other looks, it shows there is more to the process than meets the eye. This process is not just a person-to-person phenomenon but is something that continuously happens in the beauty industry as a whole. Current and past trends are always connecting back to the history of makeup over the decades. Recently, the “clean face” look has become the new trend. Minimal makeup is used to highlight defining features, hydrated skin, natural brows, and blush.
The current “clean face” minimal makeup look is used to highlight defining features, hydrated skin, natural brows, and blush. The idea is a “no-makeup” makeup look. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? That same look surged only 4 years ago, with influencers like Christen Dominique and Jessica Alba promoting people to achieve the natural look. That is not the only time where the trend had a surge. A simple search on Google on 1940s makeup trends will provide countless photos of the natural makeup look, with minimal eye products, light blush, and stained lips for a fuller but natural look.
This is not the only upcycled trend, looking at the bold and bright trends from the 2010s, you can see inspiration from the 1980s and 90s. The Hollywood glam trend taken from the 1950s starlet look, even today’s Y2K look is taken from just 20 years ago. While looking at how makeup has evolved throughout history, you will notice the reproduction of past trends. History’s beauty standards have been modified to meet the standards from today’s decade. Using past trends does not mean the beauty community is stealing from the past, but rather upcycling and reinventing older looks.
Just like taking clothes from the thrift store and modifying it to make it unique and giving it a fresh look, the makeup industry is doing the same thing with trends. Upcycling found in the makeup industry is similar to buying clothes from the thrift store and modifying it to make it unique. We are drawing from the past and altering it to give it a fresh look, to upcycle and renew it. From upcycling past trends, new looks, and never seen before trends are born.
Strike out,
Writer: Bre Hailes
Editors: Marissa DeMaio & Madison Sloan
St. Augustine
