Beauty, like most things, has been in a strange position in recent months. Our homes served as our workplace, daycare, and beauty salon in the early days of the pandemic. During what we thought would be only a few weeks of lockdown, searches for at-home manicures, root touch-ups, and DIY spa days skyrocketed. Some of us dropped our foundation and lipstick and learned to appreciate (or give less of an eff) our makeup-free selves, while others rediscovered our natural hair. Then, when measures loosened throughout the summer, two distinct camps emerged.
To break up the monotony, we either stuck loyal to the spring minimalism or dived headfirst into colorful, statement-making trends like bright eye shadow, peach hair, and sparkling nails.
These opposing ideas will continue to shape the way we approach beauty in the coming year. Pros believe that playful eyeliner will only grow in popularity, but that’s largely due to the fact that we still have months of mask-wearing ahead of us. Expect to see more curtain bangs (they’re not going away) and throwback nails elsewhere.
So, in the spirit of looking ahead, we’ve compiled a list of the biggest beauty trends to look forward to in 2022.
Skinimalism – “Skinimalism,” was coined by Pinterest, is all about appreciating your natural skin and wearing very little makeup.
Claw Clips
Clips of various kinds—butterfly, barrettes, pearl-encrusted—have been popular all year, but claw clips are expected to become more popular in 2022.
Vibes from the 1980s – While the ’90s and early aughts have dominated the past several years, 2022 will see a return to the ’80s.
French with a twist
The French manicure has gone from divisive to a red-carpet must-have in the last year. For 2022, nail artists are experimenting with everything from glitter to wacky mushrooms, cheerful faces, butterflies, and retro florals to liven up the standard mani.
Liner for a good time
Greenberg also predicts that creative, unexpected variations on classic eyeliner will be popular, thanks to masks.
Monochrome Moment
As we approach 2022, no-makeup makeup isn’t going anywhere, but a minimalist aesthetic might get boring after a while. Monochrome makeup is a terrific method to enhance a natural look while keeping your entire appearance understated.
Happy trending everyone!
