With the New Year celebrations just behind us, here’s our rundown of the beauty trends we expect to be mainstays in 2024
The year 2024 is set to be just as exciting as the last, particularly for beauty enthusiasts. Trend forecasts are not an exact science, but we can observe which beauty aesthetics, makeup looks, and hairstyles are gaining momentum. Based on the previous year’s trends, along with the SS24 season, we expect to see a continuation of 90s nostalgia, emboldened self-expression, and a renewed love for stripped-down beauty.
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The 90s it-girl
The bare-bones of the 90s it-girl beauty beat is brown lip liner, smudgy black eyeliner, and a base largely left dewy and even. There’s room for modern edits, however, which we see in the matte eyeshadow and brown lipgloss. Besides that, we expect to see the edgier side of the iconic 90s makeup look go viral in 2024 due to the highly-anticipated gothic movies coming out the same year. As we’ve seen with the Barbie-core and mermaid-core trends in tandem with Barbie and The Little Mermaid, we look forward to seeing the same effect play out for this year’s Beetlejuice 2 and Nosferatu.
An enduring 90s nostalgia
90s nostalgia won’t end with makeup. With side-parts back on the rise, we expect to see the return of high-volume hair as well, specifically in the form of Cindy Crawford-style side-swept blowouts. As for shorter hair, we see the fluffy hair trend reflecting with 90s-esque lobs. To achieve such big and bouncy curls, professional quality hair dryers and hair rollers are likely to see an uptick in consumers, too.
Juicy cherry lips
Red lipsticks are a classic for a reason. This timeless beauty detail will only grow in popularity in 2024, in large part due to the Gucci SS24 show, which debuted the Gucci Ancora. The desired effect in this color is a bold cherry lacquered finish, and we expect to see this color challenge the clamor for clear glosses in the beauty industry.
Stripped-down aesthetic
All the same, the “clean girl” aesthetic with the barely-there makeup will continue to hold strong in 2024. With such a focus on skincare to result in naturally radiant and glass-like skin, this aesthetic will further develop into a “No Lashes and No Mascara Look.” We look forward to seeing this particular trend encourage more people to lay their lashes to rest by stripping down to the bare essentials: a lash curler.
Embracing girlhood
Similar to the rise of ballet-core and coquettish aesthetics this past year, we expect to see a continued evolution of this reclamation of girlhood. The interest in hyper-femininity will be reflected in the uptick in demand for dainty hair accessories like hair bows, nail colors with an iridescent pink base, and makeup looks that are centered on tones of pink and peach. As we’ve observed in SS24 shows as well, flushed cheeks will be the star of many makeup looks, with blush extending further out. The clamor for all things pink will only rise with the release of Mean Girls: The Musical in 2024.
The fringe update
Blunt bangs came back with a bang in 2023 but we don’t expect its popularity to fall overmuch in 2024 either, especially due to its frequent appearance at SS24 shows in New York. However, we believe that this trend will get an updated look, particularly in the form of the micro bangs and the curly fringe. Both are a fun and fresh way to elevate one’s look while looking youthful, which plays well with the hyperfeminine wave in 2024.
Siren song
Hand in hand with the fascination for fantasy-inspired makeup and the stripped-down approach to skincare, we expect mermaid-core to further progress into a love for Siren beauty. We’ve already raved about the allure of Siren Eyes, so what’s next on the agenda? Wet-look finger waves à la Jason Wu SS24. Pair that with glossy skin subtly highlighted at the tops of your cheeks, brow bone, and nose, and you’ve got the Siren aesthetic.
Hair architecture
Likewise, carefully constructed hair will still be all the rage in 2024, especially for red carpet appearances. With embracing all things fantasy and nostalgia being such a trend for makeup, 2024 will also be the year for emboldened self-expression through hairstyling. Besides the flapper-era waves and architectural updos we saw in SS24 shows, we’ll likely also see more of well-embellished hair, complex braided designs, ultra-polished ponytails, and deep side parts.
Featured Image: MEGA ARCHIVES
