Apart from upgraded minimalism and a lowkey approach to high-end products, what does quiet luxury really mean in beauty?
It’s impossible to escape the conversation about quiet luxury. Perhaps it’s the Succession effect, but the anonymity of the pared-back styling movement has ironically made its way to mainstream culture. It’s Brunello Cucinelli, Loro Piana, and The Row. It’s Sofia Richie-Grainge in a beautifully tailored knitted dress worth more than PHP 100,000 or Gwyneth Paltrow’s courtroom wardrobe. It’s logo-free yet undeniably high-end. With all of this in fashion, what does quiet luxury look like in beauty?
The concept of quiet luxury in beauty is not entirely new. Who could ever forget the decadent face cream from Augustinus Bader or the eye concentrate from La Mer? But what’s interesting about quiet luxury in beauty is that it’s more than being a label anthesis. At face value, it’s not about hefty price tags or celebrity advertisers—it focuses on beauty choices that speak more about its craftsmanship and less about its extravagance.
The modern idea of quiet luxury in beauty
Thanks to Devon Lee Carlson, Kelsey Merritt, and Orion Carloto, the world has seen a modernized iteration of the early naughts it-girl beauty signature—clean girl aesthetic as some people call it, or at least the quiet luxury look. The format speaks more of a timeless appeal than a short-term trend, much like Hailey Bieber and her low-maintenance beauty routine. The category thrives in skin-forward makeup, but is more polished.
But let’s be honest—it often takes high-maintenance beauty work to stay low-maintenance. Achieving the coveted effortless look as seen on social media takes the most energy, at the same time, involves treatments, products, and services to make a routine more low-lift. More of it, that is where quiet luxury comes in. But does it actually require investing in high-end products and services? That’s not always the case.
Take into account that quiet luxury is an approach that prioritizes elevating a beauty experience over brand names and price tags. It’s exceptionally high-quality formulas that can stand for themselves without a label or endorsers. It’s treatments that can live up to its claims. It’s the beauty selections that can perform as promised. However, that is just one facet of quiet luxury. It’s surprisingly so much more than what one can imagine.
The true means of its luxury
In its essence, quiet luxury in beauty means different things to everyone. It can be Aesop, Ouia, and Clé de Peau Beauté. It can be Alexa Chung and her top-shelf moisturizers or Chloë Sevigny’s mainstay designer fragrance. Quiet luxury in beauty can mean dedicating to beauty routines and treatments,regular facials or a good gel manicure, or investing in elevated skincare or makeup basics. After all, the true means of quiet luxury is about investing in yourself.
But contrary to what many may think, price tags are not the indicator of quiet luxury in beauty—it’s about creating experiences that make everyday indulging. It’s the small acts that one often takes for granted. Quiet luxury in beauty can be as simple as a warm bath after long hours. It can be a well-deserved sleep or a 15-minute screen break. In the same way, it’s about reclaiming the time to look out after yourself.
The bottom line
In between the noise of quiet and loud luxury, it should be pointed out that both co-exist peacefully with each other. Think more of it as yin and yang—maximalism isn’t everything, but so is minimalism. Moreover, the notion of luxury can’t be oversimplified as a trend or base its value on relevance. Its true works rely on its timelessness, sophistication, and craftsmanship. To say the least, it’s about investing in essentials that bring everlasting joy.
Apart from that, it also sheds light on the truth that luxury is not the same for everyone nor is it the same everywhere, and that’s okay. It can be a ludicrously capacious bag or a logoless suede purse. It can be a crystal-covered bullet lipstick or a potent lifting serum. As mentioned, it can be as simple as doing small acts of taking care of oneself. Life is surprisingly full of little beauty luxuries that are left unnoticed, and to be able to fully practice beauty in our everyday lives is one thing that one shouldn’t take for granted.
Featured Image Photography: JERICK SANCHEZ for MEGA October 2020
