5 beauty trends to watch in 2021
The Covid-19 pandemic has changed nearly every aspect of our lives, and beauty is no exception. Now that we’re ten months into the pandemic, I think that some of our beauty habits and preferences may have changed permanently. We might have fundamentally changed the way we view beauty in some respects. Other trends might just be a temporary reaction to staying home and wearing masks. Nonetheless, I thought it would be fun to predict the top beauty trends of 2021.
1. Pandemic beauty.
Maybe it’s because salons haven’t been open consistently for almost a year, but there’s been an explosion of brow grooming products on the market. Eyebrow products are not new, but the current trend is lightly groomed, fluffy, thick brows (which definitely makes sense). There’s also been an emergence of at-home brow lamination kits, again, largely because salons aren’t available to provide this service. In 2021, I predict we’ll see even more brands launching brow grooming products, as well as possibly new brands, like Refy Beauty, that are focused on brow products.
Another makeup trend that I attribute to the pandemic is the return of liquid lipsticks, but with better formulas and lighter pigmentation. We’re wearing masks all the time, so if we’re wearing lipstick at all, it better have some staying power. However, we’re not feeling the super dry, cracky liquid lipsticks from 3 years ago. ColourPop, MAC and NARS have some stellar formulas, and I predict we’ll see more in this category in 2021.
2. More celebrity brands.
I have very mixed feelings about the explosion of celebrity beauty brands. On the one hand, I’m all for new and innovative beauty products. I also appreciate it when new brands are able to expand our notions of who and what is beautiful. However, when some celebs venture into the beauty space without having shown much interest or expertise in the area, I feel pretty skeptical.
Both Jason Wu and Halsey are launching brands that look promising to me. Jason Wu Beauty will also launch in Target, and I like that it’s bringing affordable, modern sophistication to the clean beauty scene. While I’m not a huge fan of Halsey’s music, she’s got an undeniable sense of personal style. Apparently she’s also known for doing her own makeup for some shoots & performances, so her love for makeup seems authentic. As you’d expect from a big pop star, her line, About Face Beauty, has bold colors and sparkly textures. I’ve ordered a few products from both lines, so stay tuned to my Instagram for updates.
On the flip side, new lines from J. Lo and Alicia Keys have me pretty underwhelmed. I’ll be the first to say that J. Lo is gorgeous. She looks amazing and has had so many iconic beauty looks. In fact her longtime makeup artist, Scott Barnes, has a successful line that capitalized on the bronze-y glow that J. Lo is known for. However, a big part of J. Lo’s beauty probably isn’t derived from makeup and skincare. I would be shocked if her beauty regimen didn’t include regular cosmetic procedures (whether laser, fillers, Botox and/or more invasive procedures). There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, but it doesn’t sit right with me when celebs push products as the “secret” to their beauty when, in fact, a close relationship with a cosmetic dermatologist is the more likely factor.
As for Ms. Keys, her launch of Keys Soulcare is unexciting as well, but for a different reason. A few years ago, Keys came out saying she didn’t wear makeup. And that’s great. I have no issue with anyone deciding not to wear makeup. My issue is the assumption that a person wears makeup only to “cover up” who they are. For many people, makeup is actually a self-revelation. It’s a form of creativity and self-expression. When Keys started her #nomakeup campaign, it felt a little condescending, a little holier than thou. So when Keys announced her foray into the beauty business, it felt inauthentic. Keys Soulcare attempts to position a candle, face cream & facial roller as tools for self-love. But can’t a lipstick or a glitter eyeshadow do the same? I’d argue that taking time to nourish our passions and spend some time focusing on the self are certainly acts of self-care, regardless of the tools involved.
Despite my misgivings about celebrity beauty brands, I anticipate we’ll be seeing more of this in 2021.
3. Value-driven brands.
In the past couple of years, we’ve seen an increased focus on the values behind a brand. This trend of wanting beauty brands to more closely reflect the values in society at large took on new meaning in summer 2020. Following the murder of George Floyd, the conversations about racial injustice that were usually held between close friends and family took the national stage. As consumers, we expected to hear from our favorite brands and influencers as well. We wanted to know where they stood and what their values were. As individuals, we shared our voices as well.
Brands that already had clear values were well-positioned to address the current moment. Meanwhile brands that hadn’t fully articulated their values, or had previously remained silent on social issues, were left scrambling to address the issues. Those messages often came across as tone deaf or inauthentic.
In the past, we were happy with well-performing products, but moving forward, we want those products to come from brands whose values align with our own. Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin are champions of racial & gender inclusivity. Rare Beauty highlights mental health awareness. Klur focuses on eco-consciousness and sustainability. Victoria Beckham Beauty prioritizes non-toxic formulations and eco-conscious packaging. Bread Beauty Supply focuses on carefree haircare for textured hair. My own brand CVTD Beauty puts values at the forefront, allowing consumers to find the products that address their concerns (both beauty-related and otherwise).
In 2021, I think we’ll be seeing even more brands highlighting their values in order to remain relevant in a climate where we’re all increasingly focused on social issues like climate change, sustainability & racial justice.
4. Inclusivity
Inclusivity is definitely a value that we expect to see in beauty brands, but I think it deserves further attention. Even if brands don’t explicitly address any social issues, beauty consumers increasingly view inclusivity as tablestakes. Take a look at this Instagram post about a new foundation from Gucci Beauty:
As an established luxury brand, Gucci isn’t exactly known for pushing the envelope on social issues. However, in order to meet the expectations of beauty consumers, it launched it’s new foundation in 40 shades. In addition, a wide shade range in foundations and concealers is starting to be viewed as the bare minimum in terms of inclusivity. Now, we’re expecting a wide range of shades in all product categories, from bronzers to lip liners.
In 2021, I think we’ll see established brands broadening their existing product lines, as well as niche brands focused on inclusivity for a particular product category (Love Seen is a great example of inclusivity in the false lash category).
5. Minimalism
As we sat in our homes and faced all of our stuff, many of us were driven to de-clutter and organize our spaces. The tremendous popularity of The Home Edit on Netflix is the testament to the power, and appeal, of having a tidy space. I predict that we’ll be seeing more beauty brands and influencers champion the philosophy that less is more.
Merit is a forth-coming beauty brand that evokes this ethos, and does it pretty well in my opinion. I’m anticipating that we’ll see a heightened emphasis on a well-edited collection of multi-use and multi-purpose beauty products.