Beauty trends are boring. Don’t get me wrong. If there’s a cool new product or skincare regime or way of drying my hair so it doesn’t frizz up I’m all over it.
But I’m talking about these ‘new’ ways of wearing our hair and makeup that get trotted out season after season — trust me, there’s only so many ways you can recycle a red lip, or wear your hair in a ponytail.
Yes, some beauty trends can be fun, many are nonsensical but catwalk beauty doesn’t interest me — mainly because it always plays second fiddle to the fashion. (Beauty is often considered “fashion’s little sister” even though it’s worth a lot more as a business and frequently props up the fashion industry.) Plus, many “natural looks” you see on the catwalk aren’t a trend — they’re to ensure the makeup doesn’t distract from the clothes. We can of course take inspiration from the catwalks and the red carpet, but if you’re stuck in a beauty rut, simply playing and experimenting with new products is a much more fun way of mixing things up — and the new year is the perfect time to do it.
You could start with a new shade of lipstick. If you’re nervous, Poppy King, founder of Lipstick Queen once advised to wear a bold new hue indoors, like a new pair of shoes, to see how comfortable you feel before stepping outside. By Terry’s Lip Expert Matte Lipstick in Red Shot (£29) with its creamy, pigment-packed formula is terrific for creating a show-stopping rouge à la Claire Foy in the BBC drama A Very British Scandal. Or it could be something as simple as a hint of blush — I’m loving indie brand Bite Beauty whose Daycation Whipped Blush (£24) in the wonderfully-named Melon Mojito delivers a shimmery coral, just-pinched glow. A few drops on a sponge or the back of a hand dabbed on to the apples of the cheeks are all you need to pep up a knackered complexion come 4pm.
I’m also going big on the tan this winter — who says January necessitates a sallow complexion? Not me. It’s a blue enough month as it is. One beauty trend that I’m happy to jump on, via TikTok, is the DIY spray tan using Isle of Paradise’s Tanning Water Refill Pouch (£10.45) —which has 81 per cent less plastic than a traditional bottle. (I love pouch packaging for this reason.)
You pour it into a re-usable misting bottle that you can find on Amazon (£7.75) and spritz where required. Available in light, medium and dark versions, the water contains coconut and avocado oils to condition the skin as it tans. Plus being water-based, it’s less messy and fiddly — just spray on and you’re done. One key factor is there is no guide colour, so you do need to buff it in a bit afterwards — a large bronzing brush or any non-scratchy shmutter will do.
Yes, beauty trends may come and go, and some may be completely silly, but when it comes to a morale-boosting beauty revamp, there’s never a bad time to get on board.