Makeup and hairstyles from the 2000s are the main 'beauty' trend of 2021

Even celebrities have been joining this trend. Earlier this year Lizzo wore 2000's bobby pins to the Grammys and we recently spotted Megan Thee Stallion wearing ombré lips and space-inspired bows. Additionally, Barbie Ferreira and Dua Lipa have been seen wearing colorful eyeshadows in shades of green and lilac, while Bella Hadid has become the official girl of the 2000s with her wispy brows and spiky updo.

“I've always been inspired by the '90s and '00s when working with Megan Thee Stallion — we reference them a lot,” says makeup artist Priscilla Ono, responsible for the WAP singer's full-lip look to the Grammys of gloss and the hair picked up with two strands in front (like the girls at the end-of-year parties of the 2000s). “I wanted her to be true to her look but with a fresh and glamorous look suitable for the red carpet. I opted to be pretty neutral with her eyes, but gave her some nice Megan lashes. And of course, she can't go anywhere without her lip line, so I left the center [of her lips] a nude brown that's perfect for her skin tone."

What is the 2000s beauty trend like?

Defining the beauty aesthetic of the 2000s is simple: it is always about opting for the most fun and carefree. Less effort is spent on contouring and perfection, and more on color and playful textures. When it comes to manicures, get ready for a renaissance of French manicures, designer logos, and extra frills.

In terms of hairstyles, they are synonymous with tweezers and pigtails and ends sticking out of the up-dos. Over the past year, colorist Aura Friedman of Sally Hershberger Salons says she's experienced an increase in customers requesting colorful locks and thick, bold locks as soon as salons were able to open. “I've been doing much thicker highlights, which is a departure from the super-fine balayage that was so popular,” she says. "Colored highlights are also succeeding, and they give a lot of play in terms of pigments and placement."

When it comes to makeup, pale pinks and blues, lip gloss, and the finest brows abound. The model and makeup ambassador for Byredo Princess Gollum is one of the main supporters of this style. “When I think of 2000s beauty looks, I think of bright white eye makeup (not just the eyelids, but the entire eye), lip gloss, lipstick, lip liner, rosy cheeks, smudged eyes. and glitter, thin eyebrows and streaked hair. Also in metallic eye shadows with red lipstick. A whole classic". For her own Look, the model has been consistently turning to Byredo's Purple Stinger lipstick. “This color takes me straight back to the 2000s,” he adds.

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Why has it become popular right now?

After spending a year stuck at home, no one is surprised that we resort to the past as a method of escapism, going back to a period that is defined, in as far as style is concerned, for fun and frivolity. "When the future is uncertain, our behavior automatically leads us to take refuge in moments of the past and calm the feeling of anxiety with reference points that we already know," explains trend analyst Marie-Michèle Larivée. “Over the last few years we have witnessed the resurgence of each and every decade: the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. Today fashion has turned around almost biting its tail. I think that the new generations are obsessed with the present aesthetics before their future generated so much anxiety”.

There is something incredibly powerful about nostalgia, especially when we face the toughest of situations. “I remember the first 2000 very well,” recalls Ono. “I was in my twenties, so that era has always inspired my makeup. Especially now, when it comes to working with a female rapper, I draw a lot from female rappers from the 2000s. I'm happy that it's in style right now, especially all those browns and silvers.”

Larivée also attributes the resurgence of the 2000s aesthetic to the rise of second-hand clothing platforms like Depop and Vestiaire Collective, offering stylish relics of the past at affordable prices, as well as sustainable options for increasingly engaged consumers.

How will this trend evolve?

The growing obsession with the 2000s will only increase as we head into summer, but there will certainly be an emphasis on making changes to modernize it. “It's important to work with my clients to get them closer to the look they want, and then modernize it from there,” says Friedmam. Strong highlights are a good example of something that wouldn't necessarily be cool today, but if we keep the contrast of colors updating the technique to add some softness and mix them better, the essence of the style remains, but in a cool and current".