From the defined plum cupids bows of the 1920s to bold Cara Delevigne-esque brows that were everywhere in the 2010s to the heavy contouring (as seen on the Kardashians) that have captured hearts of influencers everywhere in the 2020s, it's clear that beauty trends are constantly evolving.
"While many looks stand the test of time, TikTok and Instagram means that there are now new trends that take the world by storm almost every week," explains Nicola Moulton, Editorial Director at Beauty Pie. To discover the skincare, makeup, body care and haircare trends that we were all hooked on in 2022, the subscription based e-tailers analysed millions of data points to create a report of the most popular trends. By totalling the number of TikTok hashtag views, Pinterest boards, Instagram hashtags, and the annual Google search volume for each of the trends, the study they conducted shows Wolf Cuts (with a total of 1.9 billion engagements across social and Google), Graphic Eyeliner (1.6 billion) and Mewing (1.5 billion) were the three biggest beauty trends of 2022 overall.
Beauty trends are evolving quicker than ever with the advent of social media
Top 10 beauty trends of 2022:
- Wolf Cut 1,901,338,504 (engagements)
- Graphic Eyeliner 1,600,300,338
- Mewing 1,500,265,231
- Skin Barrier 1,500,225,656
- Brow Lamination 1,303,579,028
- Mermaid Hair Colour 771,705,913
- Niacinamide 655,606,020
- Slugging 493,556,963
- Lash Serum 418,555,028
- Copper Hair 356,147,706
Wolf Cut
The modern style has been championed by Nicola Peltz recently and it one of the most exciting trends to come out of 2022. "With over 1.9 billion TikTok views, 95,503 Instagram posts, over 1.2 million global Google searches in the last year, and over 1,000 Pinterest boards - the ‘wolf cut’ has been the biggest beauty trend of 2022," explains Nicola. "It’s basically the younger and less rebellious sister of the mullet - offering trendsetters an edgy, shaggy hairdo without feeling quite as extreme. The wolf cut has been seen on A-listers like Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish, Keke Palmer and many more, as well as featuring in the likes of Stranger Things - famous for revisiting the 80s and 90s aesthetic."
Nicola Peltz is a fan of the wolf cut
Graphic Eyeliner
"Although eyeliner will never go out of fashion, this year we’ve come a long way from the chic feline flick - and the world has instead been obsessing over graphic eyeliner," reveals Nicola, "This trend is all about using liquid or kohl liner to create shapes and designs that emphasise your eyes by making a statement rather than traditionally elongating their shape. This bold makeup trend has been viewed 1.6 billion times on TikTok and posted on Instagram nearly 275,000 times."
Mewing
"If you want to change the shape of your face and jawline without cosmetic surgery, then mewing is for you," says Nicola, "This trend involves placing your tongue in the roof of your mouth to create a more defined bone structure. With over 1.52 billion TikTok views, the trend took off when Bella Hadid said that she practises it when posing for the paparazzi to ensure she looks photogenic."
Skin Barrier
"#SkinBarrier content has been watched 1.5 billion times on TikTok, as people learn how their skin barrier acts as a protective shield that keeps the bad stuff from entering your skin, while sealing in the good stuff," explains Nicola, "It can become damaged by external aggressors like overly stripping the oils from your skin by using too many harsh chemicals, as well internal factors like extreme stress and an imbalance of hormones."
Brow Lamination
"Sounds scary, but thankfully has absolutely nothing to do with hot plastic," explains Hello! Fashion's Orin Carlin about Brow Lamination, "As seen on the likes of Dua Lipa and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, a.k.a brow royalty, the semi-permanent treatment straightens and lifts the natural hairs to give the appearance of a fuller look. A gentle chemical solution temporarily relaxes the hairs, making them look longer and essentially achieves the TikTok soap brow effect, without a Dove bar in sight."
Mermaid Hair
"Experimental hair colours are all over our social media feeds," Nicola explains, "The hair colour trend of the moment: mermaid. From pastel pink, green and purple tones to vibrant blue hues - the under-the-sea hype has been watched nearly 772 million times on TikTok alone."
Niacinamide
"Niacinamide (vitamin B3) is a key ingredient for strengthening the skin’s barrier (another trend we’ve seen) and boosts elasticity for a youthful glow, and with nearly 655 million views on TikTok, let’s hope this trend stays with us for the long haul," says Nicola.
Slugging
According to Beauty Pie the skin slugging trend has 493.5 million views on TikTok. "The simplest way to describe slugging is a skincare step in which you use a petroleum based/type product over the whole skin as your last night-time step in your routine,” Orin explains, "This would be after your usual skincare products (although it's advisable to take out any targeted blemish treatments or facial oils on the nights that you "slug"). This technique supports the skin barrier by locking in the skincare products you use, and it can be very effective in protecting from TEWL (Transepidermal Water Loss)."
Lash Serum
"While serums will have various levels of effect on individuals, many lash serums have been tested over months to ensure the best results to improve growth and volume," explains Hello!'s Sophie Bates, "Some of the top serums are infused with ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, collagen and vitamins - targeting lashes from the root to nourish and strengthen the hair for visible improvements."
Copper Hair
"In the last six months, copper hair has been everywhere. Kendall Jenner went auburn ahead of Milan Fashion Week, and it seems she convinced a lot of people to join her on the more fiery side of life," Nicola tells us, "Our research found that on Instagram alone, there are almost 1.5 million posts of people showing off their copper hair, while the trend has 354,600,000 views on TikTok."
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