As it turns out, many of the pundits’ predictions for 2020 beauty trends have turned out to be all wrong, because COVID-19 upended everyone’s social lives – and when our social lives went out the window, so did our beauty regiments. Now that we’re all trying to get things back on track, a glaring question remains: Is beauty even remotely important if you’re hiding your face behind a mask?
The answer: of course it is.
On one hand, you can safely ignore all those beauty bloggers’ beginning-of-the-year predictions for what the top-selling lip colors would be in 2020. But on the other hand, the beauty industry isn’t totally dead in the water. Some clear beauty trends have emerged as this year is unfolding, including the following:
1. Cosmetic surgery is as popular as ever
Demand for cosmetic surgery was trending up before the Coronavirus became a crisis, and it still remains strong afterwards. In particular, Botox and breast augmentation procedures remain popular and highly sought after.
The COVID-induced lockdowns also affected men’s self-perception. Sizable numbers of Australian men couldn’t get to the gym to work off all the beers and takeaway meals they overindulged in whilst stuck at home. News.com.au reports that many of these guys are now actively seeking ways to fix their man boobs. As a result, Cosmos Clinic has seen a corresponding boost in new appointments for male liposuction procedures.
2. Dramatic eye makeup
While sales of many cosmetic products have been trending down in the recent past, eye makeup has proven to be more resilient.
Perhaps you want to look vibrant for your latest Zoom meeting; or maybe your eyes are going to be the only facial feature that’s visible behind your mask. Either way, dramatic eye makeup is the ticket to drawing attention to your eyes.
Go for mascara on both the upper and lower lashes, along with a sweep of eyeliner in a shade that complements your skin tone, eye color and hair color. Many women are opting to finish the look with colorful shades of eye shadow, although a more neutral look would also be refreshing.
3. Lovely soaps
Since COVID-19 became an issue, everyone has been a bit more obsessed with cleanliness than usual. Along with rising sales of hand sanitisers, latex gloves and cleaning wipes, there has also been an increase in demand for beautiful soaps.
4. ‘Maskne’ treatments
Compulsory mask wearing has proven to be an unfortunate situation for many people whose skin is prone to breakouts. However, the beauty industry has responded to the market demand for “maskne treatments” that help to cleanse the face and minimise the breakouts resulting from prolonged mask contact.
5. DIY manicure products
People haven’t stopped wanting great looking hands and nails. DIY manicure products filled the void that was left when manicurists closed their doors during the lockdowns. People realised that they can apply their own cuticle creams, hand lotions and nail polishes inexpensively at home. It isn’t quite the same as getting a manicure from a salon, but it beats neglecting your hands all together.
These are 5 of the most important beauty trends that are emerging in the aftermath of COVID-19. We are approaching our beauty routines somewhat differently now. However, there can be no doubt that looking our best is still a high priority for many of us.