With the end of the year so palpably close, a lot of big names are releasing their trend predictions for 2024. From the 2024 Instagram Trend Talk to Pinterest Predicts and r/recap on Reddit – there is a barrage of new terms, trends, and things you should know about the beauty industry before you plan your beauty campaigns for the year. Here’s a no-fluff rundown of everything that’s going to be big next year!
2024 Instagram Trend Talk
Instagram’s Trend Talk is a cumulation of all Gen Z trends across the US, UK, Brazil, India, and South Korea. It focuses on everything Gen Z – from trends in fashion to beauty, social media, dating, and more. Here are a few beauty-specific insights from his report.
- It’s all about individuality. Gen Z’s main goal is to find their signature scent this year and define their aesthetic as well as their quintessential ‘smell’. Fragrance creators are on the rise and over 1/4th of Gen Z is on the hunt for their signature scent.
- Haircare and styling is another category that is seeing a lot of movement – ‘A New Hairstyle’ was Gen Z’s favourite beauty tip from social media.
- Shaved eyebrows are out (thank god!)
- When it comes to wellness, one of Gen Z’s top priorities for next year is to “stay healthy” (work out regularly, eat healthy, etc.) and focus on informative, value-additive skincare content.
Pinterest Predicts: The Trends Of Tomorrow, Today.
Pinterest is my main source for makeup inspo and looks like it fills that gap in everyone’s lives. Their prediction focuses more on niche trends we should expect to see on social media in the coming year, instead of category-wise insights. Here are a few that you should know about.
Beauty is getting bolder, especially when it comes to hair and jewellery! Gone are the days of minimalist, aesthetic feeds – Gen Z is now opting for ‘oversized opulence’. The focus is on larger-than-life accessories (like big bows!) and sculptural jewellery that represent their personalities.
Another realm that’s having a major moment is body care. Gen Z is doubling down on the ‘experience’ of the product and investing in luxury lotions, in-home spa experiences as well as SPF.
There is also a lot of focus on ‘cores’ with Jelly Core – inspired by jellyfish and their iridescent structures, as well as Grandpa Core which focuses on anything your grandfather might approve of – from drugstore makeup finds to eccentric, retro streetwear.
Last, bows baby! Everyone seems to be absolutely loving the bows this year and Pinterest predicts that this obsession will spill into next year with GenZ embracing the art of ‘bow stacking’ wherein they adorn every element of clothing and hair with a bow.
A big colour-specific trend that’s coming back is aquamarine. I’m as surprised as you are but blue is rather timeless and Gen Z is all about finding ways to incorporate this ’60s staple into today’s beauty routines. There also seems to be a heavy focus on cool silver tones and bold chrome – they’re trading in their neutrals for a heavy metal aesthetic, especially when it comes to nails/jewellery.
r/Recap: Keeping it Dialed
One of the most popular discussion forums of the year, Reddit also has its own yearly recap that focuses on what people were talking about last year. From Grandma’s favourite hairstyle to how a Taylor Swift forum brought a family closer to each other – here’s a recap of what people were talking about on Reddit this year.
r/makeupaddiction is the #3 most-viewed community in the beauty category – a space where people can share beauty hacks and reviews as well as offer advice and communal support.
r/30PlusSkinCare saw a 69% increase in views and is the #5 most-viewed community in the beauty subcategory while r/Sephora had a 66% increase in views to become the #6 most-viewed community in the category. Seems like GenZ aren’t the only ones calling the shots now, huh!
Most Googled Trends
Apart from these predictions, it’s always good to know what people are specifically searching for when it comes to beauty trends. WWD released “Google’s Top 10 Makeup Trends of 2023” which included all the basics you loved and hated. From Hailey Bieber’s Strawberry Makeup to Lip Gloss Nails, they also included latte makeup, uncanny valley makeup, concealer lips, mocha makeup, douyin makeup (sunkissed, flushed makeup), dark lip liner as well as a pink concealer, and cold girl makeup (what Anne Hataway usually does). These were some of the most liked, viewed, shared, and recreated makeup looks in all of 2023.
As this year wraps up, it’s clear that the next is poised to be a dynamic and eclectic one in the industry. Embracing individuality and self-care, Gen Z is leading a revolution in beauty trends. I really hope this guide helps you stay ahead of the curve!
Featured Image: Instagram