While the fresh-faced, minimalist look has dominated in recent years, a vibe shift is coming, driven by a desire for individuality, playfulness and a rejection of perfection.
"2026 will signal a major turning point for make-up aesthetics,” Megan Bang, Beauty Strategist at trend forecaster WGSN tells Cosmetics Business.
The popularity of ‘clean girl’ has declined 60.8%, according to data from beauty and wellness platform Fresha.
TikTok views for #cleangirlaesthetic peaked in mid-2023, with #cleanbeauty also plateauing, and the platform noted zero growth for the term via Google searches.
A recent backlash against Pantone’s predicted colour of the year – Cloud White – also demonstrates how the tide is turning towards colour, rather than away.
“It is driven by a key consumer sentiment that WGSN defines as ‘play power’, a concept that speaks to how consumers crave playing with their beauty as a means of self-discovery,” adds Bang.
The trend forecaster has also identified “Unserious Everything” as a 2026 macro trend across industries.
An evolution of “glimmers” – a term referring to small moments of joy in everyday life – the trend takes it “one step further into the subversive, irreverent and laugh-out-loud territory”.
“In a world of overwhelming stress and tension, consumers are seeking powerful tools for emotional release and moments of self-care,” according to WGSN’s report.
Rejection of perfection
Against a backdrop of seemingly non-stop political and economic woes (which show little sign of improving anytime soon), it is no wonder we are looking for ways to brighten up our lives.
The emergence of the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic was of its moment, but times have changed.
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