August 10, 2021
NewsY2K is one of the biggest trends right now. Whether it’s fashion or beauty, everyone is talking about the trends that dominated the early 2000s. Whether it’s nostalgia for millennials or discovering trends for the first time, Y2K is one aesthetic that we’re seeing everywhere. Everyone from beauty editors to celebrities and influencers are rocking the Y2K trends. Whether it’s space buns, thin brows, or ombre lips, it’s time to shake up your beauty routine with a touch of Y2K.
We’re deep diving into the world of Y2K to see what all the hype is about and the trends that everyone is talking about. Spoiler alert: it’s more than just an aesthetic, it’s a way of life.
Close your eyes and think of Paris Hilton partying with Lindsey Lohan and Britney Spears, the early days of reality TV and Bratz dolls. That’s the Y2K trend. This aesthetic is more like a way of life, blending together everything that made the early-2000s distinctively different than the years before it. Whether it’s bringing back flip phones, pop culture films, or fashion trends – Y2K is making us all nostalgic for the past. If you’ve been holding onto your velour Juicy Couture tracksuit and bright pink lipsticks, now is the time to bring them back into your closet.
The Y2K trend takes its inspiration from the pop culture icons of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Everyone from Mean Girls to Carrie Bradshaw and your favourite Bratz dolls can be your beauty and style muse for the Y2K trend.
This aesthetic and trend is everywhere that you look on social media. Whether it’s Instagram pages with hundreds of thousands of followers or trending hashtags on TikTok, everyone is talking about Y2K.
Are you looking for celebrity inspiration that blends the Y2K look with a contemporary feel? Celebrities like Lizzo, Megan Thee Stallion, Barbie Ferreira, and Bella Hadid are becoming the faces of the aesthetic.
When we’re talking about Y2K trends, it’s easy to get caught up in the clothes and accessories that are synonymous with the era. If you want to experiment with the aesthetic without buying a whole new closet, your beauty routine is the perfect place to start. We’re looking at some of the biggest Y2K hair and beauty trends that are easy to incorporate into your beauty routine. Whatever your style is, you can make this aesthetic work for you.
Beauty trends for the Y2K aesthetic as easy to identify. It’s all about keeping your beauty routine light-hearted and having fun with it. Unlike modern makeup, it’s not as much about contouring or trying to have the perfect makeup look. Y2K beauty is all about experimenting with colour, details, and playing with texture. Just think of the over-the-top French manicure with crystal embellishments that every celebrity had in the early 2000s.
When it comes to hair trends for the Y2K aesthetic, it’s all about the accessories. It’s time to dig around your vanity in search of the claw clips and scrunchies that you used to wear. Don’t be afraid to make a statement with accessories or trying hairstyles like mini pigtails. One part of the Y2K hair trend is colour – making as much of a statement as possible. Chunky highlights and streaks of colour are a Y2K alternative to the balayage that has become increasingly popular in recent years.
If you’re thinking of playing with colours, you can experiment with the pigment and placement of your highlights for a custom look that channels your personality.
For Y2K makeup, it’s all about bringing back the look of our favourite early-2000s movie stars. You want to experiment with hues of pale pink and baby blue, glossy lips, and thin brows. These trends might seem a world away from what we were wearing only a year ago, but its resurgence comes in perfect time for a post-pandemic makeover.
The focus of your Y2K makeup should be bright-white eyes, using them as the focal point of your look. It’s not just about brightening your eyes, but your lips and hair as well. Don’t be afraid to experiment with the colour contrasting that was synonymous with the early-2000s. Metallic-blue eyeshadow with a bold red lip is one look that everyone has to try at least once. Nothing screams early-2000s more than colour.
If you’re not in the loop, it can be easy to feel like the Y2K aesthetic has appeared out of nowhere. With the trauma and chaos of the last year, it’s no surprise that we’re looking to the happy days of the past for inspiration. The early-2000s were a time of fun and frivolity. We’ve seen other decades make a resurgence in fashion and beaty trends – including every decade from the ’60s to the ‘90s. There’s a long-held belief that trends work on twenty-year cycle, meaning the resurgence of the Y2K aesthetic is right on time.
Gen Z and Millennials are the driving force behind the Y2K trend. The older demographic is falling into the nostalgic of their teenage years, while Gen Z are experiencing these trends for the first time. With the future looking uncertain, it’s no surprise that we’re looking to the past for our hair and beauty inspiration.
Another reason why the Y2K aesthetic is experiencing a resurgence is due to the popularity of second-hand shopping. The younger generations are aware of the danger of fast fashion and are taking active steps to become more sustainable with their fashion choices. The internet is full of advice on how to find hidden gems at thrift stores, with Gen Z sharing their finds on Instagram and TikTok. Pre-loved shopping platforms like Depop and Vestiaire Collective are becoming just as popular as other mainstream platforms selling fast fashion pieces.
As people rediscover the clothing trends of the early-2000s, it’s only natural that they’re looking at the beauty and hair trends of the era as well.
Not every trends sticks around forever. It would be easy to look at the Y2K aesthetic and shrug it off as a pandemic trend that might quickly disappear. In reality, we’re seeing the opposite happen as the world starts to reopen again. The obsession with the early-2000s is still going strong, continuing through the summer and into autumn. The future of the Y2K aesthetic is by taking the trends of the era and making them more contemporary.
The most popular Y2K trends are those that take aspects of the original and modernise them. While stripy and chunky highlights are a signature look of the Y2K aesthetic, they’re easily dated and don’t look contemporary. This hair trend can be modernised by switching out the highlighting technique by applying the colour in a softer way, blending it with your natural shade for a contemporary look.
You can take inspiration from Dua Lipa, who is a figurehead of the Y2K movement. She keeps her look contemporary by using bright colours in a modern way. Whether it’s lavender eyeshadow or metallic eyeliner, experimenting with colour is an easy way to take any look and give it a Y2K twist.
It’s not too late to jump on the Y2K bandwagon. Beauty industry insiders are predicting that colour will remain one of the biggest trends for hair and beauty in upcoming seasons. You can try the powder blue and lilac shades that Drew Barrymore was famous for wearing in the late-90s, or the brown lipstick shades that are both chic and Y2K at once.
We love looking to Megan Thee Stallion for inspiration for our Y2K makeup. The singer is famous for using a darker lip colour on her outer lips, before using a lighter shade on the inside of her lips – all while skipping on lipliner.
One thing we know for sure is that the Y2K beauty trends aren’t here forever. It’s the perfect time to experiment with these trends and have fun with them. The Y2K hair and beauty trends that we’re talking about today will naturally evolve into a more contemporary look.
Are you not sure where to start with Y2K trends? It’s easy to feel overwhelmed – especially with all the different trends and looks within the aesthetic. The easiest way to start is to bring more colour into your beauty routine; whether it’s with chunky highlights or a pastel eyeshadow look.
Pick up a few hair accessories and update the hair trends of the early-2000s by keeping the colour soft and blended. While blonde was one of the ‘it’ colours of the early-2000s, you can experiment with pigment and placement for a unique look. Y2K makeup is all about having fun and keeping it bright, whether it’s with a glossy lip or a touch of eyeliner.
What do you think of the Y2K aesthetic? Which hair and beauty trends are your favourite? Let us know in the comments below!
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