Just as its cherished barely-there skin tints diminish in a long-wear context, the “no-makeup makeup” trend is starting to wane. While the minimalist beauty movement (characterized by nude eyes and radiant skin) reached new heights thanks to Hailey Bieber’s versions, community-driven social media platform Reddit noted an 81% year-over-year drop in views related to “no-makeup makeup” mentions, as detailed in its inaugural beauty report, “The People’s Beauty Index,” published this month.
With over 130 million daily active users turning to Reddit for authentic (read: candid) product reviews and discussions, the platform’s recent report examined the most significant changes within its beauty-focused forums over the past year. It seems appropriate that “no-makeup makeup” is fading as shoppers increasingly recall beauty trends from 2016 that emphasized dramatic cut creases and expertly sculpted features. Beauty brands are also leaning into nostalgic revivals: This July, Milk Makeup re-released its 2016 classics — Tattoo Stamp, Eye Vinyl, and Roll + Blot — each priced at $20.16.
Despite the post-pandemic “clean girl” trend dominating the beauty landscape for several years, shoppers are once more welcoming sparkle and glamour. This revived interest in creativity is reflected in Reddit’s statistics: In r/MakeupAddiction (“r/” denotes subreddits, or specific discussion sections on Reddit), views of eye-shadow palette posts increased by 56% and tutorial conversations rose by 38%. Beauty brands are already catering to changing consumer preferences: Saie (a quintessential “clean girl” favorite) recently launched its SuperSuede Baked Eye Shadows, and Marc Jacobs Beauty introduced whimsical star-shaped single shadows for its June relaunch.
Discussions about makeup experimentation are booming on Reddit, indicating a departure from the quest for “effortless” perfection. Views on topics surrounding “pre-shower makeup” (trying bold, colorful looks just before jumping in the shower) and “playing” with makeup surged nearly 400% in the past year in r/MakeupAddiction and r/Makeup (two of Reddit’s largest makeup communities).
Reddit’s community-oriented beauty culture is also marked by a 32% decline in posts that mention terms like “fix,” “hide,” “cover,” “correct,” and “conceal.” This reduction coincides with a 220% rise in posts that use words like “embrace,” “highlight,” “enhance,” and “emphasize,” reflecting the presence of supportive online communities within popular subreddits such as r/HoodedEyes, r/ShortyNails, r/BlackHair, and r/AskWomenOver40. The gender-inclusive r/Bald community (where users discuss hair loss or the choice to shave their heads) also soared to 1.2 billion views, marking a 467% increase year-over-year.
The platform acts as a thriving center for product exploration and education, as evidenced in r/AsianBeauty, where users tout sunscreens from K-beauty brands like Beauty of Joseon, Skin1004, and Round Lab (each amassing around 700,000 to 1 million views). This online community support is translating into real-world effects on consumer confidence: The report states, “nearly 7 in 10 people feel more confident purchasing a product after reading about it on Reddit.”
Read Reddit’s comprehensive report here.
Please note: Occasionally, we utilize affiliate links on our site. This does not impact our editorial choices.
Fashionista’s audience comprises 1 million site visitors, 110,000 newsletter subscribers, and 4.74 million social media followers. Interested in reaching them? Learn more.
About the author
Catie Pusateri is a staff writer at Fashionista.
