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What does the future of makeup look like after the pandemic?

How the pandemic has changed our relationship with makeup? Here's what the experts predict.
Future of makeup/beauty
Many of us have leaned in to a more natural look during the pandemic, but will that last? TODAY Illustration / Getty Images
/ Source: TODAY

There's no doubt about it: The pandemic has changed the way many of us approach our makeup routine. But after a year and a half of wearing a mask and/or hibernating at home, the world is slowly opening up once again. TMRW was curious to know: What sort of impact will that have on our relationship with makeup?

So we reached out to some top beauty experts to take a look back at the changes that led us to this moment and get their predictions on what the next era of makeup may look like.

How the pandemic changed our approach to wearing makeup

When the pandemic hit, our social calendars were suddenly empty and we were forced to spend a whole lot of time at home. So most of us (though not all!) took advantage of that social lull to give our makeup brushes a break.

"The pandemic has certainly made us more minimal in our makeup routines. I personally went long stretches without makeup and I got used to seeing myself with less on. The time at home prompted us to think more about skin care and about our self-care routines," Danielle Kimiko Vincent, celebrity makeup artist, brow expert and founder of Kimiko Beauty, told us.

Many of us have taken a "less is more" approach to makeup recently and when we have broken out our beauty bag, we've been focused on looking more polished than glam.

"It has been all about the simple look as it is now all about makeup for Zoom. The pandemic has made us appreciate the of idea of wanting to get things done faster and being more efficient when it comes to makeup application," said Sharon Chuter, CEO, founder and creative director of the Black-owned beauty brand UOMA Beauty.

While makeup hasn't been a major daily priority during the pandemic, many have come to appreciate the joy of getting all dolled up more than before, which has led to a lot of experimentation.

"There are pockets of experimentation and an embrace of social media makeup trends. For so many people, makeup is a positive tool for being adventurous and creative. There has been more time at home to practice experimental looks and use bold colors," said the executive director of the Makeup Museum in New York City, Doreen Bloch.

Our focus on eye makeup will continue, even as masks come off

On those rare occasions when we did venture out in public over the past year, masks were almost always a requirement, and makeup lovers certainly got creative to help them show off their facial features that were on display. While lipsticks took a break, eye and brow makeup took center stage.

"I think we have realized how impactful our ‘high-contrast areas,' like lashes and brows, can be, especially when masked," Vincent said.

And a lot of beauty lovers aren't in a rush to show off their pout.

"With so much uncertainty still at this stage of the pandemic and mask mandates still common in many parts of the country, lip color has not yet reintegrated to be a consistent part of the daily makeup wardrobe, while eyes are consistently featured and an opportunity to evoke more expression and creativity through makeup," Bloch said.

Still, lipstick will always hold a special place in beauty lovers' hearts, and it's definitely not the end of the bold lip era.

"Makeup is kind of like a collector’s item, no matter how many lipsticks you have that just sit there unused, people are still going to buy more because of the instant gratification they get applying it, even if it’s just once," makeup artist Cara Lovello said.

Inclusivity will remain a huge topic in the beauty industry

For several years, consumers have been urging makeup brands to release products in a broader range of shades for different skin tones. In the past year, they also began pressuring them to support causes that call for inclusivity. The industry has made great strides as a whole, but there's always room for improvement and the experts TMRW spoke with agreed that inclusivity will continue to be an important topic for makeup fans.

"What I love most about this is that consumers are not backing down on holding big and small brands accountable when it comes to inclusivity because it is here to stay — I hope. As we saw in the '90s, there was this big push for inclusivity, and it only lasted a few years and then it was dead. I do think the exception this time is that we as a beauty community are more determined to keep it going, as the conversations we are having now were not very topical in the '90s," Chuter said.

Will makeup services be more or less popular moving forward?

When the pandemic initially hit, salons, spas and on-demand beauty services had to temporarily close shop. Now that life is returning slowly but surely to normal, many of us are getting that familiar itch to hire a professional makeup artist when we have a special event to attend, but TMRW was curious to know: Will consumers feel comfortable using these beauty services moving forward?

The experts we polled were somewhat divided in their predictions. Kendra Murrell, one half of the popular YouTube channel The Glam Twinz, thinks that on-demand beauty services will see a boost in popularity now that many are vaccinated and ready to put their best face forward.

"I do feel that these services will be more in demand. Beauty isn’t everyone’s forte and people enjoy getting pampered. I also think that people who have been doing their own (makeup) may be getting tired of doing it themselves and won’t mind paying to treat themselves," she said.

On the other hand, her sister and fellow YouTuber, Kelsey Murrell, thinks that people have become more experienced while experimenting at home and wonders whether they'll even feel the need to hire a professional anymore.

"During the pandemic, most of us were forced to learn to do things on our own, which is a good thing!" she said. "I feel that many will come to grips. Why pay someone to do something that you can do for yourself? I don’t feel that some of these services will be in high demand."

Is our relationship with makeup forever changed?

Will most of us go for a more natural look now or will our love affair with bold makeup make a comeback?

YouTuber Daisy Marquez said the past year and a half gave us the opportunity to get more comfortable seeing ourselves look more natural. "I personally fell more in love with soft glam and natural skin as it became more trendy during the pandemic," she said.

But while many of us have adopted a "less is more" approach to makeup in our daily lives, most of the makeup artists we spoke with agreed that glam looks will always be popular.

"I think that makeup, just like fashion, will return, if not just for a night out or special event, because it is fun and we love the escapism and play. But I do think our everyday routines will remain lower key for a little while," Vincent said.

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