posted on: October 18, 2024
If you remember the days of cut creases, full-face contouring, and makeup dupes, then you probably also remember the days of “beauty tube” (a.k.a. makeup YouTube). YouTube was instrumental in teaching people the art of makeup application, and beauty slang grew from this tutorial era.
Here are some popular beauty slang terms that were trending at the time:
- Baking—a technique of layering translucent powder over foundation and concealer for several minutes to allow the heat from your skin to set it.
- A beat-down or beat face—flawless, full-face makeup application that looks great from every angle.
- Giving life—when makeup looks so good that it (figuratively) gives your life meaning.
- On fleek—used as a reference to perfectly arched brows, but also can be used to describe any part of makeup that is well done.
- Sickening—a playful metaphor suggesting that when someone looks so good, it makes you sick.
- Strobing—referring to the technique of using nothing more than highlighter.
These days, beauty tube has been replaced with influencers and sponsored videos on TikTok and Instagram, and today’s generation is more skilled than ever. Gen Z loves a full face of makeup; an adolescent fascination that is nothing new. Makeup is a way to express yourself, experiment, rebel, and feel like a grown-up. But for this generation, it’s different.
According to data from the influencer marketing platform Kolsquare, the average age of TikTok users in the US is between 11 and 24 years old, and they devote an average of 80 minutes a day to it.1 With all this time spent on social media, Gen Z has garnered in-depth knowledge on everything from technique and ingredients to the proper tools and tricks of the trade.
Foresight and analyst company, The Future Laboratory, first observed this behavior in skin care before it extended to makeup. They referred to it as “accredited beauty,” since it emphasizes the importance of being knowledgeable, scientific, and even somewhat medical when it comes to skin care and beauty techniques.2
As people get older, they tend to streamline their makeup routines, and Gen Z may be no different. Even so, baking and strobing are still a big deal in the beauty industry, and it’s important for estheticians to keep up with the trends. In a world where Gen Z has been known to kill off brands and styles, staying ahead of the curve is key.
NOTES
1. https://english.elpais.com/lifestyle/2024-01-28/why-is-gen-z-so-obsessed...
2. https://www.ft.com/content/c2560e63-b7ed-4d37-b24c-a313c4a314bc
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