Opinion – Viral beauty trends on TikTok have gone too far
Social media is adept at consistently making us question whether or not our appearance meets an extremely high standard, all while continuing to shove algorithmic βsamenessβ down our throats. Isnβt it time we stopped letting the Internet dictate the way we perceive our facial anatomy? Ever since TikTok took over...
Current in Fashion + Beauty
Is shopping for skincare now more complicated than ever?
The rise of no-nonsense, ingredient-focused skincare lines promised to streamline our self-care regimes. But with new product lines, formulas, and beauty trends popping up every month, has taking care of our skin become over-complicated? The beauty industry has seen massive growth over the last few years, especially in the skincare...
Opinion – Clothes should not be a legal issue in 2023
A new Wisconsin Bill marks a milestone for Indigenous students. But we should be questioning why legal intervention is necessary in the first place. Under new Assembly Bill 210, students in Wisconsin will now (legally) be allowed to wear tribal regalia β like beadwork and eagle feathers β to their...
New Yorkβs cosmetology law is breaking beauty barriers
A new requirement β that students learn to style textured hair as part of their training βΒ is signalling change for the global beauty industry.Β The beauty industry has always been somewhat of a minefield for the Black community, who often find themselves on the fringes of an ostensibly inclusive business. Despite...
Startup Sulapac develops microplastic-free packaging materials
Seeking to reduce our dependence on oil-based plastics, Sulapac is making bio-based packaging components using recycled and βside-streamedβ materials. Itβs hoped to boost fashionβs circular economy. Anyone who is even slightly into skincare will be well aware that the environmental cost of beauty cosmetics is huge. Our buy, use, and bin...
Why are toxic chemicals still in our make-up and cosmetic products?
Along with βforever chemicalsβ that will never break down in our natural environment, many beauty products still contain ingredients that disrupt our hormones and cause harm to our bodies over time. Which chemicals should we steer clear of and what is being done to make them disappear for good? Youβd...
Are AI-generated images perpetuating toxic beauty standards?
Viewing photos generated by apps like Midjourney, DALL-E, and Adobe is no longer a novelty. Could frequent exposure to highly idealised β and unrealistic β images of human beings potentially reshape societyβs beauty standards? If youβve ever toyed around with AI photo-generating apps, you may have noticed a trend emerging β especially when asking the technology to depict realistic-looking humans. The trend Iβm referring to is that all AI-generated humans seem...
The latest TikTok trend points to Gen Zβs obsession with anti-ageing
With more social media users buying into the idea that perceived flaws must be dealt with before theyβve even begun, young people have turned their attention to a new product which promises to offset any future lip creases: a straw designed to prevent wrinkles. Itβs no secret that Gen Z is obsessed with anti-ageing. Earlier this year, a 14-year-old went viral on TikTok for sharing a multi-step skincare routine with the...
London-based agency launches sustainably made edge styler
The beauty industry has become notorious for its single-use plastic problem, but one UK design agency is looking to change that with its reusable edge styling brush designed specifically for Black hair textures. A renowned London-based design agency, Blond, has just launched the Edge Slick β an innovative hair styling tool that marries form and function with sustainability. The beauty industry has become notorious for its contributions to single-use plastic waste....
Are modern-day concepts of βnaturalβ beauty a lie?
The rise of makeup-free and fresh-faced looks online and on the red carpet arenβt always the βnaturalβ vibe we believe they are. Ask the girlies anywhere and youβll hear that many of us are no longer rocking the full-face makeup that had us in a chokehold during the mid-2010s. Weβve traded HD brows, dark lipstick, heavy matte foundation, and contour for softer and more natural makeup looks that incorporate skincare-based products. The...
