Celebrating the Best Beauty Trends From The Last Ten Years

Makeup trends come and go; it’s a fact! However, now and then, a makeup look or technique will earn its place in the trending hall of fame. Some may say they're even iconic!

We’re feeling a touch nostalgic here at Superdrug right now, so we’re taking a trip down memory lane to check out some of the best makeup trends from the last 10 years. Contour palettes and kohl eyeliner at the ready!

2010: Thick Smokey Eyeliner

Thick smokey eyeliner had us all wondering in 2010 if someone was channelling their inner goth or if they were still wearing the same makeup from the night before, but no, it was just the go-to look of 2010! Created using smudgeable kohl eyeliner, it was spotted on models, pop stars and celebrities alike.

2013: No Makeup Makeup

The trends of the decade definitely swung between heavily made up to a barely their makeup routine. In 2013, people started embracing ‘no makeup makeup’, posting selfies on Insta with the hashtag #IWokeUpLikeThis. We adore the 'less is more' look and would continue to embrace this trend using high-quality skincare for a natural healthy glow and a slick of lengthening mascara.

Makeup Must-Have

Revolution Kohl Eyeliner in Black

Collection Fast Stroke Liquid Eyeliner

Get the look with:

L'Oreal Paris Paradise Tinted Water Cream

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara

2014: Contouring

Go on, admit it. We all had a go at this at one point or another! In 2014, contouring wasn’t exactly a new technique, but it was catapulted into the mainstream thanks to Kim K and her makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic. After the release of their live tutorials and Instagram ‘how-to's, it wasn’t long before we were all attempting to sculpt our faces meticulously, and the beauty aisles were overflowing with contouring kits.

2015: Instagram Makeup

It wasn’t just reality TV stars that were vying for our attention over the last decade; influencer culture also took off with unprecedented success, and let's be fair - we haven't looked back since! ‘Instagram makeup’ takes makeup perfection to a whole new level with ultra-sharp contouring, glistening highlighter and perfect brows. Instagram makeup may look flawless, but what you can’t see behind the scenes is the sheer amount of time and mind-boggling skill it takes to apply and the potential downside that what we're looking at may have a filter on it!

Stock up on:

Revolution Ultra Contour Palette

Missguided Beauty Meet Your Match Contour Stick

Create the look:

NYX Professional Makeup Born to Glow Foundation

B. Pro Contour Stick

Maybelline Falsies Mascara in Very Black

2017: K-Beauty

Trends took a little step away from makeup in 2017 and towards skincare, most notably skin care routines and products originating from South Korea. Korean skincare brands typically centre on skin products with high quality ingredients that get to the root of common skincare problems. K-Beauty introduced us to face sheet masks, the 10-step routine and essences. This is one trend we’ll welcome back any year!

2018: Beautiful Brows

We have always paid particular attention to the appearance of our brows, with tinting, waxing and threading being a regular part of many beauty routines. However, in the latter years of the decade, we have also had other options, including microblading (a semi-permanent way of tattooing on brows) and brow lamination (which give your brows a more uniform shape for an extended period of time). Nowadays, you don’t have to step into a salon to get ‘brows on fleek’ as there’s plenty of products lining the shelves at Superdrug that’ll help you get brows you’ve only dreamt of!

Add to basket:

Beauty must-haves from our K-Beauty brands:

For best brows:

Revolution Brow Soap Styler

Missguided Cosmetics Brow You Doin'? Brow Marker

e.l.f. Wow Brow Gel

2019: Dermaplaning

The final year of the decade saw many different beauty trends having their 5-minutes of fame. Lash lifts, nail art and hydra facials were all up there in terms of high search volume. However, in our forever ending search of the perfect skin treatment to rid us of dry, dull-looking skin, many of us turned to an exfoliating treatment called dermaplaning. The technique involves a doctor or licensed aesthetician gently scraping the dead skin cells from the top layer of your face using a surgical scalpel. This results? Smoother, peach-fuzz free and slightly brighter looking skin.

2020: Face Mask Makeup

Oh, 2020 … what.a.year! We won’t go into too much detail on everything that happened in 2020 (we’d be here a VERY long time), but what it did bring to the table was a shift in how we consumed beauty. So, it’s no surprise that one of the biggest beauty trends in 2020 was face mask beauty. Thanks to the compulsory wearing of face masks everywhere, the focus switched to bold, bright, and beautiful eye makeup. We embraced bright colours, elaborate lashes, and envious eyebrows. No trip to an essential shop or Zoom catch up was complete without this look!

At home essentials:

Veet Dermaplaning Sensitive Precision Face Kit

Superdrug Studio Dermaplaning Brow Facial Hair Trimmer

Face Mask Makeup Must-Haves:

Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara

NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Neon Eyeshadow Palette

That’s it for our trip down memory lane!

Who knows what the next decade will have in store for us regarding beauty trends, but we can’t wait to find out!

Shop Makeup at Superdrug

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