Editor’s Note: Beauty Without Permission

As the year comes to a close, the beauty conversation always turns to the same things: trends for the year ahead, and everything we’re supposedly “leaving behind.” What’s overdone. What’s overhyped. What people are tired of seeing.  And every year, I find myself coming back to the same two thoughts.

First: every trend is cyclical.

Second: none of this matters if you feel good doing what you’re doing.

We’ve seen it happen over and over again. Something is the thing, then suddenly it’s “out.” Years go by, and then—surprise—it’s back again.

Right now, we’re deep in a 2000’s revival.  Makeup, fashion, even brands that were once considered dull or outdated are suddenly popular again.

That’s just how trends work—and why beauty self-expression should never be dictated by what’s currently popular.

So if you love something, keep doing it. Even if people say it’s overused. Even if it’s overhyped. Even if it’s fallen out of favor online.

If it’s stuck for you—if you feel beautiful wearing it—then continue to do it because even when something falls out of style, it almost always becomes relevant again.

I remember my mom telling me that trends came back every 20 to 25 years. With social media, that timeline feels much shorter. Ten years later, something is already being reintroduced as new again.

We’re already seeing that shift in the beauty space. People are now talking about 2016 makeup being back in style. Full makeup is creeping back in. Cut creases. Contour. Bronzer. Strong brows. Liquid lipstick. The works.

And honestly, I knew that was going to happen.

So for the beauties who never let that strong brow or serious liquid lip go—you’re back in fashion again.

I mean beauty, at its core, isn’t about keeping up anyway. It’s about personal beauty—what feels right for you, what makes you confident, and what reflects who you are. The most meaningful beauty quotes aren’t about trends at all; they’re reminders to trust your own taste.

Beauty is personal, specific, and fluid. The way you relate to it changes. From your teens, to your thirties, to different life stages, to different skin, different priorities—beauty evolves. And it’s supposed to.

Plus, you’re spending your money, your time, and your energy on it. And if it doesn’t make you feel good—or feel like you—then it’s simply not serving its purpose. Right?!

So as we move into a new year, this is my final message:

Do what you want with beauty.
Do what you like.
Wear what makes you feel like yourself.

Go into the next year thinking about beauty in its truest form—how it helps you look and feel your most beautiful. That’s it. That’s the message.

xoHanya