2012 was certainly full of newsworthy stories ranging from the awfulness of Hurricane Sandy to the Re-election of our President, and ridiculously uninteresting beginnings and endings of a few well publicized celebrity marriages. So it may be a tad embarrassing for me to even ponder on the the best and worst beauty trends of the year…but I am going to do it anyway. I mean, for a makeup artist and beauty editor it’s kind of a like a dangling carrot is it not?
Best
Textured Nails
Everyone is fairly obsessed with nails these days, and even though I am not a change my mani regularly type of girl I did love the textured nail trends that were turning up on just about every Pinterest board around. In particular the Ciate’ caviar mani that we posted on in the early summer was one of the best. These nail looks were perfect for the red carpet or any special occasion but DIY’ers turned this look into an everyday sensation.
Vibrant Lips
Vibrant lips were all the rage, in the summer it was about fuchsia and coral and in the winter it became all about Bordeaux and deep cherry red. I admit it was definitely refreshing to see a wider palette than mauve and nude-beige showing up everywhere from the red carpet to major magazines, bloggers and even those cool girls at the grocery store… I say Live and Let Lipstick!
Top Knots
It’s no secret that I am a fan of this do’. I think I spent half of the summer without ever seeing my hair down or blow dried. The top knot was resurrected from its late 70’s slump and given a fresh spin that looked as perfect in casual clothes as it did in evening wear. I for one hope this look stretches through 2013 perhaps with a few updates… like the back braid into a bun.
Worst
Neon Ombre’ Streaks
I am all for a little burst of color in the hair, but let’s face it, if it’s not done with a bit of discretion it ends up looking rather like a skittle exploded on your head instead of pretty tinted locks. Even though droves of companies flocked to get their version on the shelves, I say stick to the classic pastels like pink, blue and purple they are far more flattering.
Giant Hair Bows and Fake Wigs
Don’t get me wrong I love a little hair adventure just as much as the next girl, but doesn’t it feel that everyone is trying to outdo Lady Gaga these days? When Tallia Storm stepped out on the red carpet wearing a hair bow three times the size of her head and Nicki Minaj donned a confection of cotton candy inspired hair at the VMA’s that was the piece that tumbled my beauty jenga… I can only pray that 2013 will hold far better hair looks for the defenseless viewing public.
Stiletto Nails
I’m not going to lie, there is something so French and so alluring about this trend when done right, but when it’s done wrong it’s nothing short of scary. Like, gouge your own eye out scary. And when it’s mixed and matched with a variety of bad nail art the results send shivers down ones spine. I say keep it classy Stiletto girls…
Wishing you a very Happy New Year!
