Millennials assemble, it’s 2023 and our the ‘00s revival is still going strong. It was something of a golden era – a time spent swooning over The Hills, forever readjusting our low-slung jeans and Blu Tack-ing posters of Chad Michael Murray to our walls. And then there were the beauty trends, some of which were decidedly questionable and - as many Millennials will agree - much less worth revisiting.
Let's take a stroll along make-up's memory lane. There was the '00s penchant for purple eyeshadow, frequently teamed with a heavy wash of magenta blush à la Britney Spears. Avril Lavigne made a case for emo make-up (in all its dark, smudged-up glory) and bright white eyeshadow adored the inner corner of just about every celebrity eye upon the red-carpet. Arguably, the crème de la crème of all ‘00s beauty looks? Foundation lips. Beloved by stars like Rihanna and teenagers the world over the trend saw the masses take that nude lipstick trend to the next level with a generous daubing of concealer or foundation - a statement-making stand-in for lipstick. While nobody cried 'fail!' at the time, a quick look back at high school photo albums is all it takes for the former foundation lip wearers among us to cringe out our regret.
Well, news just in. If 2023 'it' girl Sofia Richie's latest TikTok is to be believed, Gen Z may be gearing up for a foundation lips revival.
Watch: Sofia Richie Is Bringing Back Concealer Lips
A moment, first, for Richie herself. If anyone has the power to bring back foundation lips, it’s this newly-wed. Whether it’s her viral milky pink manicure or the peach-toned balm she applied on her wedding day, numerous recent beauty hashtags prove that she has form for trend-setting.
That said, as much as I appreciate Richie's contributions to the beauty arena and l_ove_ a multipurpose make-up product, I'm unlikely to be revisiting foundation lips any time soon. Richie's TikTok took me straight back to a time when I'd routinely apply chalky layers of Maybelline's Dream Matte Mousse to my desert-dry lips while getting ready for a night out. I'd top the look off with a requisite slick of a Lancôme Juicy Tube, a '00s mainstay that Millennials continue to use today.
In her GRWM video Richie says, ‘I want to show you the lip combo that I have been absolutely obsessed with for this fall. I use the YSL Lip Combo in Candy Glaze in shade 15 and 14. They are absolutely stunning. I'm going to start with shade 14, which is a bit darker. Next, I apply 15 which is a bit lighter and I’ll just put that right over. What I love about these products is that they are so hydrating - they're so lightweight and they're easy to carry around.'
The results? A warm, nude-toned lip that appears glossy and hydrated. But it's what Richie does next that brings it all back. The star adds a ‘tiny, tiny drop of concealer’ to the centre of her top and bottom lip to lend dimension and shade on the illusion of plumpness. The technique looked pretty effective on camera and a world away from the colour-block effect we aimed for in the '00s. Considering giving it a go? Remember that less is more and you can achieve a similar effect without reaching for your concealer - just dot a little lip gloss (ideally a pale, shimmery shade) to the centre of both lips to fake a fuller look.
This is far from Richie’s first foray into the world of ‘00s beauty trends. In June she was pictured at a Chanel dinner sporting a side parting - a hairstyle long deemed 'uncool' by Gen Z. Comments ranged from ‘Guess I need a side part again now, to 'Sofia Richie wore a side part, so I wore a side part,' proving that social media is consistently influenced by the star.
Her followers leapt into the comments section with similar reactions when she debuted her concealer lips. ‘GIRLLLLLLLLLS,' wrote one, 'She’s bringing foundation lips back!' while another described how she was 'crying in millennial.' But whatever your take on this look, one thing is for certain - if Richie says they're in, then a foundation lips revival is almost certainly upon us. Brace yourselves Millennials, it's happening.
Shop: Sofia's '00s Lip Products
www.sephora.co.uk
Currently sold-out the world over (that's the Sofia effect) you'll want to bookmark this page so you can shop YSL's Rouge Volupte Candy Glaze as soon as it comes back in stock.
www.sephora.co.uk
Soft, sheer and comfortable to wear, just a slick of this nourishing lipstick will provide a your-lips-but-better sheen. Bonus points, as it plays well with all skintones
www.lookfantastic.com
We can make an educated guess that Sofia's concealer of choice wasn't our beloved Dream Matte Mousse. Instead, it's highly likely it was YSL's latest launch - the brands All Hours Concealer. Full-coverage and matte, it's made for hours of comfortable wear.
Main image credit: TikTok @sofiarichiegrainge