It was the year of the half-knot, of hoverboards and pink hair—but now, with New Year’s Eve just days away, is the time to consider the bold beauty ideas that we’ll be trying next year. Our bet? That 2016 will be a year that celebrates individuality, one that calls for an unorthodox approach—think strong statement lips and daring short cuts. From shimmering blue shadow to off-kilter bangs, here are the 10 emerging trends you'll be seeing in the months ahead.
Photographed by Phil Oh1/10Shades of Blue
This fall, a bright pop of blue proved its versatility on models like Tami Williams (above), who wore her dramatic teal shadow straight off Maison Margiela's runway—and the look shows no sign of slowing down. From a painterly stroke of pigment to a thin electric rimming of pencil, the new blue is, above all, wearable.
Photo: Indigitalimages.com2/10Beyond the Bob
Call it the Mad Max effect: After Charlize Theron debuted a transformative buzz in the film, super-short cuts showed up everywhere, from model Kris Gottschalk’s shaved head to Zendaya’s faux pixie at the BET Awards. Next stop, the street.
Photographed by Fumi Nagasaka3/10Statement Lips
When Lupita Nyong’o appeared on the Star Wars red carpet this month with a metallic blue lip—Rihanna meets Prada Spring 2016—it signaled that unconventional colors might soon be anything but.
Photographed by Phil Oh4/10The Single Braid
This spring, hair will be slicked tight and plaited down the back in the go-anywhere, do-anything style that was spotted all over the Spring 2016 runways.
Photo: Indigitalimages.com5/10Keeping It Real
Zendaya’s call to end airbrushing. Amy Schumer's pop-cultural takeover. The squad of “real girls” that walked the Balenciaga runway. There's a movement to embrace imperfection and let the individual shine through that we hope to see more of next year.
Photographed by Phil Oh6/10Au Naturel
It's time to stop fighting your natural texture, as a new wave of models, actresses, and street style stars are fighting to let their curls fly free. Exhibit A: Maria Borges’s boundary-breaking ’fro in this year's Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
Photographed by Sofia Malamute7/10Independent Spirit
Fueled by social media and an underground DIY attitude that thrives, a new makeup movement is gathering steam as men and women paint their lips and lids to please themselves—think the fun-loving club kids from Pat McGrath’s riotous Brooklyn takeover, but for everyday.
Photographed by Phil Oh8/10Say Yes to Bangs
From Alicia Vikander’s sleek microbangs on Vogue’s January cover to Kiki Willems’s (above) frenetic strands, here’s to off-kilter fringe that helps you stand out from the crowd.
Photo: Indigitalimages.com9/10Return of the Bombshell
Adriana Lima for Marc Jacobs. Irina Shayk at Diane von Furstenberg. Gigi Hadid everywhere. The ’90s bombshell body will be back in a big way, as more designers embrace the universal power of strong, athletic curves.
Photographed by Magda Wosinska10/10The New Age Movement
Dipping a toe into New Age beauty will be easier than ever, from drop-in meditation studios to a balancing amethyst fragrance—after all, where there’s a Goop, there’s a way.
