After the latest Academy Awards, there’s been some controversy stirring online about our A-list stars’ current looks. Popular actresses like Anne Hathaway, Gwenyth Paltrow and Nicole Kidman all showed up looking beautiful, but their stunning faces almost seemed identical.
A plastic surgery specialist interviewed by The Chosun Daily noticed that most of the characteristics shared between the three women followed a youthful, natural look highlighting their eyes, smooth cheeks and sharp jawline. Some of these small adjustments have come to be known as “tweakments.” This raises the question: why has the beauty standard changed so much in only a decade?
Earlier this year, influencers and online communities were coining 2026 as the new 2016. Music like “Lush Life” by Zara Larsson is trending again, and it seems like everyone is searching for the fun and worry-free attitude they used to have. However, the one thing that stands out between 2026 and 2016 is the beauty standard. 2016 was the year of intense eye makeup, dark lip colors, and bold contour. In 2026, we seem to have evolved (or devolved) into a much more simplistic style.
With celebrities like Kylie Jenner being many girls’ inspiration, makeup looks were focused on sharp, defined lines and noticeably dramatic eye looks. Now, when we look at makeup, the “clean girl” epidemic has taken over. Girls focus on looking natural, youthful and glowy. That’s why when we look at celebrities now, women of all ages are aiming to present as young and bright.
But why is getting old such a bad thing? So many women can look at their mother or grandmother and see themselves and the beauty of where their life came from. There’s been conversation online about if female celebrities are “aging gracefully” or exactly the opposite. Our bodies weren’t meant to be a fountain of youth forever, and there is a beautiful realness to going gray or having wrinkles.
With the “New Hollywood Face” marking an era in what kind of beauty earns a place on the runway, it’s incredibly important to remember that aging isn’t a sign of lesser beauty, but a sign of all that you have accomplished in your life. Growing old and looking it shouldn’t be portrayed as taboo, but with A-list celebrities all promoting this new look it can be hard to remember how a real 40 or 50-year-old woman looks.
We’ve found ourselves in a time where minimalistic looks are ruling the red carpets, media and television. I won’t be rooting against this trend, because I’m personally a fan of this style, but promoting youth and anti-aging as part of the campaign is where I find fault. Will we ever go back to 2016’s dramatic, contoured matte style? Probably not, but the internet is known to recycle old trends so maybe we’ll find ourselves back there in 2027.