A huge part of my job is dedicated to deciphering which beauty trends are truly worth the hype and decoding exactly what it is about them that means they’re going to have widespread appeal. Sure, there are certain looks that won’t be for everyone—2021 has already seen the return of the mullet, glitter eye shadow and cow-print nails—but even these more niche beauty moments will be worth the buzz due to the way that they can act as a window into the nation’s psyche at any given time. After all, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to work out that a difficult 18 months might have left some of us seeking a return to simpler times—and ’80s power haircuts and childhood nail polish can undoubtedly provide nostalgic relief.
However, while I tend to look to facialists, hairstylists and makeup artists for hot takes on what beauty looks we can expect to trend each season, the predictions that they make are often based on wider industry trends and seasonal moments like fashion week but ignore the fact that the UK isn’t a homogenous population. In fact, while the differences from town to town can be subtly nuanced, city to city, there can be vast contrasts in the types of beauty trends that you’ll spot on the local streets.
This is why I decided to call on five content creators and influencers from across the UK to give me their honest takes on the regional beauty trends that are taking off right now. Covering Brighton, London, Manchester, Belfast and Edinburgh, I spanned the nation to uncover what makeup, hair and skincare trends the locals are embracing. And while there are some similarities, it’s interesting to see that some cities are all about the bold eye shadow looks while others are shunning makeup altogether and embracing natural skin looks.
Ahead, keep scrolling for the biggest regional beauty trends right now.
