I hope you haven’t thrown away that old Urban Decay Naked palette.
The nostalgic palette loved by millennials in the early aughts has made its triumphant return and is being embraced by Generation Z, as the flirty trend continues and women opt for fresh, young faces with a touch of shine, to Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter.
Afterpay ambassador and fashion psychologist Shakaila Forbes-Bell said the trend had hints of nostalgia, and Urban Decay’s global art head Steve Kassajikian broke down how to try it at home.
If you want to channel your inner flirt with a touch of Y2K, here’s exactly how to do it and why it’s so popular.
The flirty trend continues and Generation Z women opt for young, fresh faces with a touch of shine, Sabrina Carpenter style
Olivia Rodrigo embraces 2000s vibes in her pop punk music, vintage clothing, and even her bright beauty looks.
Afterpay ambassador and fashion psychologist Shakaila Forbes-Bell said the flirty trend offered hints of nostalgia.
Urban Decay’s global head of art Steve Kassajikian (pictured above with Bebe Rexha) explained how to try out the makeup looks at home.
“Adopting these types of looks has its roots in psychology,” Shakaila told DailyMail.com.
‘There is a hypothesis called the baby face hypothesis and in one studyIt was found that adults who appear to have higher levels of babyfaces are perceived to cause greater competition.
“There are also benefits to adopting the kibble style and research has shown that having a baby face can change the way we are perceived and explains why we believe baby-faced people should be treated kindly.”
According to data on later paymentwhere people can purchase items immediately and pay over time, the most popular flirty makeup styles are eyeshadow sticks, lip tints, pink eyeshadow, false eyelashes and eyeliner white.
Shoppers are also fans of hyper-feminine doll lashes, bright highlighters, soft pink blush, and romantic lip tints.
On TikTok, Gen Z is embracing the flirty beauty look and making videos on how to achieve the baby-faced, doll-eyed look that Sabrina Carpenter has mastered, with lots of bright pink blush and fluttering lashes.
Influencers create beauty tutorials on how to get wide-eyed glamor and call Sabrina “the model.”
The Y2K beauty look is extremely similar to the light makeup loved by those who embrace the flirty aesthetic, just with a bit of shimmer; think of Olivia’s glow for inspiration.
Celebrity makeup artist Steve, who works with Bebe Rexha, Tinashe and Chloe Cherry (above), has mastered his clients’ flirty beauty looks.
Naked palettes aren’t the only Y2K Urban Decay products making a comeback: Eye pencils in bold shades like smog, roach, and mold are fan favorites, as are glitter eyeliners.
Steve said that to achieve the feminine beauty aesthetic, he keeps “the skin soft and natural, the lips transparent and shiny, and the cheeks and eyes should be cohesive with soft, romantic pink tones.”
If you want to go for a full 2000s face but still fresh, Steve said it was best to use a dewy liquid blush, keep your brows fluffy, and create a shimmery smokey eye.
Los Angeles-based celebrity makeup artist Steve has mastered the flirty beauty looks for his clients including Bebe Rexha, Tinashe and Chloe Cherry.
Steve said that to achieve the youthful beauty aesthetic he kept “the skin soft and natural, the lips transparent and glossy, and the cheeks and eyes should be cohesive with soft, romantic pink tones to give a monochromatic finish topped with thin lashes “.
“It’s ultra-feminine, romantic and complementary for everyone and all eye shapes,” the makeup artist praised the beauty trend, which is also being adopted on TikTok.
Fittingly, the flirty beauty look coincides with Gen Z opting for Y2K fashion while saving.
“This look seems nostalgic, as looks from decades past are coming back so strongly right now,” Steve agreed.
Naked palettes aren’t the only iconic Y2K Urban Decay products making a comeback: eye pencils in bold shades like smog, roach, and mold are fan favorites, as are glitter eyeliners.
And if you want to go for a full face from the year 2000, but keep it fresh and not like you’re on a trip to Abercrombie & Fitch in 2004, Steve said it’s best to use a dewy liquid blush, keep your brows fluffy, and create a smoky eye. with a little Space Cowboy glitter in the inner corners and matching eyeliner.
Whether you’re feeling flirty or want to show off your love for sparkle, it’s easy to make these classic looks look new and modern.
