World’s Best Cities for Shopping standards permeate almost every society, from comparing the shimmer of iridescent plumes to judging the length and thickness of coats. Social media is the main driver of trends – from new haircuts to the latest skincare ingredient hype, and even animals have beauty standards.

In 2022, beauty trends are taking a darker and more rebellious tone. The wolf cut – a choppy mash-up of 70s shag and 80s mullet – has seen celeb fans including Billie Eilish, Barbie Ferriera and Doja Cat jump on board and is set to continue through to the year ahead. The goth look and grunge aesthetic is also in fashion with heavy liner becoming the makeup choice of the season.

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The gender-inclusive movement is continuing to gather momentum and consumers are seeking out brands that reflect their values. Examples of this include makeup brands Jecca Black and Fluide who both use gender-neutral packaging and images of men and women on their websites. This season, neon colors are in – from neon pink nails to vibrant lipsticks and eye makeup shades such as bright orange and electric blue.

Consumers are still willing to invest in beauty products that deliver salon or spa-level results at home. This is driving the rise of new tools for skincare and haircare such as LED light treatments from Silk’N, at-home teeth whitening and laser hair growth systems from Theradome. In addition, reducing product waste is high on the agenda of many beauty consumers. This has inspired a new movement towards what The Future Laboratory calls ‘condensed beauty’. For example, L’Oreal has developed a system for the salon backbar that cuts down on shampoo, conditioner and treatment bottle waste by connecting directly to the sink water stream.

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