Whimsy is so back!
After years of minimalism, beauty is finally embracing its playful side again.
Somewhere between clean-girl makeup, slicked-back buns and our collective obsession with looking effortlessly put together, we may have forgotten something important: beauty is supposed to be fun.
Whimsy has officially entered the chat. After years of minimalist beauty and fashion, playful trends are finding their way back into the spotlight, and pop culture is fully embracing it. From Zara Larsson’s colourful, nostalgic Midnight Sun era to Sabrina Carpenter’s ultra-feminine glamour and Chappell Roan’s unapologetically theatrical style, the it-girls are making a case for beauty that feels a little less serious and a lot more fun.
So, how exactly does one invite a little more whimsy into everyday life?
We decided to start somewhere small: our nails. With polka dots making their way back into the trend cycle, the print feels like the perfect mix of playful and nostalgic without trying too hard. Using OPI Nail Lacquer in Put It In Neutral, Sunny Bunny and Suzi Without A Paddle, this soft French manicure gets a whimsical update with pastel tips and tiny dots. It’s sweet, a little unexpected and proof that sometimes all it takes to romanticize the everyday is a really good manicure.
For the days when a salon appointment simply isn’t happening, there’s always the press-on route. OPI xPRESS/ON in Glaze for Daze gives you that glossy, soft pink, almost glazed finish in minutes. No appointment, no drying time and, perhaps most importantly, no commitment. It’s polished without feeling too perfect, which might be the whole point of whimsy: a little beauty, a little ease and something that makes an ordinary day feel more special.
Naturally, the whimsy shouldn’t stop at your fingertips. Hair is where things can get a little more playful. For a romantic updo, start with Sebastian Professional Trilliant Shine & Heat Protectant Spray to add shine while helping protect against hot tools, then finish with Shaper Fierce Max Hold and Mold Styling Spray to keep those carefully placed twists and wispy pieces exactly where you intended them to be. The final touch? Mane x LoveShackFancy Pink Bow Hair Clips, because sometimes a bow really does make everything better.
Whimsy can also come with a little more bounce. Think soft layers, flipped ends and the kind of fluffy blowout that feels very Sabrina Carpenter. The Mane It’s Giving Body Medium Hot Thermal Round Brush helps create that full, bouncy shape, while Mane Sunny Buns Hair & Body Fragrance Mist, with notes of strawberry, mandarin and sweet cream, adds the finishing touch. Because if your hair is giving main character, it might as well smell the part too.
Then there’s makeup. And honestly, thank you, Zara Larsson, for helping make fun makeup feel exciting again. Think soft pinks, sparkle, glossy lips and just enough shine to make getting ready feel playful. Start with the Vasanti Wake Up! Brightening Concealer Pencil to brighten, then add a flush of colour with the Monat Hydrating Liquid-Gel Cream Blush™. The Live Tinted Born to Shine Hueguard Liquid Highlighter Drops Set brings in that dreamy, light-catching glow, while Vasanti Plump Up! Lip Plumping Gloss finishes it all off with a glossy pout. It’s playful, pretty and just a little magical, which is exactly what whimsy should feel like.
Maybe that’s why whimsy feels so refreshing right now. It isn’t really about following another aesthetic at all. It’s permission to choose the bow, the polka dots, the extra blush and the sweet-smelling hair mist simply because they make an ordinary Tuesday feel a little more fun.
OPI Nail Lacquer Suzi Without a Paddle
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