Nothing defined the biggest beauty trends of 2023 like the food-inspired names used to describe them. Whether we liked it or not, we could not aimlessly scroll without how-tos for latte makeup or glazed donut anything flooding our social media screens. Then came blueberry milk nails that sparked the beauty debate of the year: Why are we naming beauty trends after food?
Food and beauty have long been intertwined with a history that we can trace back for centuries, with many cultures using food as key ingredients for their skincare, haircare, and makeup needs. Fast forward to the last couple of decades when brands capitalized on our love for the delectable and began naming their beauty products after our favorite desserts, fruits, and more. “It all started with nail polish or makeup brands naming their product shades such fun names —like Big Apple Red, Funny Bunny, or Ballet Slipper—and we were obsessed with that. So then it elevated to the point where we started to give our new manicure or makeup trend a fun name like glazed donut nails, blueberry milk nails, strawberry makeup, latte makeup. When we say these names, we immediately know what makeup style or nail design or color we’re talking about,” celebrity nail artist Zola Ganzorigt tells Vogue.
The trends themselves aren’t entirely new either. Instead, they take already popular makeup and hair coloring techniques and rebrand them into clickbait for the TikTok era. “Each of these ‘trends’ actually originated in the ‘90s or early 2000s and are just being discovered for a new generation,” says celebrity makeup artist Daniel Martin.
While there may be a bigger existential need that this “food as beauty” obsession is feeding, the most obvious answer might be that we’re just hungry for something fun and something that will make us feel good about beauty. “Everyone wants to feel delicious,” says celebrity makeup artist Kirin Bhatty. “I think food-based names that are so dreamy and yummy conjure good feelings when you’re doing makeup.”
Only time will tell if food-inspired beauty trends will continue to be huge into 2024. But as we say goodbye to this year, we must pay homage to the beauty looks that we could not stop talking about. Below are the eight beauty as food trends that flooded our feeds and defined 2023.
Glazed Donut Nails
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