The ‘unfashionable’ beauty trend that makes Gen Z think you’re ancient

Do you have eyeshadow in your makeup bag? (Picture: Getty Images) ‘I love your eyeshadow,’ a young hairdresser told me, as she massaged shampoo into my scalp. I smiled, thanked her, and was about to reel off the exact shade of the Hourglass Scattered Light glitter I was wearing, when she said: ‘But, you know nobody wears eyeshadow anymore, right?’ Her tone wasn’t harsh; she was trying to be helpful (I think), but the way she said it made me feel about 100 years old, because no, I absolutely did not know this. What did she mean nobody wears eyeshadow anymore? Was there a memo passed around that I had missed or something? Now, don’t get me wrong. I know times have changed – we’ve come a long way from 2010s makeup, and Zoella is no longer raving about the Naked palette on YouTube. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. But what I can’t fathom is what Gen Z could have against a swipe of champagne-coloured shimmer on the lids, or a sexy smokey eye for a night out. It’s a millennial thing… apparently (Picture: Getty Images) As a millennial, I wasn’t mad when they came for our skinny jeans (they weren’t doing me any favours); I also don’t care for an aggressive side part… but taking eyeshadow from us is where I draw the line. I certainly won’t be giving up my Pat McGrath palette any time soon; you’ll have to pry that beautiful thing from my cold, dead hands. In the Metro office, some were equally dismayed to discover eyeshadow was ‘out’, with the hairdresser’s comment prompting a few horrified gasps and eyebrow raises when I recounted the story. ‘I adore eyeshadow,’ one colleague proclaimed, at the same time one of the youngest members of the team confessed: ‘I never wear eyeshadow.’ All eyes turned to the 22-year-old as she explained that university pals had once told her eyeshadow was ‘unfashionable’ and she shouldn’t wear it. That was in 2021, and she hasn’t reached for an eyeshadow palette since. And Gen Z’s dislike of eyeshadow is still going strong today. Viral TikTok videos proclaim eyeshadow is an ‘old lady thing’ and women in their early 30s have had their comments flooded with messages saying their eye makeup is ‘ageing them’. Beauty trends these days tend to focus on ‘skinimalism’ (lightweight makeup on the face), and the clean girl aesthetic, which is essentially a rebrand of the ‘no makeup’ makeup look. That’s still going strong too, by the way. Beauty service marketplace, Fresha, recently analysed Pinterest data and revealed that searches for ‘no makeup’ makeup have increased by 123 per cent year-on-year. It’s getting harder to find eyeshadow palettes in stores (Picture: Getty Images) And there’s been a shift in the kind of makeup being sold in stores, too. On Reddit, eyeshadow fans are fed up of beauty retailers being ruled by the clean girl trend, claiming they’ve started stocking more skincare than actual makeup as a result. ‘It’s hard to find eyeshadow,’ claimed u/sexyvintagepurse. And u/mistyblue3 agreed, saying: ‘I work in retail and can never find any decent palettes at the store anymore.’ Those who do manage to find eyeshadow are often disappointed by the lack of colour options, with u/ButterflyButtHead commenting: ‘I miss FUN colours! I miss how creative everyone used to be! I usually opt for something simple most days, so I get it, but I wish I could still pick up an old school Urban Decay palette. They used to be so fun!’ While u/2min4checkingout wrote: ‘Makeup sold in most retail stores is mostly a hard pass for me. The packaging is boring, the colours are uninteresting, and the formulas are subpar.’ How do you feel about eyeshadow? This has had an impact on makeup artists too, who’ve definitely noticed the tides changing. ‘I’ve seen a massive change in preferences,’ Manisha Shah, a London-based makeup artist and content creator, tells Metro. ‘I remember back in 2016 I was doing full cut creases on brides, whereas over the last few years there’s been a definite shift towards softer, more natural glam and much more subtle looks.’ She continues: ‘As an Asian bridal makeup artist, I do think my clients will always want some element of structured eyeshadow and shimmer because it helps define and enhance the eyes and ties in with the outfit and jewellery. ‘However, it’s nowhere near as dramatic as it was.’ But don’t throw out your eyeshadow just yet, fellow millennials. Manisha expects eyeshadow to come back again soon, given the ‘cyclical’ nature of beauty trends, and we’re already seeing the signs. Take Gen Z pop princess Zara Larsson, for instance. The Midnight Sun singer has been embracing eyeshadow in a big way, thanks to her makeup artist, Sofia Sinot, who created some absolutely sensational looks for her on tour. She’s showcased a whole rainbow of colours, glitter, and rhinestones, and the fantastical Y2K looks have proved so popular that fans have started reaching for palettes again to recreate them. Though before you get your hopes up, don’t expect to see everyone suddenly rocking a fluorescent pink lid. ‘I do think eyeshadow will come back, but it will be a softer, more wearable version rather than the bold, heavy looks from back in the day,’ Manisha claims. She adds: ‘I don’t think eyeshadow is gone for good; it’s just evolving.’ Phew. Do you have a story you’d like to share? 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