The Beauty Trends Editors, Hairstylists, Makeup Artists And More Hope Will Be Big In 2022

In this edition of Beauty Independent’s ongoing series posing questions relevant to indie beauty, we ask 14 beauty editors, aestheticians, hairstylists, makeup artists and doctors: What are beauty trends you hope to see in 2022?

Vernon François Celebrity Hairstylist and Founder, Vernon François Haircare

Into 2022, I hope to see all professional hairdressers welcoming all individuals into their salon or their chair, no matter their hair texture—be it kinky, coily, curly, wavy or straight—no matter the gender, no matter the heritage.

With the hair curriculum becoming more inclusive and resources like L’Oréal Access, which we collaborated on in a series of educational videos, this is realistic and achievable. Pros with confidence, competence and compassion serving clients in spaces that are inviting for all should be the norm.

Stephanie Saltzman Beauty Director, Fashionista

Something I hope to see from the beauty industry in the coming year is a sharper focus on purpose and intention. Year after year, we see so many brands and products launch that, simply, we could do without. They're not changing the conversation, introducing anything innovative, catering to underserved consumers or pushing the industry forward in a meaningful way.

But amidst all of the noise, there have also been some standouts, whether full brand launches or one-off product introductions, that are true game changers and disruptors (a word that gets comically overused). Those exceptional few that upend stuffy traditions, solve real-world problems, reach out to communities who have historically been ignored or push the science further are what make me feel hopeful about the future of beauty. This should be the standard going forward, and I would urge any brand founder (or, ugh, celebrity) getting into the beauty space to really consider the purpose, intention and raison d'etre before throwing something new out into the world.

Samantha Mims Skin Therapist and Founder, Dermasaa

What I’ve noticed is people prioritizing the health of their skin a lot more by intentionally seeking treatment from skin experts. There was a point in time where facials were simplified as a luxury service and not a necessity. That’s shifting and now more than ever facials have reshaped the way people care for their skin.

People are beginning to understand the importance of skin preservation. At-home treatments are becoming more advanced, and people are meticulous about the products they’re using. We’re leaning into clean and effective formulas that truly define less is more.

AJ Crimson Celebrity Makeup Artist and Founder, AJ Crimson Beauty

We have tackled so much in the past two years—diversity, sustainability, technology. The industry has to discover how to excite people back into the stores. It needs to double down on its commitments to diversity on all levels. It needs to mimic fashion’s new reality check by producing more quality and less quantity.

Consumers are burnt out on beauty. They still love it, of course! However, they’re logging onto social (which, if I see one more girl waste a full bottle of foundation pouring it all on her face for likes, I’m going to scream) where their favorite influencer has a new favorite foundation every other month and, meanwhile, they haven’t had a chance to finish the first favorite that was recommended.

Angela Trakoshis Beauty Editor, Byrdie

I think 2022 is going to be all about vibrant hues. Since the pandemic began, beauty shoppers started focusing a lot on their skin because they were wearing less makeup being at home, and they were trying to calm their maskne facial coverings caused.

Now that restrictions are lifting and vaccines are being distributed, I see more and more people planning to explore color and a lot of it. From neons to metallics to glitters to high-impact colors, 2022 will be anything but neutral.

Chad Kenyon Celebrity Hairstylist, Ramirez Tran

I think there will be further expanding on the trend of the skinification of hair. Finally, clients are starting to realize that they need to treat their hair similar to their skin for optimum hair health, especially if you color or use any chemical services or hot tools regularly.

It was refreshing to see skincare ingredients like ceramides, glycerin and hyaluronic acid added to haircare products to deeply repair and moisture strands. I’d like to see, in 2022, brands taking it one step further to add more of these skincare ingredients to continue to fight daily damage to make our jobs as hairstylists and colorists easier. When hair is healthy, we are able to provide clients with the best results.

Faith Xue Executive Beauty Director, Bustle

It's been really incredible to see all the new brands that have cropped up that celebrate and empower women as they go through menopause, a topic that's been pushed to the side or discussed in hushed tones up until fairly recently. From Pause Well-Aging's skincare products specifically meant for menopausal skin to Better Not Younger's hair products, which addresses signs of aging in hair, to Womaness's sleek collection of skin and sexual wellness products specifically created for women over 40, it's amazing to see all of the innovation and excitement that's happening in this category—the first of a wave of what's to come, I'm sure.

It seems like we've all overdone it with the acids over the past few years, which is why it's interesting to see the skincare industry shift its focus over to products that are ultra-repairing and focused on healing the skin barrier. I'm seeing a resurgence in peptides, probiotics and ceramides, and a lot more education on what it means to have a compromised skin barrier and how to heal it.

Dieux's peptide-filled Deliverance Serum sold out almost instantly. Good Light has its Probiotic Serum is ultra-soothing. Kate Sommerville launched an entire DeliKate line that's just focused on healing sensitive, post-procedure skin. Loum launched with a focus on de-stressing skin. We're taking a break from acids and all want to soothe our skin—and ourselves—it seems.

I'm seeing a lot more crossover between the beauty and gaming worlds, from E.l.f.'s Twitch channel to gamer Valkyrae's short-lived blue-light skincare brand RFLCT. It will be interesting to see how two seemingly opposite industries will crossover more in 2022.

I'm also seeing a rise in beauty live-streaming platforms, from more brands launching on Twitch to platforms like Newness.TV and new apps like Flip that allow all users to create video content and receive a commission from their reviews.

Susan Oludele Hairstylist and Founder, Hair By Susy

I would love to see new and exciting styles this upcoming year. I would love to see something different. I would love to see more artists stepping outside of the box with makeup, hair and creativity. I would love for colors to come back, and I would love for big hair, bold looks to come back and a variety of different styles. I know simple and big is going to be on-trend next year.

Dendy Engelman Cosmetic Dermatologist, Shafer Clinic

This past year, protection has been a top priority. We have focused on protecting ourselves and each other from COVID-19, and we have also relied more on protecting and healing our skin by giving it a break from makeup, performing at-home treatments and applying soothing products (instead of heavy makeup and going-out looks) while we spent more time indoors.

While things will hopefully be looking more optimistic in 2022, I hope that we will continue to protect our skin. Skin cancer rates have increased over the past several decades largely due to anthropogenic (human-caused) climate change and, on a smaller scale, I see more patients attempting risky trends and "hacks" that they’ve seen on social media. Shielding our skin from harmful external aggressors like UV rays, pollutants, etc., and taking the time for restorative self-care practices is so important.

No matter what 2022 looks like, I hope that everyone will wear their SPF every day, look to the experts for safe skincare tips, do their own research, hydrate (both inside and out!) and treat their skin—and each other—with love.

Kim Baker Celebrity Makeup Artist and Founder, Glamazon Beauty Cosmetics

In the coming new year, I am hoping to see more dollars spent on research and development in the color cosmetics arena. Recently, we've begun to see a shift with mainstream beauty brands as they began to expand their shade range to accommodate individuals with melanated skin. However, as a celebrity makeup artist of 15-plus years and former master mixer for Estée Lauder's brand Perscriptives, it's apparent we still aren't there.

Extending your shade range six to eight shades is great! However, what people don't know is that there's only 34 shades of skin. Therefore, implementing 50-plus SKUs of foundation and labeling yourself as a "multicultural brand" is just a gimmick. With skin, undertones are pivotal and is how we prevent makeup from appearing too gray or red on deeper skin tones, but rather brown or bronze. It's not solely about the dollar, but rather educating individuals and providing them quality products that are custom formulated with quality ingredients to allow consumers to feel empowered.

With Glamazon, I made the executive decision to only launch with 12 affordable shades of foundation that can be manipulated to cater to 34 hues. I founded my company based on the philosophy that there's beauty in representation and diversity. Every ethnicity deserves to be catered to and equally celebrated. It's deeper than just a conversation or launching a product. Makeup has a placebo effect on your health. The world is a melting pot, no one deserves to feel excluded from the conversation.

Shani Hillian Aesthetician, Skincare by Shani

I truly would like to see less waste and more transparency from brands in the coming year and beyond. Skincare as well as fashion makes up billions of dollars in waste from packaging to plastic bottles. In 2020, 120 billion units of plastic packaging was produced for skincare brands alone.

That’s a lot of plastic not being recycled, floating in the ocean, killing our sea animals, and it’s just horrible. Less waste and adopting a minimal zero-waste skincare routine is what I would love to see in 2022.

Lastly, I’d love to see transparency within the industry and not quick gimmicks to get folks to buy the products. Be honest and say consumers can see results in three months, not three weeks with consistent use. For folks 25-plus, collagen in our skin declines drastically and skin cell turnover takes longer. So, if you have acne, for example, and need some exfoliation and reduce inflammation and you're 33 like myself, this will take three to four weeks at minimum to fully treat, maybe even six weeks, not one to two weeks like a 20 year old might take because their cells turnover much faster than ours.

I would also like to see more untouched skin in beauty campaigns, transparency/honesty with results and not giving anyone false hope. It’s about healthy balanced skin, not perfect skin.

Janice Kinjo Makeup Artist and Groomer, The Wall Group

2022 will be a year of expansion into marketing towards unisex/non-gender confirming products/brands. A majority of makeup brands are marketed toward female gender norms, so men who are not on camera and want to cover a blemish or take down shine, redness, etc., may feel uncomfortable purchasing makeup products for themselves. Having brands that make it easier for the everyday man to access and use their products will be a great trend for next year.

Erez Dayan Plastic Surgeon, Avance Plastic Surgery

We have seen a number of strong trends throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients are noticing early signs of facial aging from more time in front of the camera. Particularly in the lower one-third of their faces, they begin to see bothersome jowls and neck laxity.

Many patients are seeking treatment for these areas at a younger age than before. Their skin laxity is not severe enough for surgical solutions, but not mild enough for fillers for example. So, we opt for radiofrequency minimally invasive skin-tightening treatments to address these concerns and tighten as well as re-contour the soft tissue using minimal access. InMode FaceTite and Accutite are all comfortably done under local anesthesia to provide optimal contour for these patients.

Lara Adekola Beauty Writer and Social Media Strategist, Lara Adekola

This may sound like a no-brainer, but beauty retail and tech will continue to rise in ways that are more seamless than ever before. For starters, Instagram Live Shopping will be huge. Think QVC...but Meta. Beauty and skincare lovers can tune in as brands debut their latest products through this feature, allowing consumers to get exclusive access to new drops before they hit shelves and purchase directly on Instagram.

With shipping delays becoming the new norm (sigh), online shopping feels downright unpredictable, but, thanks to FastAF, your favorite beauty and wellness products are delivered to your doorstep in the blink of an eye. Currently offered in NY, LA and SF, this app offers same-day concierge services so you can rest assured your must-haves will arrive on time.

Additionally, we’ve seen collaborations Sephora x Instacart as well as Ulta x Doordash offering expedited delivery services, and I can bet more mega-retailers will jump on the bandwagon in 2022.

In the social media landscape, we’ve seen a gradual shift from macro-influencers leading the pack to real consumers being the trusted source for authentic product reviews.  A cool new beauty app that I’ve recently discovered is Flip. Similar to Tik Tok, beauty creators can make bite-size videos reviewing trendy products and the viewers can purchase the product directly in-app instead of searching for it in another browser. A ton of brands have already joined and the genius part is users can score points for shopping plus be rewarded for their reviews.

If you have a question you’d like Beauty Independent to ask beauty experts, executives and entrepreneurs, please send it to editor@beautyindependent.com.