Curated Mess

Is this the end of clean girl era? Raw and realness is replacing meticulously crafted perfectionism in beauty culture

- WORDS KONIKA DATTA

The takeover of the clean girl aesthetic in the beauty industry was gradual but impactful. It became more than just a look - it's an indicator of stealth wealth. Those who followed this trend became instant members of the cool girl squad. But somewhere between the hyper-curated aesthetic of clean girl beauty and the rise of AI, we've developed a collective fatigue and boredom against perfectionism.

A new kind of beauty is now taking centre stage, and a glance at our current social media feed and F/W 2025's fashion month further solidifies this statement. At Paris Fashion Week, party girl makeup (think slept-in liner, smokey eyes, smudged lipstick) replaced the coveted no-make-up makeup look, while Milan Fashion Week traded slicked-back buns and glass blowouts with undone, just rolled-out-of-bed hair. On the other side, the virality of the mob wife aesthetic, brat summer, and rockstar girlfriend look reflects a shift towards embracing chaotic and subversive energy.