'Anti-Beauty' Trend Releases Us From Traditional Beauty Standards

Do you remember how the grunge anti-fashion movement challenged traditional looks in the '90s? History appears to be repeating itself — we all see the unpredictable weird girl aesthetic — but this time, the rebellious break from classic standards is more about beauty than clothing. Tired of outdated beauty standards aimed at the male gaze, many women are finally starting to present themselves in ways they find fun rather than aiming to please men with once-deemed ideal flawless skin, slim bodies, long hair, and dainty features. After all, look at the shocking Victoria's Secret rebrand, shifting their image from unattainable to relatable.

One controversial celebrity who always seems eager to embrace the anti-beauty trend is Julia Fox. The celebrity posted a video on TikTok explaining how she desires to wear a top with the words, "I have a right to be ugly," as she used the bathroom. While Fox is arguably conventionally attractive with her long locks and fit body, you can find her wearing a lot of makeup that expresses uniqueness and edge on Instagram rather than flattering her features. "Embracing imperfections, this trend features skinny or no eyebrows, smudged and lived-in makeup, heavy mascara, color contacts, and everything else that goes against beauty norms. [It's all about using] makeup as a tool to evoke a mood you're feeling inside and express your creativity," Yanni Peña, a makeup professional, told Bustle. Are you ready to defy classic beauty standards and explore anti-beauty?

In many ads and movies featuring women who seduce and captivate men, those women have red, pink, or glossy lips. Why not do something different and wear black or gray lipstick for an edgier, moodier, less expected look? Some men might think you look too goth for their taste, but you'll exude powerful energy while rocking the anti-beauty trend.

Don't worry about having perfectly even eyeshadow if you like the anti-beauty trend, as wearing mismatched shadows is an excellent way to experiment with anti-beauty. For instance, everyone knows that, in real life, Margot Robbie is about as conventionally beautiful as a woman can be. Still, the movie star rocked the anti-beauty aesthetic in "Birds of Prey" and "Suicide Squad," which made her very believable as Harley Quinn in addition to her acting. Her contrasting eyeshadow hues were a standout part of her appearance.

Eyebrows have always been oddly highly talked-about aspects of women's appearances. Although older beauty standards focused on thin, perfectly-shaped brows, the standard in the 2020s is more about wearing whatever brow size and shape best fits each individual's face, as per Brow Code. But if you prefer anti-beauty, go for bold brows above all else, such as bleached, shaved, ultra-thick, or ultra-thin eyebrows — or even a unibrow.

When many people get their hair colored, they hope for that new hue to look as natural as possible. But when you pay all that money to dye your hair, why try to make it look natural? Why not embrace that it's a drastic change? Don't go for subtle; go for bold anti-beauty with non-traditional hair colors from the rainbow or at least hair colors that noticeably aren't natural. Why not dye your light blond locks black or your brown hair bright red?

Of course, elegant and sleek manicures never get old. However, in the 2020s, many trend enthusiasts are proving they're ready to explore more unique, quirky styles than just the classics. After all, we're still recovering from the image of Emily Ratajkowski's disturbingly realistic roach-inspired nail design. If roach-inspired manicure art is too much for you, quirky mismatched manicures are everywhere, offering a tamer unconventional nail look to try.

This last idea might be a little too extreme for some people, but face tattoos are the ultimate way to show that you defy outdated beauty standards. Whether you get words or a tiny graphic tattooed on your face, you'll permanently be a member of the anti-beauty club. If you want to do something rebellious but not quite as dauntless as a face tattoo, nose, eyebrow, and lip piercings are fun options.