As we gradually emerge from our quarantine cocoons where makeup had taken a backseat, we are excited to see what the new year has in store for us. While many of us became comfortable with the idea of a no or less-makeup look, there are many others who are still awaiting the chance to wield their makeup brushes for that ultra-glamourous look. So, can we expect a beauty resurgence this year? If you are looking for an answer to this question, read on to find out what the world of beauty has in store for you in 2021, and the trends that can shake up your vanity for good. LET YOUR EYES DO ALL THE TALKING – in the past year, facemasks became mandatory; but, it only covered half of our faces. Our eyes literally did all the talking! As such, it invariably happens to be the best time to invest in eyeshadow palettes and stay ahead of the curve. Agreed, Abhishek Bhattacharya, country director, Kiko Milano, who said: “The focus, this year, will be on the eyes and eyelashes – the use of false eyelashes including bold and coloured mascaras will witness an uptick.” Not only that, “eye makeup has now become much more experimental with the increased use of bold and dual colours with metallic hues,” added Darpan Sanghvi and Priyanka Gill, founder & CEO, MyGlamm. Seconding, Aruksheta Sethi, brand manager, Avon, said, “Sale of eyeliners and mascaras will rise as consumers lean into the habit of wearing a mask.” Think colourful cat eyeliner, bold and voluminous mascaras, and the ’60s-inspired cut crease – something that has made people invest in varieties that are either smudge-proof or water-proof, more than ever. Sanghvi shared, “When it comes to eye makeup, the category baseline expectation is to have products that are long-lasting, smudge-proof and easy to apply and remove.” But that is not all, as “consumers are also looking for more diverse options such as variety in colours along with interesting textures and formats that allow them to express themselves better through their eye makeup.” LESS WILL CONTINUE TO BE MORE – this was a major lesson everyone learnt last year – be it the no-makeup look or the minimal trend. In keeping with the same, Ranaq Singh, founder of makeup brand Ten Image India, predicted, “This year will witness an amalgamation of minimal and dewy makeup as one of the biggest trends. With more and more people shifting towards minimal makeup to highlight their best features, natural glam is the word for the beauty industry this year. “So could this mean an increase in the demand for foundations and highlighters, the mainstay in achieving both looks? “Yes; in spite of wearing masks, consumers are still buying foundations. A quick touch up by using a foundation to give a second-skin-like effect holds much importance even if you are working from home,” Singh highlighted. Seconding, DouYoul Lee, general manager at Amorepacific India added: “Considering glossy and dewy looks are in this year, highlighters are a must-have to enhance the skin and give it a dewy glow while making cheekbones more prominent.” LONG LIVE LIP COLOURS – masks may make us doubt the need for lipsticks, but beauty aficionados argue that that our love for the same has only become stronger. Lee shared that lipsticks are not fading in the background. “Many are still putting on their lipstick when they’re on a Zoom date. Also, they are using beauty products to resume a sense of normalcy.” But this time, the lipstick variant is slightly different with people gravitating towards lip and cheek tints – products that do more than one job. Makeup artist Neha Suradkar told indianexpress.com, “With masks not going away in near future, lip stains will be your go-to product. They are pretty long-lasting and will not transfer on to the mask. Also, they are hydrating which means they will not dry your lips, unlike the matte variant.” “Lip tints projected the highest sales last year, due to it being a multipurpose product which can be used on both cheeks and lips,” shared Lee. WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF TREATMENTS – “The pandemic stress took a toll on everyone’s skin and hair,” said Dr Nikita Sonavane, celebrity cosmetic dermatologist and founder of Ambrosia Aesthetics. She added that there was not a stark increase in the number of cosmetic procedures. Rather, “many consulted mainly for skin problems such as acne and hair loss.” She further said patients coming to her clinic were mainly young, 16-30 years of age. But, “in the latter half of 2020, when it came to non-invasive treatment, enquiries for beauty enhancement procedures such as anti-wrinkle injections, skin lightening and laser hair removal picked up.” Dr Sonvane believes that 2021 is going to be a year of preventative skincare procedures. “Under-eye fillers and dark circle fillers are more popular than before. The trend is shifting towards skin tightening and skin lifting at an early age before the problem develops.”