Swapping Our 2000s Beauty Faux Pas For Today’s Techniques
Jas is the former Senior Content Specialist at Adore Beauty. A beauty admirer turned certified addict, she brings a sharp editorial eye and pop-culture pulse to everything she creates. Her words have appeared in The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, and Broadsheet. When she’s not producing viral content or podcasting about skincare, you’ll find her thrifting for vintage treasures or binging Bravo (strictly for research, of course).
Beauty in the 2000s was like the Wild West.
On the brink of a new millennium, it was a time of daring trends and, let’s be honest, questionable choices that, by today’s standards, we’d simply chalk up to being in our ~experimental era~.
Don’t get me wrong, I love an ‘era’ just as much as the next Gen Zer. Now when I make potentially regrettable decisions, I’m doing it for the plot. After all, trends come and go, but the stories they leave behind remain etched in our memories.
Except for over-plucked brows. Trust me, they’ll haunt your face forever.
But let's rewind to 2004 when The O.C. dominated our screens every Tuesday night, Ugg boots were our shoe of choice and Usher's Confessions album ruled the airwaves (with "Yeah!" promptly becoming our favourite ringtone).
This may jog your memory...
And, of course, we can't overlook the beauty icons of the time–Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera–who reigned supreme amidst the young Hollywood club scene.
Looking back, it's a wonder how some trends even took off, but they were undeniably the essence of the times. From tangerine-hued fake tans to stick-thin brows and platinum-blonde highlights, we've had our share of beauty mishaps.
But, just like fashion and music, beauty evolves too. And thankfully, has seen a remarkable shift over the last two decades.
Below, I’ve rounded up five of my favourite 2000s beauty faux pas and what we’d swap them for today.
1. Tanning Beds for SPF.
This first beauty faux pas should go without saying, but let me say it louder for the people in the back: there is nothing healthy about a tan (!!).
While we used to believe tanning beds were safer than the sun, we now know that it’s strongly linked to melanoma. They also make your skin age quicker, with wrinkles, age spots, and loss of skin firmness tending to appear years earlier in people who tan.
Instead, opt for a fake tan (we’ve got stacks) and continue to slather on your SPF to future-proof your skin and protect it from those harmful UVA/UVB rays. And yes, even when it's overcast.
Here are three of my go-to sunscreen collections:
- La Roche-Posay Anthelios - One of our Senior Beauty Editor Sadaf's SPFs of choice.
- Ultra Violette - I'm currently loving Fave Fluid, an ultra-light SPF.
*Always follow the directions for use. Reapply every two hours and after swimming, towelling and perspiring per directions. Keep in mind that sunscreen is only one part of sun protection so be sure to wear protective clothing, seek shade and avoid prolonged sun exposure.
2 Toothpaste for Pimple Patches.
I’ll be the first to admit I fell victim to this home remedy one too many times.
But despite what our parents and grandparents may have had us believe, there’s no evidence this actually works…
Fear not, though. Now, we’ve got pimple patches.
These spot saviours help to stop pimples in their tracks, draw out their impurities and prevent further scarring.
And if you need a little extra help, here's a dermal therapist's guide to getting rid of a pimple, fast.
Here are some of our fave pimple patches:
- COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch - Made with hydrocolloid (a wound dressing) to draw the icky stuff out.
- INNISFREE Retinol Cica Ampoule Focusing Patch - Overnight pimple patch with cica and hyaluronic acid for sensitive skin.
- SOME BY MI 30 Days Miracle Clear Spot Patch - Contains hydrocolloid and salicylic acid to absorb impurities.
3. Over-Plucking for Fluffy, Laminated Brows.
This one hurts the most...
Having been personally victimised by the skinny brow (flashback to 15-year-old Jas taking to her brows with a RAZOR, *shudders*), I feel personally invested in ensuring this trend never returns–although if TikTok has anything to do with it, I might not be so lucky.
Thanks to celebrities like Dua Lipa and Lily Collins, thick, brushed-up brows are back en vogue.
The modern rendition takes things up a notch with brow lamination, a semi-permanent treatment that lifts and shapes the brows, which you can also achieve at home using the below products.
Here are a handful of products to fluff up your brows:
- Anastasia Beverly Hills Laminated Look Brow Kit - Includes the cult-fave Brow Freeze and a brow pen to sculpt and set brows.
- Benefit Fluff Up Brow Wax - Flexible wax gives brows texture, volume and flexible hold.
- Napoleon Perdis Fixated Brow Styling Soap - Long-lasting brow styling soap to add lift and fullness to brows.
4. Proactiv for Anti-Acne Ranges.
We all remember the infomercials where flawless-skinned celebs like Justin Bieber and Jessica Simpson spoke at length about the wonders of the three-step anti-acne range.
You’d be forgiven for buying into the three-month, good luck-getting-out-of-this Proactiv subscription. It was less than $30, to be fair.
And while I’m not here to say whether or not it worked, I’m sure it did... for some. But as we’ve come to understand skin more, formulas have evolved to cater to different skin types and severities of acne.
Here are four ranges we’d recommend, from bargain to (semi) bougie:
- The Ordinary The Balance Set - Four-step balancing and calming routine for oily, combo and acne-prone skin.
- La Roche-Posay Effaclar - Derm-approved range that targets oiliness and acne-prone skin from all angles.
- Dermalogica Clear Start - Balances active ingredients with soothing botanicals to deliver long-term results on teenage acne.
- Murad Blemish Control - Formulated with salicylic acid to clear pores and prevent breakouts.
5. Roll-On Body Glitter for Highlighter.
When I think about this Y2K trend, Britney Spears immediately comes to mind with her tube tops and body shimmer combo. Iconic.
#TBT: When a girl's best accessory was her body glitter. pic.twitter.com/utYS4Frrdk
— E! News (@enews) September 11, 2014
I’m putting this one last because even though glitter gets a bad rap (terrible for the environment, gets EVERYWHERE, etc.), it’s just so damn fun.
So rather than ditch the glitz and glam altogether, we’re subbing in a more subtle sparkle by way of highlighters–from liquid to powder and illuminating fluid.
Here are three that’ll deliver a luminous glow:
- Benefit High Beam Liquid Highlighter - Satiny-pink liquid highlighter that can be worn over or under makeup.
- Eye Of Horus Luminous Highlighter 7.5gm - Radiant liquid highlighter, available in three shades.
- Dr Hauschka Illuminating Fluid 30ml - Lightweight liquid highlighter for a natural, healthy-looking glow.
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