Choose Your Fighter: The Beauty Debates That Ruled 2025

This year, nails became the generational Rorschach test. Millennial loyalists held tight to their almond manicures, even as Gen Z collectively rolled their eyes. But the divide wasn’t just about shape — it was also about length. While millennials prefer an elongated, rounded look, Gen Z couldn’t resist the practicality of short and squoval.

The side-versus-middle-part debate refuses to end — and face shape filters on TikTok have only fanned the flames. Side-part converts argue it frames the face better and adds polish, while middle parters claim its sleek symmetry makes it the superior choice. But, as Ouai founder Jen Atkin recently told Bustle, the truth lies somewhere in between: “Everyone should do both — don’t be married to just one.”

The trend that divided social media? Male gaze versus female gaze makeup. Male gaze leaned into girl-next-door charm with soft, “undetectable” glam. Meanwhile, the female gaze aesthetic turned heads with smudged liner and vibes-first experimentation. Ultimately, the divide was less about how to do your makeup — it was an interrogation of what makeup is for: performance or expression.

Brows stretched to extremes this year: razor-thin or totally bushy, with not much in between. Bella Hadid and Gabriette rocked ’90s plucked arches, while Charli XCX championed the natural brow movement. No matter which camp you fall into, it’s a much-needed reset from the perfectly groomed, carved-out look that dominated 2016.

Lips returned as a focal point of beauty after a long stretch of clear gloss minimalism. Concealer lips resurfaced in all their Y2K glory, this time with an editorial finish. And blurred pouts emerged as their softer opposite — finger-smudged, velvety, and a little undone, as if you’ve just had one too many glasses of red wine.

To wear or not wear mascara? That was the beauty question of the year. The spider lashes trend embraced the clumps, but ghost lashes went in the opposite direction. Addison Rae and Gigi Hadid traded jet-black mascara for brown, gray, or clear formulas — and sometimes skipped it entirely — to complete their natural beats.

Hair swung between two totally different vibes. Grunge styles — think air-dried textures, shaggy layers, and lived-in pixie cuts — made a case for something raw and low-effort. But on the other end of the spectrum, supermodel blowouts took center stage with big, bouncy volume and high-gloss polish. (Thank you, Victoria’s Secret show.)

The biggest curveball this year? Tired girl makeup. For those embracing the exhaustion, a dab of red-toned shadow or lipstick under the eye romanticized dark circles. But plenty weren’t ready to surrender their filtered finish — instead doubling down on full coverage and brightening.