In New York City, people are embracing beauty trends that are off the beaten path, and honestly, thank god. Somewhere between TikTok and runway inspiration, New Yorkers are almost always quietly doing it before everyone else. We're past the phase where beauty had to be polished and symmetrical or make any sense.
The looks dominating right now have personality—they're strange in a charming way that's just plain chic. From watercolor eyes to "bunny tongue" lips, these trends are all about self-expression rather than perfection. Beauty is having even more fun than fashion at the moment.
Ahead, see the five oddball beauty styles that you'll see in subway cars, on your social feed, and in your group chat next week.
Watercolor Eyes
I've been saving beautiful pastel eye shadow looks to my Pinterest board for the past few months, and I really believe we'll see a lot of this look next year. For a beautiful base, I turn to this Bibliophilia Palette from Byredo. It goes with everything, from a faint green to a beautiful baby blue.
This gorgeous color is a watercolor dream—the kind of shade that melts onto your lids without any harsh edges. What I love about it is that it goes on sheer and builds in a soft, washed-out way that feels more like it was painted on than traditional eye shadow.
The Pout duo from Isamaya achieves the watercolor look better than almost anything else I've tried for the face. The blush goes on with a soft, diffused wash of color, and the highlighter is more of a dewy and translucent sheen that adds light. When you layer the two, you get a fluid flush.
Mermaid Waves
Mermaid waves are having a moment again, and Crown Affair's Texturizing Air Dry Mousse is the easiest way to get there without heat or effort. This product gives hair that soft movement instead of crunch and adds just enough hold to keep waves from collapsing as they dry or are styled. It's my go-to for hairstyling.
The easiest way to get this look is to do it with a styling tool, and you need to be using the OG Babyliss Pro. It's the one tool that gives you those "I totally woke up like this" waves, even though you absolutely didn't.
Oribe's Superfine Hair Spray is the step I use when I want my hair to stay put but still move. It gives a bit of hold and a bit of shine and never leaves that crispy feeling I can't deal with. It finishes everything off in an ideal way.
Cool-Toned Lips
The cool-toned lip look is all about structure without looking harsh. You need the brown to lean neutral enough to pull a cooler shade together, and this shade from One/Size is just that.
Dior's Daring Blush isn't a timid pink. It's that perfect in-between shade for everyday wear. It has enough pigment to give your lips presence without edging into classic warm territory, so it looks especially great against clean skin and minimal eye makeup.
$weetmouth is my go-to when I want a cool-toned lip that still looks soft and wearable. It has this subtle pink-taupe tint that evens out your lip color and adds just the right amount of shine.
Bunny Tongue Lips
Sacheu's Lip Elixir in Bunny Tongue feels like it was literally made for the trend it's named after. The bunny tongue trend is all about a soft, "just bitten" wash of color with a glossy sheen—just like a little baby rabbit's tongue. This sheer, warm tint with a juicy finish makes your lip line look blurred and hydrated.
Fara Homidi's Soft Glass Lip Plumper in Pomme is the kind of lip finish that feels juicy without tipping into sticky or glassy. The sheer, rosy tint gives your lips a natural warmth, and the plumping effect adds soft, subtle fullness.
Kulfi's Lassi Lips is made for the bunny tongue trend. The hybrid texture starts glossy and cushiony but sets into a soft, buildable stain that looks like you've gently pressed color onto your lips rather than painted it on.
Halo Ring Hair
That tiny halo ring Rosalía has been wearing since her album Lux came out is something I'm seeing all over New York City. To get the look at home, you need to start with bleach. Bleach London is my go-to for easy at-home hair color.
L'Oréal's Vitamino Color Glass Shine Serum makes color-treated hair look smoother, shinier, and a lot less bleached. It doesn't weigh your hair down or make it greasy. It just gives a clean and reflective sheen that makes your color pop and your ends look healthier.
After bleaching, my hair needs all the protection it can get, so I turn to Olaplex No. 0 after dying my hair. You put it on, and it quietly starts rebuilding the structure so your hair gets its pretreatment protection before and after bleaching.