The 'clean girl' aesthetic was a reigning beauty trend the past couple of years, pushing a look that featured sleek buns, glass skin, and subtle makeup. However, in 2025, the obsession with perfection seemed to wane, with celebrities like Hailey Bieber, Alia Bhatt, Kriti Sanon, Priyanka Chopra, Ananya Panday and many more, going for grunge, messy hair and makeup.
Does this mean 'clean girl' vibes are out, or is there more to it?
The clean girl style flourished during a time where perfection and control were idealised. The aesthetic also borrowed heavily from the cultures of people of colour who were once bullied for oiling their hair, but now had their traditional beauty rituals appropriated.
This style of makeup also required flawlessness from women. Getting the glass skin look that is a part of 'clean girl' makeup, warranted an unrealistic level of perfection where there was no room for pores, acne, or any other kind of skin texture.
So, in 2025, the style became suffocating and exhausting. It took too much work to keep everything looking so perfect: the clear skin, the sleek hair, and the minimal makeup application. This defied the very essence of being "effortless."
As the talk about burnout, authenticity, and self-expression gained momentum, the trends in beauty were not far behind. There was a call for realism instead of perfection.
The messy, grunge look that seems to be taking over now, celebrates undone rawness. Smeared eyeliner, blurred smoky eyes, loose waves, and lived-in buns have become a defining part of this vibe. This new style didn’t arrive as a statement, it evolved organically.
Celebrities are leading the way. For example, Alia Bhatt, once known for her immaculately slicked-back hair, has transitioned to silky waves and subtly smudged kohl, embracing a more relaxed and expressive approach to beauty.
While Priyanka Chopra hasn't completely ditched the 'clean girl' aesthetic, she has increasingly opted for smokey eyeshadow, as well as naturally textured, 'bedhead' hair this year.
Kriti Sanon and Ananya Panday recently went for messy buns with loose pieces, as well as blurry, hazy dark eyeshadow looks, as did Hailey Bieber. What is interesting is, all three of them have been known for opting for minimal makeup and slicked-back hairdos up until this year. But clearly, the tide is shifting!
Khushi Kapoor, who loves a sleek bun normlly, also made a splash with a soft-girl look that saw relaxed waves replace her signature straight locks.
The “clean girl” style hasn’t disappeared, it has evolved. We still see the occasional sleek bun, ponytail, or braid. Celebrities still favour skin-like, natural-looking makeup. But, in 2025, there is a thirst to be more experimental. Beauty is no longer about picking one rigid look over another. Some days call for sleek buns and radiant skin; others embrace smudged kohl and undone waves. The real trend? Choice.
The shift from clean girl to messy girl goes beyond hair and makeup—it reflects how we want to feel: less polished, more authentic, more ourselves.
So, where do you stand? Do you gravitate toward the effortless grit of the messy girl aesthetic, or do you still cherish the serene polish of the clean girl look? In 2025, beauty isn’t about perfection, it’s about embracing individuality and freedom of expression.
