For a while, looking good meant looking like you barely tried. Slicked-back buns, dewy skin, brushed-up brows, glossy lips, and neutral-colored outfits became the unofficial uniform of the internet’s favorite girl. She had her skincare down to a science, her wardrobe was perfectly curated, and even her morning coffee looked like it came straight out off a Pinterest board.
But lately, the appeal of looking perfectly polished has started to lose its shine. In its place is a more playful approach to beauty and fashion, one that welcomes colors and outfits that feel more like an extension of one’s personality.
The clean girl may not be disappearing entirely, but its hold on beauty is loosening. This time, it’s about realizing that looking put-together should not mean looking the same.
More personality, less perfection
If the clean girl aesthetic was about mastering restraint, the styles gaining attention now are about embracing individuality. Think deeper lip colors, blush that makes a statement, layered jewelry, and outfits that combine different styles.
The more interesting shift is that there is no longer a formula that everyone has to follow. Minimal makeup can coexist with a dramatic outfit, while an otherwise simple look can be transformed by an unexpected accessory.
For those ready to experiment, local favorites like GRWM Cosmetics and BLK Cosmetics offer plenty of ways to play with color and personality. Cult favorites like MAC Cosmetics and Dior Beauty, meanwhile, bring elevated options for more expressive looks.
The same goes for clothes, with local labels like ForMe and Cariño offering numbers that make it easy to try colors and textures. For a more refined wardrobe, Filipino designers like Rajo Laurel and Vania Romoff offer statement pieces that let personal style take center stage.
It is important to take note, however, that personal style also means starting with what you already have and finding new ways to wear it. Your favorite nude lipstick can stay in rotation, but giving that red one sitting in your drawer a chance wouldn’t hurt.
The Filipinos making a case for personal style
Some Filipino personalities have already been demonstrating how beauty and fashion can become forms of self-expression rather than a set of rules to follow.
Pia Wurtzbach-Jauncey offers a different take on personal style, often balancing polished looks with bolder fashion choices. From red carpet glamour to more playful off-duty looks, she shows how a signature style can evolve without being confined to a single aesthetic.
For a younger audience, Olivia Rodrigo is another personality worth watching for her playful styling and willingness to experiment. From feminine dresses to punk-inspired pieces, her looks often reflect the different sides of her personality – just like her music does.
Together, their appeal lies in the fact that they offer different interpretations of style while proving that there is no right way to look good.
A little less formula, a little more fun
The easiest way to move beyond the clean girl formula? Stop treating your beauty routine and wardrobe like rules to follow.
Wear the lipstick you usually save for special occasions on a regular Tuesday. Pair the dress you love with sneakers instead of heels. Let your jewelry be a little excessive, or wear nothing at all. Try the makeup look you saved on Instagram even if it’s not your usual aesthetic.
The point is not to reject minimalism or chase every new trend. It is to give yourself permission to change things up when you feel like it. After all, personal style should leave room for moods, experiments, and the occasional fashion risks.
Maybe that is what comes after the clean girl: not another aesthetic to obsess over, but the freedom to make the rules yourself.
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