Trend: Earthiness as a reaction against technology

Is the high tech world where everything is online making us all want to go back to basic? I found this article about the make up trends for 2012 and it´s an indicator of that the ideal is to be "grounded".

Fashion and luxury are often representing what is hard to get. When there is lack of money, high status is owning things, but in these times - when what is really a scarcity is time - luxury is rather quality experiences with family and friends. And when it´s difficult to get natural bliss and stability, that is what the world of fashion is teasing us with. They play with our inner deep dreams, and since what we all want for Christmas is to climb up in a tree and find peace, this is what the make up artists are giving us a piece of...

2012 is full of “Earth", according to Emmanuelle Linard’s presentation— Trend Union Spring/Summer 2012 Earth Matters—hosted in conjunction with BeautyPress that I attended last week in New York. 

 

According to Linard, trend expert and executive director Edelkoort Inc., after all the natural disasters in the past few years, beauty and design are drawing attention to earth-friendly materials and themes, outlining nine categories of colors, materials for packaging, etc., that honor the earth and show off its natural beauty through makeup (and design).

Chalk. Chalk’s white, porous nature and tactility offer structure and texture to makeup, makeup application and design. The color palette? Pale, non-aggressive colors. Packaging? Fabrics and textiles for wrapped-up packaging. Think white lashes, powders for skin and minerals for bath time.
Sand. Sand offers a relaxing vibe. It’s gritty; and it lends thoughts of urban safaris that translate into warm browns and beiges, and safari-queen themes for makeup. Think grinding powders for makeup, and sand-themed makeup and looks that add texture to the face. Packaging? Pebble-shaped for eye shadows and such.
Rock. Rocks offer monumental aspects and work well in the spa world; but they translate into beauty and makeup with mineral masks and rocky, irregularly shaped packaging.
Earth. Think mud and soil. Think mud masks; and powder, dried-up, crinkled makeup.
Roots. Going back to beauty’s roots—bulbous roots, vegetables, ginger, onion skin, etc. For hair and hair care: fibrous, messy, nested hair.
Water. Engaged in all beauty trends, water provides fluidity and aqua colors. Makeup is diving into big blues, ocean-colored eye shadows and seaweed tints. Water allows nanotechnology to combine with earthly elements. Think bubbles, transparency, refreshing drops of water and mother of pearl in green/blue tones.
Crystals. Bath salts and such fit well into this category. Colors? Pinkish and quartz tones in addition to opalescent blues and purples (amethyst). Packaging? Irregular crystal shapes. Makeup can be creamy or sugary with texture.
Gold. Gold has been hot in makeup for the past 10 years. Liquefied or solidified—molten liquid or nuggets—gold mixes well with blues, purples, copper, etc. Gold under the eyes or even used in food as an appealing edible delight (think nutricosmetics). Or go a different route with gold supplements or Egyptian gold nail polish.
Honey. Sweet on the lips and even sweetener on the skin. It’s the Gold of the Gods. Think fragrance, think baroque-style bottles, gold bars as shapes for packaging. Where food, fashion and well-being collide, gold offers “healing powers" that work for edible beauty-from-within products.
Volcano. Think ashes; grays and black; and fiery, incandescent, lover tones. Black and red are devilish colors that work well together. But black alone offers eternal and elegant aspects (black is essential in the beauty field). Tar and oil themes, ash matter from volcanoes, and smudged, oil-looking makeups can stem from this category. Charcoal gray with shine is another option.

 

These trends matches what I reported earlier this year from the LSN Global presentation.
Wilderness. In the world of iphones, augmented realities and virtual worlds we are seeking the primitive. Luxury is re-adressing craft, with an emphasis on slowing down to promote the understanding that true luxury isn´t swift of nature. Raw and rough luxury is evolving, as sustainability and an ecologically aware sensibility become embedded in the everyday. We are finding our way to long-forgotten skills and craft techniques when feeling the need to work with our hands. New mood for handmade in the luxury industry.  

Colours and materials for these three: brown, dark green, sand, orange, yellow, grey, linen, felt, wood, leather, jute and industrial.