The most important beauty moments of 2016

Caitlyn Jenner’s collab with M.A.C Cosmetics

M.A.C Cosmetics partnered with Caitlyn Jenner to release a lipstick called ‘Finally Free’. It was a step towards trans empowerment as all the proceeds from the lipstick go to the MAC AIDS Fund Transgender Initiative.

Plus size model Ashley Graham got her own Barbie doll

Scoring a win for the body positive movement, plus size model Ashley Graham got her own Barbie doll. Graham had a rigid requirement of her own though: the doll could not have a thigh gap. 

A Miss USA contestant competes in a hijab

Halima Aden, 19, made history by becoming the first Muslim contestant to compete in a hijab, going a long way to bash cultural stereotypes surrounding Islam. “A lot of girls were very supportive of what I'm doing, and that just makes it all worth it and my advice to them is just be confident in your own skin, know that an extra layer of clothing does not define your beauty, because beauty is within,” said Halima.

Gigi Hadid’s cheekbones at the Victoria’s Secret fashion show after party

There was a lot we wanted to steal from the Victoria’s Secret fashion show this year, but nothing more so than Gigi Hadid’s luminescent after-party look. If you’re looking to recreate it for your office holiday party, then here’s our cheatsheet.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s purple pout at Cannes

Whether Aishwarya’s purple experiment at Cannes was a way to step out of her comfort zone or a late tribute to Joey’s Ichiban ad, we will never know. What we do know intimately are the hilarious memes that it spawned.

Carol Gracias walked the runway with her baby bump

There’s a lot to see and love at the Lakme Fashion Week, but it was hard to take our eyes off a pregnant Carol Gracias, with baby bump displayed in full glory, walking down the runway for designer Gaurang Shah. Safe to say, she stole the show.

Muscular women breaking all stereotypes

“I love the way I look, so it’s no good telling me to stop. Your body can achieve so much once you shut out the doubts and focus,” said Bani J when she, along with six other beautiful and muscular women, posed for our May issue and shattered stereotypes surrounding femininity and beauty.

Glitter make-up

Whoever said glitter make-up was for kids got a reality check in 2016. Whether it was Simone Biles’ glittery flag-inspired eye liner, or Pat McGrath’s sparkly lipkits, the trend caught on and is definitely here to stay.

#UnfairAndLovely

Tired of the ridiculous association of beauty with fairness, African American photographer Pax Jones shot a photo series titled ‘Unfair and Lovely’, featuring Sri Lankan sisters Mirusha and Yanusha Yogarajah, highlighting the issue of colourism. It went viral and soon South Asian women from across the globe started sharing their own #UnfairAndLovely pictures on Instagram.

Harry Potter-inspired make-up

It was a good year for Potterheads. We got a new book, a play, and a movie (with a promise of four more to follow). But if you’re a Harry Potter fan and a beauty addict, then you have more reasons to rejoice as Shiro Cosmetics has a line of make-up called Marauders, Mugwumps, and Muggles. The vegan and cruelty-free make-up line features products like the ‘Have a biscuit, Potter’ eye shadow, and their hand-blended Butterbeer gloss.

An acid attack survivor walked the ramp at NYFW

Acid attack survivor Reshma Qureshi opened the show for designer Archana Kochar. She said that she hoped her participation would inspire confidence in other acid attack victims and help them realize that they can lead a normal life.

Alicia Keys started the no make-up movement

In a powerful essay for Lenny Letter, singer Alicia Keys vowed to stop covering up. "Not my face, not my mind, not my soul, not my thoughts, not my dreams, not my struggles, not my emotional growth. Nothing," she wrote. Keys made good on that promise and has, since, gone make-up free for all her red carpet appearances and performances. But as is the case with all good statements, hers too was met with some criticism. People accused her of make-up shaming but she cleared her stance with a tweet and a make-up free selfie.

Hair contouring and strobing

Just when the world was beginning to master the skill of contouring and strobing (the Kardashians’ ever changing ‘touring’ trends do not help the matter), hair contouring and strobing became a thing. 

Holographic lip glosses

Just when you thought you’d had enough of lip glosses and were ready for a committed relationship with matte lip colours, glosses made a comeback in a futuristic, magical way. Behold, holographic lip glosses. 

Priyanka Chopra’s bold lip colour choices

2016 was clearly Priyanka’s year for #WinningAtLife, with her memorable red carpet appearances and her appointment as UNICEF’s Global Goodwill ambassador.She also added ‘beauty myth buster’ to her resume by disproving the notion that dusky skinned women shouldn’t experiment with make-up. The Quantico actress was seen rocking several bold lip colours for her various appearances, from goth-inspired shades to a deep berry pout. 

The Pirelli 2017 calendar

The 2017 Pirelli calendar had Hollywood’s top actresses, including Kate Winslet, Nicole Kidman and Charlotte Rampling, go raw and make-up free for stunning black and white portraits. The idea was to present the kind of un-retouched beauty that cannot be found on screen or in the pages of glossy magazines.