From Glass Skin To Barbiecore: Bollywood’s Biggest Beauty Moments

Beauty moments in films is driven by its silver-screen icons who don’t just create, but sometimes set beauty archetypes in place.

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Last year, however, we saw beauty being slower, intentional, and legacy-driven. This year isn't one for micro-trends that come and go, but an ode to global aesthetics refined to suit our own taste. In fact, what we usually term beauty trends were seen more like beauty codes to abide by this year, dewy skin for a natural glow, shimmer eyeshadow for glam accents, and a sleek hair part with soft waves for a polished yet high-glam finish.

We also saw the archival of vintage looks from Hindi cinema resembling modern-day internet trends, with terms like glass skin and Barbiecore makeup simply serving as contemporary reference points.

Alia Bhatt’s Glass Skin Revolution

From red carpet Cannes appearances to intimate at-home Diwali celebrations, Alia Bhatt’s makeup looks are grounded in the philosophy of skin realism.The beauty looks are centred on feeling and looking hydrated and breathable, vouching for a barely-there makeup feel.Her looks always emphasize clean, dewy skin, making for a smooth palette for flawless base makeup,with adequate skin prep being non-negotiable.The rejection of heavy contouring, as well as the creation of harsh shadow structures on the face, helps bring out a radiant, glass-like skin texture.

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Rather than spectacle, her looks prioritise familiarity, and by quietly shifting focus away from transformation, they prove that restraint can feel just as aspirational as drama. 

Deepika’s Luminous Skin Blueprint

If there’s a modern-day standard for Bollywood’s iconic glam look, it’s Deepika Padukone’s makeup, and nothing less.Her looks strike a perfect harmony of soft lustre and bold. 

Across her looks, there’s a clear strategy in how makeup is placed, with each element working intentionally to highlight her natural features, from high-point highlights that sculpt and define the jawline and cheekbones, to kohl-rimmed eyes and smoky eyeshadow that draw attention to the brown in her eyes, finished with a softer lip that ties the look together.And whilst we do still see elements of glazed and glass-skin makeup, the focus remains controlled opulence and power glow. Her makeup style leans toward more mature, aspirational beauty, and we find it to be a form of glamour that prioritises intention over ornamentation. 

Middle-Part Hairstyles Rule

The middle part channels old Bollywood’s obsession with symmetry and structure, reinterpreted through a modern lens of restraint and ease. It remains a cult favourite, appearing across updos such as buns and ponytails, as well as soft waves and sleek, straight hair, and while vintage hairstyles relied on volume and excess, beauty strips it back, allowing precision to take centre stage.

The appeal of this hairstyle lies in its all-encompassing ability to flatter across face shapes and styling techniques. It allows for an indulgence in classic, vintage glamour with quieter effort, and today, the middle part is embraced as deliberate rather than decorative.

Barbie Trend Explosion

The Barbiecore aesthetic this year moved beyond a pink overload; instead, it was re-envisioned as a symbol of hyper-femininity. And one that Bollywood readily embraced. Rather than leaning into novelty, the aesthetic found balance in softness, polish, and playful restraint.

We saw a return of sparkle paired with pastel undertones, rouge-toned flushes, pink and rose eyeshadows, glossy lips, and long, wispy lashes. Barbiecore, in its Bollywood iteration, felt expressive without excess, leaning into femininity that was confident, composed, and unmistakably modern.

Shimmer Eyeshadow Beautiful Moments

Shimmer eyeshadow quietly re-entered Bollywood beauty, not as spectacle, but as detail. It showed up softly, catching light rather than demanding it. Disha Patani’s lilac shimmer paired with a fluid saree felt ethereal and restrained, while Sobhita Dhulipala’s beauty looks across brand appearances leaned into muted metallics with confidence.

Festive moments echoed the same sentiment. Khushi Kapoor’s Manish Malhotra Diwali look balanced luminosity with softness, and Tamannaah Bhatia’s Filmfare appearance treated shimmer as polish, not drama. Even Alia Bhatt’s Sabyasachi tribute look used light with restraint, proving shimmer doesn’t need excess to feel impactful.

Bollywood Beauty’s 2025 Legacy 

Rather than marking an end point, Bollywood beauty in 2025 felt like a recalibration. The year signalled a move away from chasing what’s next, and toward refining what already resonates. Skin looked intentional, hair felt precise, and makeup choices reflected confidence rather than performance.

What emerges from this shift is a blueprint for what lies ahead. Beauty is becoming slower, more personalised, and less reactive to internet cycles. Familiar aesthetics of glow, symmetry and softness are no longer treated as trends, but as foundations to build upon.

Looking forward, Bollywood’s beauty language appears poised to favour longevity over immediacy. The future isn’t louder or more experimental, it’s more assured. One where beauty evolves through nuance, memory, and restraint, allowing individuality to shape what comes next rather than fleeting influence.

FAQ

1: Why did 2025 feel like a turning point for Bollywood beauty?

Because familiar aesthetics were refined instead of replaced, signalling a shift toward longevity.

2: What role did vintage Hindi cinema play in current beauty trends?

It acted as a reference point, with archival looks reinterpreted through modern techniques.

3: What sets Bollywood’s beauty future apart from global trends?

Its emphasis on restraint and individuality over fast, algorithm-led aesthetics.

Also Read: 

No Makeup Look: Why The Bare-Faced Aesthetic Is Defining B-Town Beauty

ELLE Beauty Chat: Celebrity Makeup Artist Namrata Soni On Perfecting The Moment