Metallic lips are back and the lip liners are sharper than ever. Kylie Jenner just revived her King Kylie era to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of Kylie Cosmetics.
And suddenly, we’re all back in 2014 again.
If you weren’t there for the King Kylie era, it was basically peak Tumblr-core glamour between 2014 and 2016: colourful hair, big lashes, bold lip liners with matching matte lips, and let’s not forget, the unapologetic shimmery nude eyeshadow and dark brows (courtesy of Anastasia Beverly Hills).
A decade later, she’s bringing that aesthetic back and the internet can’t get enough. From the attention that the King Kylie collection is getting to the comeback of early 2000s icons like Lancôme, one thing’s clear: nostalgia is trending.
Recently Kylie joined her sister Khloe Kardashian on the Khloe in Wonder Land podcast, rehashing her King Kylie era, and growing up in a blended family.
Are We Using Nostalgia Bait?
“Nostalgia Bait” is exactly what it sounds like.
Brands dipping back into the past, rummaging through their archives to spark an emotional response and familiarity.
In a world that’s constantly moving forward and obsessed with reinvention, we as the consumer, can’t help but crave for simpler times.
We find security in products or packaging that we know and love, it’s like a breath of fresh air.
For beauty, this means revisiting the maximalist vibe of 2010s makeup and Kylie Jenner’s revival of her 2014 persona taps directly into that collective craving for something loud, fun, and fearless.
King Kylie’s Return
Image: A montage of Kylie’s King Kylie collection products. In Australia? You can get the full collection from kyliecosmetics.com
In silver body glitter, Kylie Jenner announced her King Kylie collection.
Image: Kylie’s launch imagery for her King Kylie collection featured silver teal shifting holographic glitter, and a teal-tinted jewel crown.
A limited-edition line that feels like it came out from another era: onyx black matte lipsticks, silver glosses, blinding gold highlighters and an eyeshadow palette full of blues, greens, and pinks.
Shades that were inspired by Kylie Jenner’s hair colours at the time.
Image: Kylie’s King Kylie eyeshadow palette shades are inspired by the many hair looks Kylie had during her King Kylie era.
Even the packaging took a 180 turn from her usual pink minimalism. The design is a throwback to the original Kylie Cosmetics.
Fans can find more nostalgic callbacks like the iconic True Brown K Lip Kit (that broke the internet in 2014) and 3 Strikes, a gold highlighter that pays homage to her 2017 warm champagne shade.
It’s a collection that encourages fans to come back to the edgy spirit that Kylie Cosmetics used to have. And it’s really strategic.
While most brands are chasing the glossy skin, brushed up brows, “no-makeup” makeup looks, and minimalism, Kylie Cosmetics stands out by embracing personality and individuality.
The Beauty Throwbacks
Kylie Jenner isn’t the only one chasing the power of nostalgia. This marketing tactic is everywhere and they’re not exactly being subtle either.
Image: Paris Hilton and Hillary Duff in a sea of pink.
Lancôme reintroduced their iconic Juicy Tubes — shiny, pocket-sized lip-glosses that became a staple of 2000s makeup — in a campaign starring Paris Hilton, Gossip Girl’s Ed West Wick and, of course, heartthrob Chad Michael Murray.
It wasn’t just a product relaunch, it was like Lancôme took us down memory lane.
The Juicy Tubes’ signature sticky shine and fruity scent instantly transported us back to a time where Lizzy McGuire was the ultimate IT girl and everyone wanted a flip phone.
Urban Decay joined in too, reviving its original Naked Palette which arguable is one of the most influential eyeshadow palettes of the 2010s.
With its mix of taupes, golds and rose-golds, the OG Naked Palette became an important beauty cultural shift.
The new vegan formula keeps the legacy intact with a few modern touches.
Image: Clinique’s Almost Lipstick in Black Honey went Viral on TikTok, selling out multiple times.
MAC, ever the constant, never abandoned its signature black and silver packaging. It’s instantly recognisable and when you see one, you’ll know.
Meanwhile, Clinique’s Almost Lipstick in Black Honey resurfaced as a viral TikTok favourite for its sheer berry tint that appealed to a whole new generation.
Each of these relaunches reminds us why nostalgia just works.
It’s repackaging a memory and marketing it to us beauty lovers.
Why Nostalgia Works (And Why We Love it)
Nostalgia is a great way to make us beauty lovers slow down and go back to the thrill of experimentation, before following trends dictated by an algorithm.
In recent years, beauty has leaned into a more restraint, effortless look.
A great example of this would be Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Beauty, that prioritises healthy skin and simplifying skincare.
But consumers are now turning toward looks that embraces fun, colour and eccentricity.
Take Chappell Roan for example and her take on stage makeup, or when the internet were all recreating looks from the show Euphoria.
Image: New brands are embracing futuristic silvers and bold colours, reimagining what has been.
Brands like Pat McGrath, Haus of Labs, and Isamaya embody this new direction, characterised by their boldness and creativity, embracing big personalities and slowly bringing back the vivid colours that used to make makeup, well, fun.
It is true, Nostalgia sells.
For beauty lovers, it’s the rush of rediscovering your first palette and swiping a glittery lip-gloss everywhere you go, it’s the confidence of colour.
And for women and creatives, it’s more than makeup. It’s about going back to a version of us that felt curious, but brave enough to experiment.
What if the future of beauty, is the past?
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