The clean girl aesthetic has had a very good run.
For the past few years, beauty feeds were dominated by slick buns, neutral makeup, glowing skin and the promise of effortlessness that actually takes a lot of effort.
Clean girl culture was never just about makeup.
It was about control, discipline and being visually palatable.
The look came packaged with quiet luxury energy, Pilates mornings, green juices and an unspoken rule that less is always more.
But somewhere along the way, clean started to feel… boring.
Enter Zara Larsson.
In recent appearances, performances and visuals, Zara has been leaning into bold makeup choices, expressive looks and a messier kind of glamour.
Think dramatic eyes, statement colours and styling that feels intentional rather than invisible.
It is not about looking polished.
It is about being seen.
Zara’s shift mirrors something bigger happening in beauty culture right now.
Gen Z is growing tired of trends that demand perfection while pretending they are natural.
The clean girl aesthetic sells a fantasy of effortlessness, but most people know the truth.
It is expensive, curated and quietly exhausting.
Fun makeup, on the other hand, feels rebellious in comparison.
It allows room for mistakes, personality and experimentation.
It does not require symmetry or restraint.
Zara Larsson represents a pop star who looks like she is enjoying beauty again instead of managing it.
And that matters.
Pop stars have always shaped makeup trends.
From Madonna’s bold lips to Rihanna’s fearless experimentation, what happens on stage eventually ends up on mood boards.
As we head into 2026, the signals are already there.
Colour is coming back.
Eyes are getting louder.
Makeup is becoming expressive instead of corrective.
The clean girl era may not disappear overnight, but its dominance is clearly slipping.
Zara Larsson is not single handedly ending the trend.
But she is proof that pop culture is ready for something messier, louder and more fun.
