The ‘uncool’ beauty product Gen Z say is making you look older

Less is more with makeup, according to Gen Z (Picture: Shutterstock / TY Lim) You’ll very rarely catch me leaving the house without swiping some mascara on my lashes first. I don’t need full glam to go out in public, but my face feels naked without a little something on my eyes. My excuse is that I’m pale, and my lashes are quite fair (ginger genes), but Gen Z would tell you it’s because of my age. It turns out the younger generation has decided it’s ‘uncool’ to wear mascara and they’ve been ditching it. Worse still, they claim it ages those who do wear it. As a 90s kid raised on hot pink tubes of Maybelline’s Great Lash, you can imagine my outrage over this news, and fellow millennials at Metro HQ were equally appalled. Mascara is a ride or die makeup product (Picture: Getty Images) Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. When I relayed this discovery to the team, many quickly (and loudly) proclaimed mascara their ‘ride or die’ beauty product, saying they would feel like a ‘naked mole-rat’ without it. ‘Who wants to walk around without visible eyes,’ one person asked in pure bafflement. But our Gen Z colleagues were resolute in their stance, branding mascara ‘uncool’. ‘I don’t wear mascara,’ a 22-year-old co-worker tells me. ‘The no makeup look is VERY popular with the cool gals in their early 20s, and mascara is a sure giveaway you have makeup on.’ Instead, she swears by an eyelash curler for a little lash lift, and only wears tinted moisturiser, cream blush, and lip gloss on her face. Cost is also a contributing factor for some, as another young colleague shared: ‘I’ve found myself not wearing mascara as a good tube of even drugstore stuff is like £9.’ Madé Lapuerta, the data scientist behind @databutmakeitfashion, has noticed interest in mascara dropping and agrees cost has a role to play, but says the wider appeal of the ‘clean girl aesthetic’ (otherwise known as ‘no makeup’ makeup) is the real driving force. Madé analysed hundreds of online articles and posts mentioning mascara and shared a look at the results on Instagram. In her post, she explained: ‘Mascara’s popularity has been steadily declining this year, and dropped 38 per cent in April. ‘While “natural makeup” looks, specifically, were growing in popularity. By April, search traffic for natural makeup was 4x greater than in January of this year.’ Zendaya recently rocked the ‘ghost lashes’ trend on the red carpet (Picture: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images) Not only is the natural look popular on social media, but a new minimal makeup trend has also been taking the runway and red carpet by storm. Known as ‘ghost lashes’, it involves wearing a full face of makeup, with no mascara or heavy false lashes. This puts all the focus on luminous skin, creating a fresh, ethereal look. Models for Dior’s Spring/Summer 2026 show notably rocked ghost lashes earlier this year, as did the girls at Chloé. Zendaya also dabbled with the look during The Odyssey press tour, while Gigi Hadid was credited with helping to kickstart the trend at the Met Gala back in May. So popular is it becoming that even brides are jumping on the bandwagon, moving away from heavier, layered styles in favour of softer looks. Bridal makeup artist, Brooke Lilias, tells Metro she’s noticed a shift in what clients want. ‘People are swaying towards things that can soften and make their eyes pop without any dramatic lashes,’ she says. False lashes are out, and smaller, individual lashes are in. As for mascara, she’s using a lot more brown mascara than before, which gives a more natural ‘your lashes but better’ finish. Do you still wear mascara regularly? I will never stop wearing itCheck I only wear it sometimesCheck I've ditched it completelyCheck As with all trends, the natural look won’t be for everyone. Beauty expert William Grande told Bored Panda that ‘ghost lashes’ aren’t actually ‘universally flattering’. While the trend will make some people appear more youthful, he claims others may find it ages them. And, of course, personal preference will play a big part. So it’s perfectly ok if you’re emotionally attached to your Lash Sensational or Better Than Sex by Too Faced; you can keep on wearing it proudly. Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk Arrow MORE: 90s Baywatch star joins OnlyFans at 56 to ‘share unfiltered pictures and videos’ Arrow MORE: The exact £27 brow product behind Zendaya’s viral Spider-Man premiere glam Arrow MORE: The ‘unsanitary and inconsiderate’ supermarket habit that’s dividing shoppers