By Lindsey Unterberger, Glamour
The Lipstick Index tracks how many times beauty trends are mentioned across Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and the Web at large and ranks them in real time. We compiled all that data to bring you what's been trending throughout the year. Take a look as we count down the trends, and see how many you've tried.
Photo: Kyle Ericksen/WWD
#15: Smoky Eyes
After watching countless runway shows during Fashion Week, we called it: Eye makeup is back and bigger than ever. And the Internet agreed--particularly on Instagram, where people tagged or mentioned smoky eyes on the regular (think tutorials, makeup-of-the-day photos, shadow palettes, etc.). Conversations spiked in October, especially around Halloween makeup but have remained strong since.
#14: Lip Balm
Lip balm trended consistently on the Index throughout the year, with chatter being more product-focused than look-based. A major portion of shout-outs went to balms from Nivea, Eos, and Maybelline. And while we can't prove it definitively, we have a sneaking suspicion the buzz around the Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge contributed to lip balm's high ranking.
#13: False Lashes
No Instagram makeup tutorial was complete without a set of falsies or lash extensions--or so it would seem. Common hashtags associated with the trend included #lashesfordays and--for better or worse--#lashesonfleek.
#12: Hair Extensions
#FakeHairDontCare may be a bit of a misnomer: Conversations about clip-ins, Keratin extensions, wefts, wigs, and weaves spiked across all social platforms this year.
#11: Mineral Makeup
Mentions of mineral makeup increased considerably at the beginning of November and have remained strong. One explanation? Colder, drier weather could be driving people to look for products that won't irritate their extra-sensitive skin.
#10: Long Nails
The year 2015 was a big one for nail shapes. We saw everything from stiletto nails to coffin nails, all of which had serious length and Instagram-ability. Search #nailporn or #nailsofinstagram to see just how talon-happy we got.
Photo: Delphine Achard/WWD
#9: Red Lipstick
Red lipstick = Instagram gold. It's a classic that photographs so. damn. well. Women also loved to profess their love for their favorite shade (hey, the struggle is real), with references to MAC Cosmetics outpacing the rest.
#8: Bangs
Bangs were huge on Instagram, of course, but also on Facebook and Twitter. People debated whether to get them, what kind to get, and how to style them. And they loved to show off their results when they did finally decide to make the cut.
#7: Purple Hair
We saw every color of hair imaginable (and even some we could never have imagined) in 2015, but purple was by far the most talked-about hue. Celebrities including Nicole Richie, Katy Perry, and Britney Spears led the trend.
#6: Straight Hair
Although straight-hair mentions earned the trend a spot on this list, looking at the posts themselves tells a slightly different story: Many of the results also contain words like hair vitamins, length check, and healthy hair journey. Others also have mentions of curly hair, natural hair, and relaxed hair. All these tags make us believe the conversation is less around certain hair texture and more around hair health in general.
#5: Short Hair
There's a secret short-hair club on social media. Want to join? Show off your bob, pixie, buzz cut, or lob. Tagging #shorthairdontcare could expedite initiation. OK, not really, but the numbers sure make it seem that way.
#4: Contouring
Never did we think we'd use the word contouring so often in our daily lives. Some people loved to show off their face-sculpting chops on Instagram, and others (including many a makeup artist) loved to hate on it. Regardless, everyone was talking about it.
Photo: Delphine Achard/WWD
#3: Strobing
Strobing and contouring duked it out for the No. 1 spot on the Index at any given time, but the highlighting technique won out in terms of social media mentions for the year.
#2: Braids
Braids are the catnip of the Internet. In terms of braid types, box braids, French braids, and fishtail braids all took top spots in the hair category.
See where box braids, French braids, and fishtail braids rank on the Lipstick Index now.
#1: Nail Art
Oh, did you think nail art was over? The Lipstick Index says otherwise. It may not spike the way other trends do, but it's consistently hashtagged and liked on Instagram.
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