The 2016 Nostalgia Wave: Why Are We Posting Our Old Lives Again?
- Charmaine Cheah
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
It’s been nearly a decade since 2016, and somehow, that’s the era everyone’s nostalgic for. Beauty and Style writer Charmaine dives into the trends that defined the year, and asks whether they’re really worth bringing back.
If you have scrolled through social media lately, you may have seen it all over your feed: bold brows, razor-sharp winged eyeliner, Kylie Lip Kits, choker necklaces, Tumblr-era selfies, and captions like “take me back.” But beyond the recycled trends, what is it about “2016 Core” that feels so irresistible?
The Aesthetic Battlefield: What Stays and What Goes?
2016 was the era of “doing the absolute most”— peak full glam, heavy contour and the moment influencer culture shifted from a casual hobby to a semi‑legitimate career. Now that we’re digging through the archives, the internet is debating which trends deserve a comeback and which should stay buried in our old Facebook albums. Some of it feels nostalgic and comforting while some of it feels like a collective fashion crime. Ultimately, we are not just revisiting this era for the aesthetic, we are looking back to understand what that nostalgia says about our desire for comfort and escape in an overwhelming digital present.
The Revivals: What Deserves a Comeback
1) Matte lips
After years of lip oils and high-shine glosses, matte lipsticks offered something we’ve quietly missed: durability. A velvet matte finish holds its shape, lasts through meals and conversations, and doesn’t require constant touch-ups. In a beauty era that often prioritises ease and function, matte lips reflect a desire for makeup that feels intentional, durable, and able to keep up with real life.
2) Chokers
More than just an accessory, choker trend captured that “Tumblr‑meets‑streetwear” energy that was all about self-expression. Whether minimalist or bold, chokers felt personal and adaptable, making them easy to style across different aesthetics. Their return signals a move away from "anonymous" jewelry and back toward pieces that feel personal, edgy and indicative of a specific subculture or identity.
3) French tips
French tips had their big moment in 2016, and their return feels like a natural upgrade to today’s clean, minimal aesthetic. They align naturally with the “clean girl” aesthetic by offering a polished, put-together look without excess. It fits the refined, polished aesthetic people are leaning toward now, proving that you can be a minimalist while still embracing a look that feels "done" and classic.
The Relics: What Should Stay in the Past
1) Bold brows
Bold, heavily sculpted brows were once a defining feature of 2016 beauty, but they pushed everyone toward the same exaggerated shape. The “Instagram Brow” era drew attention away from the rest of the face and required significant upkeep. The shift to softer, natural, feathered brows reflects a preference for styles that offer more flexibility and feel easier to adapt to different faces and routines.
2) Cut-crease eyeshadows
The dramatic cut‑crease highlighted technical skill and visual impact, reflecting a more performance-driven beauty era. However, it demanded precision, time, and multiple products, which made it impractical for everyday wear. As makeup routines became more integrated into daily life, interest shifted toward eye looks that felt easier and more adaptable.
3) Overlining lips
Lip overlining was meant to enhance fullness, but exaggerated applications often created a visible disconnect between natural lip shape and drawn lines.While effective on camera, the look translated less seamlessly offline. This likely contributed to a move toward subtler lip definition that feels more natural in real-world settings.
Is This Comfort, Escapism… or Are We Just Out of Ideas?
So why is this happening now?
For many, nostalgia acts like an emotional bubble wrap, softening the weight of an increasingly high-pressure digital present. Revisiting old photos or trends can act as a reminder of continuity, suggesting that past versions of life were navigated, and current ones can be too. It also provides a brief escape from the relentless pace of today’s news cycle and the expectation to always be productive.
While some might see this revival as a sign of creative fatigue, it can just as easily be read as a search for meaning rather than novelty. Nostalgia, after all, functions as a quiet survival mechanism. It helps us reconnect with versions of ourselves that felt lighter or more certain. Whether someone leans into the 2016 wave or not, its return is evidence of how culture reaches backwards when the present feels too unstable to hold on its own.
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