Did beauty and wellness predict the rise of conservatism?

In Hungary and Italy, populist radical-right forces lead the government and hold a massive presence in the parliaments of almost all EU countries, except Ireland and Malta. Adding to this is the recent victory of the Republican Party in the latest U.S. elections and the subsequent appointment of Donald Trump as president, marking the official advent of a new era of conservatism. Those who had hoped for a Kamala Harris win should have realized it was a challenging task, as the signs indicating which candidate would occupy the White House were hiding in plain sight—not only in society or culture but also in fashion and beauty. These industries had long been signaling a shift towards a modest, non-threatening, domestic femininity, reflected in trends like quiet luxury, the clean girl aesthetic, or the trad wife look.

2024 Beauty and Wellness Trends and the Political Turn to the Right

"Think about this return to Americana. Ralph Lauren is back in vogue; people are wearing Polo bags and small lady jackets," explains Elysia Berman, a creative director at Estée Lauder Companies, in a viral TikTok post. She highlights how what we wear and how we do our makeup were clear signs of how deeply Trumpism has rooted itself in the beauty industry. If, as Naomi Wolf claims in The Beauty Myth, beauty is "the last, best belief system that keeps male dominance intact," the shift towards a value system where women take on traditional roles and appear naturally beautiful and classy could have been foreseen in the passion for flowing cottagecore dresses or the old money aesthetic. "Kylie Jenner is dissolving her fillers, and everyone is dyeing their hair back to its natural color, abandoning their alternative phases and rejecting any form of individuality," Berman continues. In her sharp interpretation of the present, Berman connects the rise of no-makeup makeup, the increase in requests for tattoo removals and filler reductions, the Utah curls worn by the stars of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, low buns, the return of extreme thinness, and the spread of Ozempic for weight loss. Together, these mainstream trends seem to paint a stereotypical, traditional, and harmless femininity—a favorite of conservatives.

Trump and the Perfect Woman According to the Right

Donald Trump’s misogyny is no secret. The former U.S. president called Kim Kardashian a "fat ass" Rosie O’Donnell a "fat, ugly face" and referred to former Miss Universe Alicia Machado as "Miss Piggy." Over the years, the tycoon’s objectifying comments and behaviors have reflected not only his political agenda but also the patriarchal conception of womanhood shared by conservatives. Remember when JD Vance referred to Kamala Harris as a "childless cat lady" or when Lana Lokteff, a star of the far-right media outlet Red Ice TV, stated: "Women want to be beautiful, attract the best possible mate, and be protected and cared for until death. Any woman who says otherwise is lying to herself or will learn when it’s too late. Beauty, family, and home are exactly what nationalism gives to women!" In this perspective, where a woman’s value is biologically and intrinsically tied to male desire, beauty—and all its products and treatments—becomes the key to security and comfort. At the same time, reducing women to their bodies eliminates the possibility of them becoming a threat, silencing them and making it easier to revoke their rights and bodily autonomy, as seen with the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Trad Wives: The Alt-Right Influencers with Impeccable Makeup

For conservatives, there is a right and a wrong way to be a woman. The ideal is embodied by the stay-at-home girlfriend and, above all, by the trad wives—devoted, attractive wives who emulate the 1950s aesthetic of homemade meals, pastel colors, and red lipstick while celebrating a nostalgic and romanticized vision of gender roles, where women are responsible for family care and homemaking. Estee Williams, Hannah Neeleman, better known as Ballerina Farm, and Nara Aziza Smith attract millions of views, showcasing their traditional lifestyles and influencing how we dress and apply makeup. Their soft aesthetic, vintage dresses, perfectly styled hair, and glamorous makeup—displayed while roasting chicken or scrubbing floors—mask the authoritarianism and misogyny of the right, contributing to extremist radicalization and spreading anti-feminist sentiments.

Thinness, Complex Skincare Routines, and Body Care

The soft femininity of long wavy hair, curated yet discreet makeup, and flawless manicures is not the only beauty trend tied to a conservative legacy. In her book, Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World, Naomi Klein explains how the wellness sector has become fertile ground for far-right ideologies. She notes how the historical obsession with the body and physical fitness has ties to fascism and Nazism, which, drawing from the Greek concept of Kalokagathìa—the unity of beauty and goodness—fetishized vigor, beauty, and health. Skincare routines with dozens of steps and hours spent doing Pilates or working out in the gym aim to achieve an unattainable standard of perfection. At the same time, these activities become yet another task for women, which, according to some theories, keep them away from politics and men’s affairs. Writer and activist Barbara Ehrenreich argues that the tendency to focus on body care and the obsession with thinness can be traced back to the 1980s when these trends gained popularity as a way to reclaim control after the tumultuous 1960s and 1970s. Following this theory, we join gyms and slather ourselves in anti-aging creams not just to be beautiful but to maintain the illusion of control—at least over our bodies.

How Will Trump’s Conservative Politics Impact the Beauty Industry?

Two possible scenarios emerge. Some will continue to embrace a soft, modest, old-fashioned, and traditionalist aesthetic, while others, reacting against conservatism, will push for individuality with more eccentric makeup and impactful hairstyles. This concerns future trends, but many wonder how Trump’s conservative policies will directly affect the beauty industry. Here, too, there are numerous possibilities. Some believe his policies will improve the economic climate by providing tax and regulatory relief, while others predict disastrous personal and professional consequences, particularly for small independent brands. One major concern is the new president’s intention to increase tariffs on Chinese-manufactured products to 60% and additional tariffs on goods made abroad. Many beauty companies rely on China for raw materials and components, like e.l.f. Cosmetics, import finished products directly from the country. Similarly, numerous brands source specialized ingredients or packaging from international markets. If Trump implements these tariff increases, the costs of finished products will rise. With higher expenses, brands will likely raise prices, diminishing customers’ purchasing power, leading to a probable decline in sales, and intensifying competition among companies. Only time will reveal the full impact of these changes.