Doing More by Doing Less: Why We're Shifting Toward Subtle Beauty in 2025
- Nicole Blankenship
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Did you feel the shift? In 2025, the beauty industry is having a major shake-up... but not in the way you might think. After a decade of overfilling, overlining, overfiltering, and flat-out overdoing it, the new wave is here: maximalism is being replaced with subtle refinement, correction over camouflage, and enhancement over extremes.
We’re seeing a cultural shift where “less is more” is becoming the new status quo. And lasers, PMU pigment lightening, microblading removal, and soft-touch techniques are leading the charge.
The Rise of the Reset
Let’s talk lasers - more specifically, The PICOSure Pro. This has been an absolute game-changer in my studio; not just for removing unwanted tattoos or PMU, but for refining and resetting. Whether it’s brows that have gone too dark, pigment that’s turned too warm or cool, or clients just craving a softer aesthetic, PICO allows us to scale back and start fresh without causing any trauma to the skin or hair.
Brow Tone, our signature pigment-lightening technique using our PICOSure Laser, isn’t primarily about removing brows entirely, but moreso about editing, refining, and creating space for a more natural look to emerge.
It's a shift away from the 2016 ABH Dipbrow-coded “insta-brow” and back to brows that can breathe.
Even laser tattoo removal is evolving and growing. Whether it be erasing bad decisions, zapping off drunk 3AM tats, or removing ink that no longer aligns with them - I see more and more people in my chair wanting to get this done. They’re choosing to eradicate existing work so new, better-aligned art (or for many, no art at all) can take its place.
It’s about choice. It's about flexibility. Above all, it's about owning your narrative.
So, Why the Shift?
We’re seeing it everywhere - from clients in the chair, to celebrities on the red carpet. The aesthetic pendulum is swinging back, and people are craving authenticity, softness, and longevity. Filler dissolving is trending. Think Kylie Jenner, or more recently think Hannah from Love Island US Season 7... all individuals who've been public about removing lip and/or facial filler to return to a more natural look.
Understated brows, skin texture, and subtle enhancements are replacing the super-snatched, highly sculpted faces of the last decade. In interviews, more and more public figures are speaking out about mental health, burnout, and identity loss from trying to keep up with unrealistic beauty standards.
This movement has reached a point where it really can't be ignored anymore. Long are the days of trying to look like everyone else & "keeping up with the Joneses." Now, the tides are turning, and it’s about reclaiming our identities, our peace, and our defining traits that make us 1 of 1 & so incredibly special.
Less Doesn’t Mean Nothing
However, here’s the fine print: “less” doesn’t mean doing nothing. It means doing what serves you best. Maybe that means dissolving lip filler, but refilling more strategically and with less, better-placed product, and adding a soft blush tint. Maybe it’s lightening old PMU and opting for a fluffier brow. Maybe it’s choosing laser over camouflage when it comes to unwanted pigment.
Where We Go From Here
If you’ve been feeling the itch to simplify, reset, or just bring your aesthetic back to a place that feels more you... you’re clearly not alone. Listen to your gut, honor your evolution, and understand that beauty can be both enhanced and effortless.
As a practitioner, I’m here for it. I’ve built a studio that celebrates soft power, healthy skin, flexible pigment work, and conscious choices. No matter what journey you're on, I'm here to help in any way I can.
