Ep 364 – Should It Stay or Should It Go—2025 Beauty and Wellness Trends

Summary

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ASCP Esty Talk – Ep 364

Should It Stay or Should It Go—2025 Beauty and Wellness Trends
Hosts: Alec Cressman & Maggie Stasik
Release Date: December 10, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this lively episode, Alec Cressman and Maggie Stasik invite listeners to play "Should It Stay or Should It Go?"—their annual breakdown of current and emerging beauty and wellness trends. The duo evaluates the longevity and appeal of everything from skincare routines and makeup looks to AI-powered programs and fashion statements. They offer honest, industry-savvy predictions, discuss consumer shifts, and encourage critical (and sometimes humorous) thinking about what’s real and what’s hype in the world of esthetics.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fashion Trends: Barrel Jeans & The Return of Structure

• Barrel Jeans:
  • Verdict: Should go
  • Maggie dislikes them and prefers more tailored, classic cuts.
  • Alec comments: “Barrel jeans are just jeans for me. They like, fit my body perfectly.” (02:34)
  • Shift from oversized and skinny to more structured, straight, or “cigarette” pants.
• Insight: There’s a broader industry movement toward structured, tailored silhouettes for 2025.

2. Skincare: Ten-Step Routines vs. Skinimalism

• Ten-Step Facial Routine:
  • Verdict: Should go
  • Overly complicated regimens, popularized by influencers, are losing favor.
  • Maggie: “10 steps, who’s got time for that?” (03:26)
  • Alec ties the trend to influencer culture and “get ready with me” content.
• Skinimalism:
  • Rise of simplified, high-quality product routines focusing on skin health.
  • Alec notes a major consumer shift coinciding with economic realities:
    • Sales dropped from a 1:3 ratio (service:products) to 1:0.5 in early 2025.
    • Clients now buy fewer but higher-priced, multifunctional products.
  • Maggie and Alec both relate to preferring simplicity, possibly linked to personal or societal fatigue. (06:04)
• Memorable Quote:
  • Alec: “...overstimulated and I just want to keep it real simple.” (05:47)

3. Makeup & Brows: Tattooed Freckles and Over-Laminated Brows

• Tattooed Freckles:
  • Neutral attitude (“Eh, who cares? If you want to tattoo freckles on your face, do it man.” – Maggie, 06:45)
• Over-Laminated Brows:
  • Verdict: Should go
  • Moving towards a more natural, softly groomed brow.
  • Alec: “This over overly flattened or unnatural look...is receding.” (06:58)
  • Discussion about how the trend’s decline might affect brow professionals. Joking speculation about “permed” or “curly” brows as next steps (07:40).

4. Exfoliation: Scrubs and Intense At-Home Peels

• Facial Scrubs/Intense Peels:
  • Verdict: Keep scrubs for light use, intense peels at home should go.
  • Maggie: “If people are overusing and they’re using it wrong and it’s too intense for home use, get rid of it.” (08:03)
• Industry Shift:
  • People now prioritize healthy skin barriers.
  • Harsh exfoliation losing favor to gentler, barrier-protective formulations (AHA/BHA/PHAs).
  • Alec suggests focusing marketing on “barrier repair” services and language.

5. Aesthetic Vibe: The Quiet Luxury Aesthetic

• Quiet Luxury:
  • Verdict: Should go
  • Defined as minimalism with muted tones and understated expense (think: brown-on-brown looks).
  • Maggie candidly shares a fashion fail with brown onesies and feeling like the “gingerbread man.” (10:00)
• Trend Direction:
  • Moving to bolder, more personal color choices while holding onto investment staples.
  • Alec wants more individual self-expression to lead the way in 2026 and beyond.

6. Tech in Skincare: AI-Powered Dynamic Routines ("Skin Cycling 2.0")

• AI Dynamic Routines:
  • Trend: Apps that adjust daily skincare based on sensors, consultations, or personal data.
  • Maggie: “I think that this is contradicting trend number two. And we said we are getting back to the basics. We are going minimal. So this one’s out.” (12:16)
  • Alec questions the science, especially the idea of meaningful daily adjustments. Notes true skin changes take time.
• Insight:
  • Over-specialization/over-complication risks consumer confusion and irritation, especially outside the perimenopausal demographic.

7. Trends are Cyclical

• Reflections:
  • Both hosts agree that many trends are cyclical and can easily return.
  • Maggie: “Brows always wax and wane... I am certain laminated brows may return.” (13:59)
  • Alec predicts skinny jeans will come back eventually, even if out of favor right now (14:21).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On complicated routines:
  • Maggie: “10 steps, who's got time for that?” (03:26)
• On Skinimalism:
  • Alec: “The consumers are asking for simpler, more effective routines with fewer products. But those products are higher quality. And all of those are meant to focus on skin health rather than excessive layering.” (04:03)
• On personal overwhelm & beauty routines:
  • Alec: “...overstimulated and I just want to keep it real simple.” (05:47)
• The reality of consumer spending:
  • Alec: “Used to be one to three. For every $100 in services, I would sell $300 in products...February last year, it went to $50.” (04:30)
• On brown-on-brown fashion mishaps:
  • Alec: “I look the gingerbread man. Is so bad.” (11:00)
• On AI skincare:
  • Maggie: “I think that this is contradicting trend number two...So this one’s out.” (12:16)
• On trend cycles:
  • Maggie: “Brows always wax and wane...certain laminated brows may return.” (13:59)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Game Introduction: 01:43
• Barrel Jeans & Fashion Structure: 02:27–03:02
• 10-Step Facial Routine & Skinimalism: 03:18–04:30
• Consumer Spending Shift: 04:30–05:46
• Tattooed Freckles & Brows: 06:40–07:28
• Facial Scrubs & Peels: 08:03–09:27
• Quiet Luxury Aesthetic: 09:33–11:22
• AI Dynamic Routines: 11:28–12:28
• Trends are Cyclical: 13:29–14:30

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Final Thoughts

Alec and Maggie provide a nuanced, witty, and well-informed review of 2025’s beauty and wellness trends, anchored in real-world client feedback and professional observations. Their verdicts encourage estheticians to focus on simplicity, skin health, and authentic self-expression rather than chasing overly complicated, algorithm-driven, or fleeting fads. The hosts remind listeners that, in beauty and wellness, what goes out today might well be back tomorrow—so keep your eyes open, your sense of humor intact, and your professional edge sharp.

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Transcript

[A]

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[B]

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[C]

Hello and welcome to ASCP Esteetalk. I'm Alec Cressman, licensed esthetician, forever student of the skin and content contributor for Associated Skin Care Professionals.

[A]

I am Maggie Stasik, licensed esthetician and ASCP's program director.

[C]

Ooh, it's that time of year again. Here's where we start to think about next year. I know this year's not over quite yet, but Maggie, are you game to play a game?

[A]

I'm game.

[C]

Okay, today I want to play this game to see how you really feel about some of the 2025 trends. And then I want to see how your opinion stacks against the Trend Predictors for 2026. You in?

[A]

I'm in.

[C]

All right, let's play. It's called Should It Stay or Should It Go? So not all of these are just from 2025. Some of them are carryover. But I want your prediction on whether you think this will stay or go next year.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

Trend number one, Barrel jeans. Do you know what those are?

[A]

I do. And they should go. Get them out of here.

[C]

You know what's funny is that barrel jeans are just jeans for me. They like, fit my money perfectly. Oh, yeah, I know. So hallelujah. Baggy and skinny jeans on those ends of the spectrum. Both oversized and then the classic. They're out of favor, which is interesting because I see a lot of those super oversized jeans.

[A]

So what else is there?

[C]

It's moving toward more structured, more tailored. Oh, silhouette cut or something. Yeah, like wide leg, like classic straight leg. And then something called cigarette pants. Which are just straight up and down. Okay, so there you go, there's that. Okay, trend number two, ten step facial routine, should it stay or should it go?

[A]

Now? Are we talking in the treatment room or at home for the consumer?

[C]

Let's just say at home for the consumer right now.

[A]

It should go. Get it outta here.

[C]

It should go. What do you.

[A]

Why do you think that that's too much? 10 steps, who's got time for that?

[C]

I know, and I feel like, yes, I would agree. And we both are so smart that so do other trend predictors. These over complicated 10 step routines that were made popular are. And I think they were made popular by influencers who are like, get ready with me. Which you, you probably haven't seen because you're not on social media. But there's this thing that get ready with me. And they go through these steps and they explain the product and then they're usually telling a story, but anyways, they're looking at being replaced with skinimalism.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

It's a smaller routine. The consumers are asking for simpler, more effective routines with fewer products. But those products are higher quality. And all of those are meant to focus on skin health rather than excessive layering. And this is something I've seen especially this year.

[A]

Now, skinimalism was a huge thing. Then it kind of died down and now it's coming back. Is that what's happening?

[C]

Yeah, and I think it's. I think it's economically influenced. I saw a huge change February 2025 in the way people were spending, where all of a sudden it was like, the realization was like, whoa, I gotta prepare. I can't be as frivolous as I've been the last 10, 15 years. And I say frivolous meaning like, yeah, I'll get that. Yeah, I'll get that. All of a sudden there was some kind of a reality that set in where my sales to service dollars. I think I've shared this with you before. It used to be one to three. So for every $100 in services, I would sell $300 in products. That was just my average. But in February last year, it went to $50. So for every hundred dollars in services, people were buying $50 worth of products. And the other thing that happened last year is I switched product lines in April. So I'm carrying a new product line that's 30 to 40% more than what I had been carrying. So that was very like, scary for me. But those products are different. So I'm able to, I'm able to negotiate hey, this is like three products at one. The value is easier sell for me, so I'm actually having an easier time selling higher priced items, just less of them. Interesting.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[C]

So the trend is real and it's happening. So prepare for that, you know? And do you feel that way? Do you feel maybe just. I, I feel at home, like overstimulated and I just want to keep it real simple. Even though I have 19, I have enough for a 19 step routine at home. I want it simple.

[A]

Yeah, I can relate with that. I mean I also have more product than I would ever apply in one treatment. And it's just because I'm in the business. Right.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

But I like to keep it very simple as well. And I don't know if that is because where we are in the world or if it's where I am in my life.

[C]

Yes, I, I would agree with that sentiment too. I don't know if it's because I'm overstimulated and just exhausted or if it's because I'm just exhausted. Perimenopausal. I don't know. Yeah, I'd agree. You ready for the next one?

[A]

I'm ready.

[C]

Let's talk about two. Okay. Trend number three. Tattooed freckles.

[A]

I could go either way on this. I feel like, eh, I mean, who cares? If you want to tattoo freckles on your face, do it man. Stay or go.

[C]

How about overly laminated eyebrows?

[A]

That's gotta go. Get it out of here.

[C]

Apparently you are right on the money again. This over overly flattened or unnatural look. The laminated brows, the tattooed freckles, the desire for that is what they say is receding. This trend is moving toward soft, subtly groomed eyebrows that embrace natural skin too. So not any more of those like brush straight up eyebrows. Fluffy brows. Yeah, but more groomed. And we'll see. We'll see what happens.

[A]

Interesting.

[C]

Yeah, yeah. I'm curious to see how that affects those who are brow lamination experts. Like, like they're going to be driving the change too or what? What are they going to come up with? Like how is it going to look? I'm excited to see that.

[A]

Yeah, Maybe it'll be like a permed brow.

[C]

Ooh, curly brows.

[A]

I just made that up.

[C]

I don't know. I think I've seen that once, but I think it might have been AI but maybe. Let us know.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Okay. Are you ready for trend number four?

[A]

Ready.

[C]

I think this is good. I'm so excited to see what you think about this.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

But Facial scrubs and intense peels. Specifically at home peels.

[A]

Oh, I'm very torn about this. Don't let it go. But the intense part that could go, I mean, let people have their little Stridex pads and never get rid of scrubs. We all need to scrub. But if people are overusing and they're using it wrong and it's too intense for home use, get rid of it.

[C]

My gosh, you should be a trend predictor. So here's what the experts have to say. This just nice. That harsh, aggressive exfoliation. I think we started to see with the COVID shutdown, people having to do things at home more. But this is not new. This has come and gone, come and gone, come and gone. The consumers are now prioritizing healthy skin barriers. A skin barrier is key words here. And they're turning away from those abrasive scrubs like you're talking about. And instead of like at home peels, they're opting for gentle exfoliants that have aha bhas phas. And that's just to promote cell turnover. So not to get rid of it completely, just adjust it, prioritizing barrier strength. So think about that with your marketing efforts or maybe some of your SEO in your emails or your website, like a barrier repair facial or a barrier repair plan, something like that. Right? Yeah. Maggie, you're on a roll. Are you ready for trend number five?

[A]

Hit me with it.

[C]

I. You can unhit me with this one.

I liked it, but I have to tell you a story. Okay. The quiet luxury aesthetic.

[A]

Okay, explain this one to me.

[C]

So quiet luxury is like head to toe muted tones, minimalism, like blandness. This is very expensive, but it's overstatedly understated. Yeah, right?

[A]

Yep. It can go.

[C]

It can go Same. So I have to tell you a story because I just had this realization. A lot of what I have now are some of these muted tones a lot in the brown palette. And I had my. My bestie, she came in to see me on a day I had this outfit on. It was brown on brown on brown. And she looked at me and she was like, wow, brown is not your color. And I was like, what are you talking about? And then I'll show you this picture of this brown onesie that I bought too for cuz I thought that was gonna be cute. Like it's a onesie sweatsuit that zips up in on the model. I'm like, oh, she looks quietly luxurious. So surely I will I put it on. Dude, I look the gingerbread man. Is so bad. I'll show you a picture. And I sent it to her and guess what color it was? Brown. And so I'm like, brown is not my color. And I'm talking to her on the phone at my house, laughing at this picture with her. And I'm looking in my closet. I'm like, I've got a ton of brown. And so that's why I'm excited that the quiet luxury aesthetic of muted, monochromatic tones might be on its way out. While high quality, timeless pieces are not going to be going anywhere, this replacement of these individual expression and bold colors is coming back and I'm bringing it on. It's shifting away from monochromatic and it's going towards mixing, like, high investment pieces with playful, expressive elements. And that is more me. So we'll see if red's my color or mauve is my color or we'll see.

[A]

Yeah, I think they both are.

[C]

Okay, here's the final trend. This is a big one. Okay. Are you ready for it?

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

This is one that I didn't even. I mean, I kind of knew, but I didn't know. It's Skin Cycling 2.0 or you're using AI Dynamic Routines. Have you heard about this?

[A]

No.

[C]

Okay, so it's using AI or apps to change your skincare every day based on sensors.

[A]

What are these sensors?

[C]

Listen, I don't know a lot about it. I remember saying that in the beginning. I'm just kidding. I don't know. I think it sounds futuristic, but I don't know if it's taking a picture. I didn't even know this was a trend.

[A]

It sounds like you'd need like an.

[C]

App to tell you, yeah, these are apps.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

But it's like. It's like saying, this is what I do Monday. I don't know if you input, like, your cycle information or what you ate. I'm not sure how much of this is involved or how your mood is. I don't know.

[A]

I think that this is contradicting trend number two. And we said we are getting back to the basics. We are going minimal. So this one's out.

[C]

I'm interested to see what they're saying is is out. So it might have been a flash in the pan trend. It sounds futuristic, but really it may be that these changes they're expecting on a daily basis are really, we know, takes a lot longer for that to change. So too much switching back and forth can actually irritate or confuse consum. So trend sources allege that there is Skepticism around over specialization. We'll put that in that category over specialization. That being said, I'm gonna tell you, menopause was huge in 2025. And for one good thing that it brought to the surface, pun intended, is that there are daily changes in your face when you're in perimenopause. Daily changes. So I think there has to be an awareness of that. But if you're 26 years old and not even close to knocking on the perimenopausal door, probably a target for these, like, apps and such, you probably don't need that. So interesting. Very interesting.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

I just love learning so much. Well, thanks so much for playing. Should I stay or should I go? And you know what I think is interesting about trends too, is that sometimes they're gonna come back. So can you think off of the top of your head? Anything that may. Maybe we've talked about here that's gone, that will say see you later or kitchen next time, too, of these, of these, or anything that we haven't talked about that you see might be falling out of favor?

[A]

I think any one of these could return. Absolutely. And I think brows always wax and wane, whether they're big and full or super skinny. And so I am certain laminated brows may return. Um, if they are made to stand up or lay down, we will see that come back.

[C]

I see skinny jeans coming back. It'll be a little bit, but I think it'll. I think they'll make a comeback. Yeah.

[A]

As far as I'm concerned, they never went anywhere.

[C]

Now, listeners, we really want to hear from you. What trends are you hoping will hang on? And which are you hoping will quietly bow out? Reach out via Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, whatever. Send us an email. Get [e-mail] we want to know all the details. In the meantime, thank you for listening to ASCP STTalk. For more information on this episode, or for ways to connect with Maggie or myself, or to learn more about ascp, check out the show notes and stay tuned for the next episode of ASCPSI Talk.