Millennials are cool again

Summary

Style-ish: “Millennials Are Cool Again”

Podcast: Style-ish by Shameless Media
Episode Date: January 20, 2026
Hosts: Madison Sullivan Thorpe (M), Joanna Fleming (J), Annika Joshi (A)

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Episode Overview

This episode of "Style-ish" explores the recent resurgence of 2016-era aesthetics in fashion and beauty, discusses the rise of the “Brick” device and the popular desire to reduce screen time, and answers a listener's question about whether you can truly “eat your skincare.” The hosts blend insights with humor and personal stories, reflecting on nostalgia, the cyclical nature of trends, and the realities of digital life.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Melbourne Summer Vibes & The AO (Australian Open) Fashion Scene

[00:41 – 03:12]

• The hosts chat about attending the AO, excited about new food offerings like Shake Shack and the tennis-themed treats at Hector’s Deli.
• Brand activations are in full swing: Mecca’s “Barbie’s Dream House” installation is highlighted, now featuring Mecca as the sunscreen partner at the event—overtaking Bondi Sands and La Roche-Posay from previous years.
• Big-name fashion brands with a presence at the AO include Ralph Lauren, New Balance, and Lacoste’s memorable event featuring Novak Djokovic.
• Notable Quote:

  “Novak Djokovic was actually playing on the court. It was really cool. He’s very handsome. He was in his blues and his little Lacos polo, like, oh, cute.” —A [02:38]

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2. The Ultimate Primer & Foundation Pairings

[03:30 – 08:11]

• The hosts reflect on the endless online beauty opinions about pairing primers with foundations and demystify the myth around mixing water- and silicone-based products.
  • Consensus: Letting products absorb properly is more important than their chemical compatibility.
• The trio shares their personal go-to products:
  • A’s picks: Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base + Haus Labs Skin Tech Foundation
  • C’s picks: Charlotte Tilbury Tinted Moisturizer, NARS Light Reflecting Foundation, Laura Mercier “something luminous”
  • B’s picks: Prefers moisturizers to primers (Skin Better Science Trio Balancing Moisturizer; Alpha H Firming Collagen Cream), and rotates between Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue, Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Stick, Bobbi Brown Weightless Skin Foundation, and MAC.
• They jokingly note how rare it is for all three to agree on a product combo.
• Notable Quote:

  “If I’ve got Joe’s approval, girls, I’m onto something. Get running. Add to cart.” —A [04:45]

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3. Breakouts, Pimple Patches & Summer Coffee Orders

[08:21 – 09:39]

• C highlights pimple patch etiquette:
  • Starface pimple patches for “to medium naughty pimples” and Mecca Max spot.micro tip patches for under-the-skin, stubborn ones.
  • Summertime coffee hack: Iced long black with honey.
• B’s recommendation: Follows TikTok creator Baz for daily work outfit inspo, lauding his label-laden, matchy style.
• Notable Moment:

  “Baz, you’re gonna get a follower from Mads in Arnica right now.” —B [10:44]

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4. Main Segment: 2016 is Back, Baby

[12:19 – 24:29]

• The main event: 2016’s aesthetic is everywhere again, with throwbacks flooding social media.
• Cites British Vogue:

  “Everything felt a bit more optimistic…Instagram was a place for live posting and turning up the Rio de Janeiro filter.”

• Nostalgic deep-dive:
  • Heavy filters (Valencia, contrast up)
  • The Snapchat dog filter—ubiquitous and oddly sentimental
  • Surge in trends from “data but make it Fashion”:
    • 385% increase in contour kit searches
    • 60% increase in searches for ripped jeans
  • Influencer Eugene Healy’s viral pronouncement:

    “Millennials are officially cool again…only a year ago, this aesthetic was widely derided—now it’s recontextualized as aspirational.” —A, quoting Healy [15:01]

  • Hosts reminisce about 2016 millennial cliches: urban decay palettes, the LA “pink wall,” curated-yet-unfiltered fashion, trips to Shake Shack, cut crease eyeshadow, bold matte lips, and heavy contouring.
  • Hair: Big “Delta Goodrem” curls via thick-barrel tongs or wands; the bouncy blowout had “not quite hit our shores.”
  • The 2016 Instagram grid: White borders, high contrast, endless hashtags.
  • Hosts own their style evolution—cringing and celebrating old looks.
  • Theory on why Gen Z finds the era so appealing: They see it as unfiltered, carefree, vintage, and “spirited.”
  • Kylie Jenner’s “King Kylie” campaign is floated as a driver for the resurgence.
• Notable Quotes:

  “We thought we were so curated, but we actually weren’t at all. We were, like, so unapologetically sharing, but we thought we were so aesthetic.” —C [16:27]
  “If you weren’t a millennial in 2016, you would just never understand the vibes.” —B [17:50]
  “I am so fucking cool. I’m the definition of.” —A [39:40]

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5. The Rise of the “Brick” Device & Life Core

[26:01 – 34:31]

• Introduction to the Brick device:
  • Temporarily transforms a smartphone into a “dumb phone,” disabling apps to enforce screen time reduction.
  • Designed for productivity and digital detox—an answer to the digital overload of 2026.
• Discussion of “Life Core”:
  • Vogue defines it as “an aesthetic built around trying, and that word really matters, to look like a person who actually does things.”
  • Hosts reflect on the performative nature of even “offline” aesthetics, noting, “This is still performative, in my opinion.” —B [27:38]
  • Debate on whether wanting to look busy or “authentically present” is really authentic or just another curated trend.
  • Discuss personal ambition to be offline: Hosts mostly don’t want to be online less, but want to be more intentional with consumption.
    • J: “I enjoy my brain rot time. Why would I stop doing something that I enjoy?” [31:47]
  • Alternatives to the Brick: Using phone settings (Do Not Disturb) for boundaries.
  • Brick might be useful in schools, unis, some workplaces, but not for everyone—especially those working in media or content creation.
• Notable Moment:

  “You can love going to your 45-minute Pilates class. And it’s all right if you want to take a snap on the bed…It’s just not that fucking deep.” —C [31:11]

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6. Listener Question: Can You Eat Your Skincare?

[35:01 – 39:10]

• Rhea from NZ asks: Is “eat your skincare” legit? Is eating retinol, antioxidants, etc. better than topical skincare?
• J (dermal therapist):
  • “Both are important…But eating or ingesting vitamin A is not going to have the same targeted effect as a topical retinol. Your skin is probably receiving the teeniest amount of that vitamin A…and it’s not working the same way as when it’s directly applied to the skin.” [36:40]
  • Diet is vital for skin (antioxidants, hydration, inflammation), but topical skincare “delivers very specific outcomes directly to the areas you want to treat.”
  • Upshot: Healthy diet helps, but cannot “replace” topical skincare; both work together.
• C critiques protein-obsession trends, noting the importance of full-spectrum nutrition and fiber.
• A reflects on supplements and the skincare market: collagen, peptides, vitamins, etc.—all contribute, but not a substitute for actives.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On 2016 nostalgia:

  “We thought we were so curated, but we actually weren’t at all. We were, like, so unapologetically sharing, but we thought we were so aesthetic.” —C [16:27]

• On the cyclical nature of trends:

  “It’s like this is just their [Gen Z’s] version of us going back to, like, loving Rachel Green.” —C [24:13]

• On screen time and life-core:

  “This is still performative, in my opinion.” —B [27:38]
  “It’s just not that fucking deep.” —C [31:11]

• On the eat-your-skincare trend:

  “You eating or ingesting vitamin A, it’s not sensing that there’s a fine line across your forehead and immediately going there to tell your skin cells, reverse. That’s not how it works.” —J [36:40]

• Peak self-congratulation:

  “I am so fucking cool. I’m the definition of.” —A [39:40]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• AO, food and brand activations: [00:41 – 03:12]
• Summer beauty: pairing primers and foundations: [03:30 – 08:11]
• Pimple patches and content creators: [08:21 – 10:44]
• Main topic – Return of 2016 and millennial nostalgia: [12:19 – 24:29]
• The Brick & life core: [26:01 – 34:31]
• Listener Q: Eat your skincare?: [35:01 – 39:10]

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Bottom Line

This episode of Style-ish is a love letter to millennial nostalgia, suggesting that 2016 is back in style—but this time with the benefit of hindsight and a bit of meta-irony. The hosts blend practical advice on beauty, fashion, and wellness with sharp cultural commentary on generational trends, authenticity, and digital fatigue—all delivered with their signature warmth and wit. Whether you’re scrolling through #TBTs, debating IRL vs URL, or just looking for the perfect primer-foundation combo, this episode offers both throwback fun and up-to-the-minute insight.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

This episode of Stylish is made for summer, not sun damage. Let's stop normalizing sun tanning and end the trend.

[C]

This is Stylish, the podcast for all things fashion, lifestyle, brand and beauty. My name is Madison Sullivan Thorpe. My co hosts are Joanna Fleming and Arnika Joshi. Scott Mev.

[B]

Hello. Happy Wednesday.

[A]

Happy Wednesday, my sweet little cherubs. How are we sweet little cherubs? I know. Look at my little angels. Got an angel on one shoulder, devil on the other.

[C]

I know. I know which one I am.

[B]

Well, it's a big week in Melbourne this week because the AO has kicked off and I think three of us have all been or are going in some capacity this week and next week. And whenever it finishes, I'm dressed to go now. Yeah, Mads is ready to go this evening, so she is fully decked out for the tennis tonight. But it's a really big year because they've really expanded a lot of also the offerings of food. I noticed. Have you noticed there's so much food there this year?

[C]

I am gagging to try Shake Shack.

[A]

Oh, have you never had Shake Shack before?

[C]

No, sorry. Let me rephrase that. I'm gagging to try Shake Shack in Melbourne, Australia. Yes, I have had Shake Shack.

[A]

Isn't it delicious? I'm dying for the really cool donuts from Hector's Deli. Yeah, like, I've got such a sweet tooth in my pregnancy right now and any, like, I want to eat dessert for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

[B]

Really?

[A]

Have you seen those really yummy little tennis inspired, cute little traits they've got?

[B]

Yes.

[C]

And look, for anyone who does not have the privilege of living in Melbourne, Hector's Deli is like the place to go when you get a chicken sandwich.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

Or you want a little sweetie treaty. Now that they've expanded their sort of bakery offering, I had a friend come down from New Zealand and I was like, I'm going to take you for the best chicken sandwich. Don't know. That was the lux dining experience he was probably hoping that I would give him, but that's what he got.

[B]

I'm actually quite hungry now, listening to this.

[A]

Off we trot after this.

[B]

So it's obviously big for fashion and beauty brands as well this year. Mecca have a massive like two or three. I think it's three story activation there.

[C]

It looks like Barbie's dream house.

[B]

Yeah. I saw a TikTok that had two guys on the top level and someone said that two cans stuck in the house. But it's huge because Mecca are Also now, the sunscreen partner this year, which is a massive get for them because it was very tightly held by Bondi Sands, I believe, the last few years. And then prior to that was Laura Posay. And that is a really big contract to get. So that would have been in the works for quite a long time, I imagine, to get their hands on that. We've got Ralph Lauren, we've got New Balance.

[A]

Lacoste did, like, a really fun event on Friday night on the water. They took over Arbery Afloat. I saw that it's Auburn. I popped along to the event, and it's like Auburn decked out. It was really cool because it's like Lacoste branding. And then they've also set up, like a little court so people could play. And Novak Djokovic was actually playing on the court. It was really cool. He's very handsome. He was in his blues and his little Lacos polo, like, oh, cute. I like prepping.

[B]

I hate to remind you you're pregnant to another.

[A]

Pregnant and married. But, like, soon you'll see James wearing a few little preppy attire.

[C]

Well, he did love his red Ralph Lauren.

[B]

All right, well, today we are discussing the return of the 2016 aesthetic and what it means for fashion and beauty, the rise of the brick device, and why everyone wants to reduce their screen time this year. And we're answering a listener's question around eating your skincare for opinions, please. But first, let's do our split. Do I need to say who goes first at this point?

[A]

I actually think you need to remind the listeners because you like to play musical chairs, and I'd like to have my number one spot back.

[B]

Anika, you go first.

[A]

Thank you so much. Hi, guys.

[C]

Hi.

[A]

Okay, so now that it's actually a heat wave in Melbourne, like, I'm a sweaty little girl already. Sweaty with the weather and pregnancy. But something I saw on Rosalia Russian's Instagram over the weekend was she was talking about her Holy Grail makeup products, and it made me think about perfect pairing options. When it comes to your primer and your foundation, there's so much noise. Right. I feel like people talk about you've got to match your silicon and your water base or you can't do those things.

[C]

And I didn't even know that.

[A]

TikTok, obviously, is where I get my information from a lot of the time, which is probably also, like, guys don't do that. Anyway, on TikTok, I was listening to some creators talk about how that is all a myth. You can mix and Match any type of base, whether it's silicon or water, and it's about letting it absorb and sit into your skin before applying. And have you ever seen the pilling effect? Sometimes when you're in a bit of a rush to your makeup and it's just like, yeah, yeah, not cute. So anyway, I personally love Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face base. And then I mix it with the Haus Lab Skin Tech Foundation. Like, I think that's a really beautiful finish.

[B]

That Bobbi cream is really popular.

[A]

Okay, if I've got Joe's approval, girls, I'm onto something. Get running. Add to cart.

[C]

Do you want a double down one as well? Because I can have an MSA tick of approval too. O. I haven't tried Haus Labs yet though. I really need to go in, guys.

[A]

That's the first time all three of us have agreed on something.

[C]

It's not.

[A]

But sure. Okay, well, everyone go add to cart. And then. So Rosalia said that her favourites were actually the Urban Decay All Nighter primer and the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless foundation, which we all love and adore. Have you guys tried that combo?

[B]

I haven't tried that combo. I've only used the foundation. I haven't used that primer.

[C]

Yeah, I haven't used that primer. I do swear by the Urban Decay setting spray.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

Haven't used the new one since the post controversy of them manufacturing with a new partner now. But the OJ one, I still have a couple of like, I will die on that hill.

[A]

That.

[C]

That is the best market.

[A]

Well, I feel like she always looks flawless and she's always like, event ready. So this is a combo I wanted to try, but I thought, why don't we give the listeners a double swap and a triple swap and you guys can tell us your favorite combos too.

[C]

Put us on the spot.

[B]

Well, I am going to surprise you here, but I very rarely use a primer.

[A]

What? Oh, my. She's just not real. Like, who is she?

[B]

But I use like a moisturizer instead. What moisturizer? Because it's essentially the same. That Bobbi Face base is a moisturizer, essentially. So as long as you're prepping your skin effectively, you can get good longevity out of your makeup. And if your skin's not dehydrated and it's well exfoliated, your makeup should last well. So I just wear a moisturizer underneath. At the moment, I use either the Skin Better Science Trio Balancing Moisturizer, I think it's called, or the Alpha H Firming Collagen Cream or something like that. It's a long name.

[A]

Okay. Thank you for that Hot tap.

[C]

I'm the same. I rarely use a primer. I prep. Same with the elf hate. Joe and I are so aligned today. Firming collagen repair cream. Or I use the Charlotte Tilbury magic cream. Oh, I love my makeup base.

[B]

That's a nice option.

[C]

It's not as great. I don't find it as great for my skin, but my makeup looks good. And then foundation. I dance with the devil. Okay. I have two, actually. I've got three. God, what she's a girl about. She's a very good Charlotte Tilbury Tinted moisturizer, hands down. My favorite. It goes on like a foundation. Beautiful skin. I don't know. Go with it. The second one, Nars Light Reflecting Foundation. I will always go back to that. That is the best foundation on the market, hands down. I'll die on that hill. Third is the Laura Mercier Something luminous. La la la. They all love a luminous radiance. La. That foundation's really good. The reason that I'm wearing Laura at the moment is because I have it in a slightly warmer color and I think I've got a bit of incidental color from the dog walk. So, like, I can't use my usual face color. So I'm using Isle of paradise standing drops and then putting my foundation on.

[B]

From Laura Stun you like eight foundation.

[C]

Oh, no, you didn't.

[A]

You're just naturally.

[B]

No, I also have.

[C]

I'm perfect. I only wear.

[B]

I also have a few options. The bare minerals Complexion rescue. Oh, yes. I love this because it's very light coverage. I don't like full coverage foundation. I. Are you wearing it today? No, I'm wearing the Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Stick.

[C]

Oh.

[B]

It's like really luminous. So if you don't want to look super glowy, do not get that.

[C]

Yeah, I'm combo. And I would not suggest someone with a combo or oily skin type either.

[B]

Yeah, I'm like normal to dry, so I can get away with it.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And you will need powder, but it's very, very luminous. And then what else do I have on rotation? I have a Bobbi Brown 1. A weightless skin foundation from them. And I also have a Mac one as well. I don't even know what the name of that one is, but I got a few on rotation.

[A]

Okay. Nice.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Well, there you guys go. I really boycotted that segment.

[B]

But yeah, love that.

[C]

I mean, do we even do ours now?

[B]

It's got, like, so many.

[A]

No, you have to. We have to know. I want to know what you guys have to say.

[B]

All right, Mads, you go.

[C]

Okay, so I have just been, like, battling a few. Few little grumpy breakouts lately. Just like, one or two. I'm a pimple picker. It's bad. I know. I see the judgment, Jo. I know.

[B]

There's no judgment here.

[C]

This is what I need. Big smack. I can't get the sound effect I want for the smack, but I use two types of pimple patches. I did allude to this on our Friday with Reese. I'm so sorry if you listen to both. But if I have a little to a medium naughty pimple, I use star face pimple patches. Just the original little yellow. I think they do them in a disco party set now. We can get different colours, too. If I have a medium to very naughty pimple. Which means, like, we're beneath the skin, we're angry, we're grumpy, we need to get her out. I use the Mechamax spot.micro tip. Very important. You get the ones with the tip.

[A]

The micro tip.

[C]

Yep.

[B]

Noted. Yeah.

[C]

So that's for the medium to naughty grumpy ones.

[A]

Very medium, very naughty.

[C]

Okay, My other swap is if you're like me, just don't want to have a hot coffee. Coffee during summer. I'm really loving an ice long black with a dash of honey. Random, but just a good tip.

[B]

Appreciate that. Yeah.

[C]

Dash of honey. Thank you so much.

[A]

Wow.

[C]

Jo, what have you got for us?

[B]

Mine is actually a creator that I stumbled across a couple of weeks ago and me. No, it's not you. Came across you a couple of years ago. So it's a creator called Baz and he's a very chic guy working in tech who posts his daily work outfits. And I came across one of his TikToks where he posted, like, a carousel of photos of the outfits that he'd worn to work. And he's so cool. Like, I'm talking. We've got Ganny, we've got Jill Sander, we've got Acne Studios. Like, he is decked out in labels and he'll match his turban with his outfit. Oh, my gosh.

[A]

I love.

[B]

Just so cool. He has Instagram as well. We'll put his handle or link or something in the episode notes. Kate can manage that for us.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[C]

Cute. I love a live Google at the moment.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

Oh, my God, I'm obsessed.

[B]

How good are the fits? He just has to be like the best dressed guy in his team. I just know that he's rolling into work and everyone's like, I wonder what he's gonna be wearing today.

[C]

I want to bring back people doing fit checks in real life.

[A]

Yeah. Fun.

[C]

When I worked at Mecca because, like, it kind of was like an everyday fit check in the office when people were like, shirt. Got this shirt from here. I love the skirt. Where's the skirt from? I hope he's doing them in his office.

[A]

He is so chic.

[B]

Yeah. So, Baz, you're gonna get a follower from Mads in Arnica right now.

[A]

I just follow. Do you know what it makes me think of cats from Finance. Like, I just love her and I love her poses. I love how she just took daily photos and has now become, like, such a huge person in fashion. Like, her poses, she reminds me of.

[C]

Like, the Zara models. You know, when you, like, got all the twists and the turns and the body's like, dismantling into a different.

[B]

Jeans are, like, over the neck.

[C]

Yep. And it's like a photo of an earring, but, like, their foot's at the face. I don't know. Yeah, it's a lot going on.

[A]

It's a lot.

[B]

All right, well, next we're diving into why 2016 is back and what that means for fashion and beauty. But that will be right after a word from today's sponsor. January in Australia is something else. We've reached peak summer, meaning our temperatures are out of control and so is the uv. There's no amount of ice packs that can save us from our sun. Yes, most Aussies know our sun is brutal, but it might surprise you to learn just how brutal it can be. In fact, two in three Aussies will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime. And just 15 minutes in, the sun can start to damage your skin. Although this is alarming, we can seriously reduce this risk with the correct sun protection. Protection, Your daily SPF is a great start, but sunscreen should be your last line of defense against UV whenever you're heading outside, and especially if you plan on spending time at the beach. Remember, slip on a long sleeve shirt, slop on sunscreen, slap on a wide brim hat, seek shade, and slide on a pair of sunglasses. Slip, slop, slap, seek and slide is your new summer self care mantra. And with UV exposure accounting for 80% of visible premature aging, future you will. Thank you. Together, let's end the trend of skin cancer. Thank you so much to the Cancer Council and the Australian government for making this Episode of Stylish Possible.

[A]

Okay, so the headline is 2016 is back, baby. And boy, is it ever. If you've been on socials over the last week, you've probably been overwhelmed with people's throwback images from 2016. Have you guys seen all of this all over your feed?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Every second post is 2016. It's kind of tempted me to post something myself, but then I went back and looked at 2016 photos and I went, absolutely not.

[C]

I saw a meme that was like, 2016 is between me and God.

[A]

Fair. I mean, it's been 10 years since 2016, and people are obviously feeling very reflective. In a piece for British Vogue, writer Olivia Allen explained why she thinks people are so drawn to 2016 right now, saying everything felt a bit more optimistic. In 2016, the influencer epidemic was at its infancy, and Instagram was a place for live posting and turning up the Rio de Janeiro filter. The quote continues. It's no secret that we're all in need of a little digital detox right now. So it makes sense that the pixelated iPhone5C approach to social media seems more appealing than being chained to the latest AI powered device. 24. 7. That made me laugh. I honestly, like, was all about a filter. If anything, like the heaviest filters, like Valencia, anything.

[C]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

Oh, it was a contrast. High, high. The higher the better.

[C]

It makes me laugh, all the commentary about AI because I'm like, what did we think the Snapchat filters were like? I'm like, yeah, yeah. Back to that good old day when we all put the puppy filter.

[A]

The puppy filter.

[B]

Like all of my photos in 2016. That's why I have nothing to share.

[C]

I have the worst photo. Like, as my grandma was in hospital dying, we took a selfie with the dog filter. And I'm like, I don't know that. That was like, do you know what I mean? She loved it. No, she loved it. She was like, get up the dog. Get up the dog.

[A]

Get up the dog. Not the sounds, the msp.

[C]

She was on, like, a lot of morphine.

[A]

Anyway, nostalgic throwback images aside, this trend also speaks to a broader moment happening in fashion and beauty, where it's starting to feel like 2016 really is back. Instagram fashion analytics account data. But make it Fashion recently compiled a selection of 2016 trends that are surging in popularity right now. Can you guys guess any.

[B]

Gucci belt? I want to say the Cut Crease.

[A]

Wow. Searches for contour kits have increased 385% this month, and searches for ripped jeans, a style that was incredibly popular in 2016, has also increased by 60%.

[B]

I got rid of all my ripped jeans.

[A]

Are you gonna bring them back?

[C]

I've got one pair.

[B]

I donated them all, guys.

[A]

I used to DIY them. I was like over my jeans and I'll just, like, shred them apart.

[B]

I don't think I could do that to my Valentinas.

[A]

Anyway. Brand strategy consultant Eugene Healy also posted a video last week declaring that millennials are officially cool again. Guys, I never thought we'd watch the building. In the video, he says, only a year ago, this aesthetic insensibility was widely derided. Now it's been recontextualized nostalgically as aspirational. So does the return of 2016 millennial aesthetic surprise you?

[C]

Okay, guys, we need to give a little baby shout out club because Annika never usually leads in the stories. Not because we don't want her to, because she doesn't want to, but starts to. Annika, that was very well done.

[A]

I literally am a news presenter. I don't know if you know this, but, like, yeah, spending too much with.

[B]

Me doing my newsreader voice. Exactly.

[A]

I'm gonna be on the Weather Channel very soon.

[C]

We sat down and she goes, I'm coming for your bitches spot. I was like, it's all yours.

[A]

I'm taking Oga.

[C]

Guys, I'm so glad 2016's back. And for me, look, we can talk beauty, we can talk fashion, but this is also a lifestyle podcast, so I'm allowed to say I think it's no coincidence that Fetty Wap is out of prison.

[B]

I did not know Fetty Wap was in prison. Oh, my God, it used to me.

[C]

And look, just like trap Queen playing really throws me right back to that 10 year old Hallmark. I'll do you all a favor of not seeing it on the podcast.

[B]

Absolute tune, though.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Honestly, it's just. Just like What a time 2016 was. Now, some of our listeners might have been still in school then.

[A]

Don't you bother say still in nappies.

[C]

No, probably not. Probably not.

[A]

Look, we've got some young ones, okay?

[C]

Yeah, I'm like, is my niece listening? She's 11. How dare I do it that justice? She was. She was one rapping a fetty. But I just think 2016, it's like, so funny to me. We thought we were so curated, but we actually weren't at all. We were, like, so unapologetically sharing, but we thought we were so aesthetic.

[A]

Yeah, I think as well, like, it was definitely a time to be alive. Like, I don't know about you guys, but there was like every time you had a photo up, it'd be like if in doubt, wink, peace and pout.

[C]

It was the era of like an urban decay palette, a stiller palette. In LA. It was before there was Air1. There was a pink wall with angel wings. And I just don't think anything really had the influencer or wannabe influencer community buy the balls the way that that wall did.

[A]

Okay. I went to LA in 2016 and you better believe that I found that pink wall. I actually need to find the pictures of me outside that pink wall because I made James stay, like literally stand there with my shitty little iPhone at the time and pose my little wink piece. Pout, like face off.

[C]

Like, I remember going to New York in 2016 and like this just feels so New York coded. It was like I was in la. I went to Shake Shack, I was at the clubs, I went to One Oak. Like, oh shit. Yeah, I just tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. Millennial core thing. I was there in a cut crease with a gold shimmer shadow with still a kitten on the inner, inner corners of the eye. Like just what a time.

[B]

If you weren't a millennial in 2016, you would just never understand the vibes of 2016. All of my photos are using that face swap filter as well.

[C]

Oh, I forgot about that.

[B]

Yeah, all of my. I was trying to find something so that we could use it on our socials and all of them are me and my sister in law in my parents house, face swapping with the ornaments that my mum has. Like the knickknacks that she has, I'm deceased.

[C]

It was also just the era of Instagram. Like we didn't have TikTok at this time. We'd all kind of come off MySpace into this place that, you know, you just shared photos and you know how your grid looked and you put your white border on. I don't know if anyone else dabbled in that one. I certainly did to make the grid look pretty. Loved a high contrast. The higher the contrast, the better the picture. No hashtag limit was too many hashtags. I'm gonna do. You know what? Hashtag 2016, hashtag bring it back, hashtag let's go.

[A]

It was so iconic. Like there were no cause, there were no aesthetics. If anything, it was like anything goes. Like I actually look back at my personal style during this time. Did not have one. The one thing that is like my common theme I was such a slave to fashion. Like, you better believe it. Every paycheck went straight back into my wardrobe. Yeah. Going through the archive. You guys are gonna die at the sass on this woman. Like, who is she? Don't know. I kind of love her. But every outfit was so curated. I remember getting snapped at Sydney Fashion Week and literally thinking I made it because I featured on net a porter. And I was like, that's it, guys. Don't need a job anymore.

[B]

You can't make it.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You're like, that is major.

[C]

Yeah, There you go.

[A]

Yeah. I was like, look at this girl.

[C]

You're, like, wearing sunnies into the office.

[B]

Okay, so the social team are just gonna do one post just fully dedicated to your outfits. Because I only have face swap photos and the dog filter.

[A]

I actually think you guys might be a little scared of this girl. Like, the me I'm like, who is she?

[C]

I've seen some 2016 photos that maybe aren't going to be shared on the socials, and let me tell you, I am scared of her.

[B]

Me, too.

[C]

Do you know what I was trying to think, like, who I like, wore a lot, how I dress, and I was going back through some photos, and really, sadly, I actually. On that said trip to New York, my phone broke and I went to Apple and got, like, lectured about why, like, you should use Apple Cloud or whatever it's called. Well, I learned the hard way, didn't I? Went and, like, cried my eyes out in Central park with my new phone. Yeah. And my grandma passed away that year, so that was really sad, too. So thank God for Snapchat. That's why some of the photos I have about with the dog filter. But I then went to the Met with my new phone and was like, all right, fuck it. We've got to go. Like, let's build that bank back up.

[A]

Can I tell you a hilarious story about the Met and me in 2016?

[B]

Go for it.

[A]

So one day, it was, like, on our itinerary that was very planned. And James just sprung it on me that we were going to go to the Met on this day that was outside of the schedule. I've never been more devastated because the outfit that I planned that day to take my picture at the Met was so bad. And I was in my Gossip Girl era. Like, I'd rewatched it by this point. I was like. I thought I was kind of Serena and Blair. I was, like, figuring out who I was between the two.

[C]

The answer is always Blair.

[A]

Yeah, well, actually, Serena, party girl, because she's fun.

[C]

I don't think Blair was having a bad time.

[A]

No, she's a cutie. But anyway, that was my one moment of the minute. Yeah.

[C]

I was thinking about some Aussie designers at the time. That felt like a Hallmark, though. And like Manning Cartel. Josh Goot.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

Dion Lee, but like, not Dion Lee that we kind of knew of the Corset era. I'm talking like the 3D backboning. I'm talking Manning Cartel's lace era and those two sets, like the double sets that they did, the skirts and the tops. The lace. Also, like, I was thinking about the makeup looks at the time and thanks to Kylie Jenner, I really fell for a bold lip. So like a red lip, a burgundy lip. As I mentioned, a little cut crease and a smoky eye. I never really hurt anyone either.

[A]

You're cute.

[C]

But I was thinking complexion wise, I was pretty similar. I never left contouring. So thanks. Start a bit makeup fashion for saying it's up 300%, but like, like, that never stopped for me.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

But that's because I got a big round face.

[B]

I definitely had a blockier brow in 2016. Not a full block brow, but I definitely filled my eyebrow. I don't even put anything through my eyebrows these days.

[A]

How the are we talking?

[B]

There's definitely more definition.

[A]

Okay, I want to see this.

[B]

Yeah, I'll show you later.

[C]

Did you love a banana bake under the eye too?

[B]

No, no, I've never done full coverage, to be honest. Yeah. But I did love a wound perfect.

[A]

Since she came out the womb. What else?

[B]

Would also do a red lip and would also do a burgundy lip. In 2016, I wouldn't have done that.

[A]

You know what? I did the same. I loved Lady Danger by Mac. That was like my colour and then the burgundy. And I would never leave the house without a winged eye.

[C]

Oh, yeah. Also, the one thing that we haven't spoken about is hair. And I tell you what, a GHD thick barrel tong hated to see me coming because I just loved. And it just feels so delta goodrum of me. But I loved those big exaggerated curls. Like, it wasn't a blow wave. It was like I want to look like I really. That curl hasn't really gotten brushed out just yet. Yeah, real Hallmark.

[A]

Try to do them. But then I could only either do one side and not the other. I'm just so unco like that. Which is why my hair's always so straight. So annoying.

[B]

Agree. Though. The. The bouncy blowout had not quite hit our Shores yet. It was either the GHD straightener curl.

[C]

Yep.

[B]

We just kind of wrap it around. Or it was the wand. I was always the wand. I still use my wand, to be honest.

[C]

Yeah, I know. Quite a few of my girlfriends do. I noticed that when we were all getting ready for a wedding recently and I was like, what, in the 2016? Helly.

[B]

My hair doesn't hold a blow wave.

[C]

That is devastating.

[B]

Yeah. Unfortunately, it's just reality. So not perfect after all.

[C]

Yeah. God blessed, deeply flawed woman clearly can't hold a blow wave. Let me tell you, Jo, I'd trade a couple of things. I'd give up the blow wave, that's for sure.

[B]

Sorry, can we just go back to the millennials are cool again thing? Because I have not heard this yet and this makes me very excited. Why do we think we're suddenly being redefined as cool now? What's happened?

[C]

So I have a theory on this. My theory is that Gen Z think that, like, that era, we didn't care. Like, we were just carefree and spirited. Like, the irony is we did care because we've just spoken about what filters we used and how we used to border it up. But maybe there was something in that, though, that we very overtly cared. Whereas I feel at the moment there's this thing of like, oh, no, I don't care. Like, you know, I'm just dumping all these photos and it's like, no, but you're still caring about the aesthetic to have to go to those lengths. But maybe those cycles are becoming shorter. Like the way that we thought, like the, you know, 80s and noughties were so cool for such a period.

[A]

So true.

[C]

It's like this is just their version of us going back to, like, loving Rachel Green.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

When we're talking, like, preppy, clean girl aesthetic.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

I think those cycles have just become so they think 2016 is, like, vintage. We are part of that era and so we are now cool.

[B]

Do we think that Kylie Jenner has anything to do with this? Given that she just did the King Kylie campaign? Like, is this where this sentiment is coming from? That she was like, this was a really cool time and Gen Z are like, yeah.

[C]

Do you know what? I really deepened this quite a bit when I was thinking about it, because I think, yes, but I also am like, shit, was she seeing the horizon before we saw the sun?

[A]

Maybe.

[C]

That was quite deep, wasn't it?

[A]

That was philosophical even. Jesus, he missed her. Anyway, the thing I'm taking away from this is we are cool. We are back. We never left. So, yeah, bring it.

[B]

All right, next up, we're talking about the rise of the Brick device and why everyone wants to be offline. But that will be right after a word from today's sponsor. Aussie summers are all about the beach, the heat, the salty hair. But before you lay out on that towel, here's something we all need to keep top of mind. Unfortunately, two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime. Two in three, and it doesn't take hours. In the sun, damage can happen in just 15 minutes. And if you're keen to avoid premature aging, the sun is not your friend. A whopping 80% of visible premature aging is caused by sun exposure. The Aussie sun is just that strong. So this summer, let's stop normalizing sun tanning. Remind your friends, slip, slop, slap seek and slide too. And together we can end the trend of skin cancer. Thank you so much to the Cancer Council and the Australian government for making this episode of Stylish possible. Something else you might have seen on your socials or on ads or reviews is this device called the Brick, which has come out recently. Have any of you seen this?

[C]

Yes, I hadn't.

[B]

It's like this little tiny thing you, I think you meant to keep it on your fridge. You're meant to put it somewhere where it's annoying for you to go to, to then access your phone. So what it does is it essentially turns your iPhone or your Android, whatever smartphone you have into a dumb phone by temporarily removing your apps and their notifications. So you can still use your phone to like call somebody, but you can't use it to go on Instagram. So it's trying to reduce your screen time in that way or kind of make you more productive because you're only using a phone the way that it was first intended to be used. The popularity of this device isn't surprising. In 2026, people are making a conscious effort to reduce their screen time and analog activities, as we discussed in that Pinterest episode that we did. Rising in popularity. And it also plays into another recent trend of having a life Core. I thought the cause were over, but apparently not. Vogue wrote an article about this last year. They summarized the trend like this. Having a life core is an aesthetic built around trying, and that word really matters, to look like a person who actually does things. Not glamorous things, not that mysterious off duty model vibe. Real everyday things. The quote continues. It is the visual language of someone who is on the way to a workshop or coming Back from a short walk or carrying groceries home in an overflowing tote bag. It signals that you have interests, routines, responsibilities, hobbies. Simply having a life that exists beyond a screen. This quote was interesting to me because I'm like, this is still performative, in my opinion.

[C]

Yeah, that quote made me angry.

[B]

Yeah, it's like you're trying to be perceived in a certain way rather than just enjoying your life and being not on your phone and removing yourself from it.

[C]

It's.

[B]

I need to look a certain way to other people. It's not about how you enjoy these activities and being disconnected.

[C]

Totally. And you can love certain things and still look like something else. Do you know what I mean? Like, I can be on my way to an event all dolled up and still be out walking my dog for half an hour before it. And like, I don't need to be in activewear for you to be like, oh, look, she's like, not trying. And this is like who she is.

[B]

And she's. No, no, no, that would be too aesthetic. You'd have to be in hiking boots.

[C]

Can't win, can't win.

[A]

It's just so funny to me. Like these cores and how they just adapt to any trend of the moment or something going on and it's like, okay, I get that we live in such a digital age and we consume so much. It's part of our day to day. Right. But that quote in itself kind of sent me because I was like, what? So you can be having an overflowing tote bag? I could have just gone to Pilates, run to the supermarket, trying to optimize my day and time and get all my chores in. But I've got to be perceived be looking busy and like, oh my God, I'm just so on right now doing all these things. Like, no, I'm just like a working woman who's time poor. Went to Pilates when I did the grocery shop on my way home. Am I trending now? Makes no sense to me.

[C]

Look out, girl. I mean, not bad. If you're in, you're a millennial. And this, you're hitting this one. Tick, tick, tick.

[B]

Also, let's not shame people who wanted to scroll on Instagram while they're walking from Coles to their car.

[A]

Totally.

[B]

What's wrong with that?

[C]

Do either of you have an ambition to be online less?

[B]

No.

[A]

Well, look, I am trying to be more present. That's definitely something I'm working on and being in the moment and actually being offline a little bit more I consume so much shit, but also my TikTok algorithm, like, no one wants to see what's on there. I've actually been off TikTok for like the last three months because I was getting served the most outrageous pregnancy content. No one needs to see that. But other than that, like, I think we all are so involved on like the digital online world with our jobs and we've gotta, like, keep up, we've gotta be informed. And sometimes that means content creation and just being living in this, like, you know, digital world.

[C]

Yeah, I. For me, it's not so much that I want to be online less. I think I want to be more intentional with what I'm consuming online. So I did like a bit of a follower clean out the other week to be like, what accounts do I want to follow? Like, I really enjoy, you know, interacting with a lot of things that are online. When I think of online, I'm not just thinking of Instagram and Tick Tock. I'm like, what substacks do I like reading, what subscriptions do I want to have? I'm trying to be more intentional with the time that I use because, you know, I scroll Tick Tock and at the moment it's like, you know, a tell me lies at it and then it's the people we meet on vacation at it and then it's a gone retriever and then it's a girl showing me a new top and then it's like how to cut crease again. Like, it's not so much they think people want to be done with tech. I think it's that they want to be less stimulated. Like, we want to kind of just be in a moment.

[A]

That's such a good point.

[C]

But I did have a giggle the other day because one thing I always really loathe, and I use the word loathe and hate. I try and use them sparingly, but I hate when people are like, oh, you know, just be present in the moment. When someone's taking a photo, I'm like, no, it's when you're at an event or you're like, at someone's birthday and they're taking a photo. And I saw this meme the other day and it was like, little Miss enjoy the moment. Very quick to text the next day asking for the pictures and the videos. And I just think two things are allowed to coexist. It really goes back to this thing Ray and I were talking about in terms of branding, of just being like, in or out and something being black or white. And I think. I think we're really quick on that. You're allowed to be a present person or enjoy activities and still take a photo.

[A]

Yes, totally.

[C]

You can love going to your 45 minute Pilates class. And it's all right if you want to take a snap on the bed.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

It's just not that fucking deep. If someone wants to show you what they're doing, if they want to share it, if they don't. You want to get the brick, you don't. I just feel like now it's like, oh, you're not online. Oh. Like, you're not in the zeitgeist. You don't get it. Oh, you're offline. Oh, you're cool. You're you. You know, you're in the moment. You're cooler than the rest of us who, like, want to be brain rotten chronically online. And I'm like, all right, well, my Shayla. And like, you know, 6, 7 and 1738, you're missing out too, you know, like, it's okay.

[A]

Let's just. It is.

[C]

It's just all or nothing, though. You put the brick on, you can't engage with anything. Yeah, take the brick off, you engage with too much.

[B]

There's no way that I could separate myself from being online because it's so intertwined with my job. Like, there's just no way I'd be able to cut down my screen time. But also, I enjoy my brain rot time. Why would I wanna stop doing something that I enjoy? Yeah, I don't have a problem with it. I feel like I scroll a normal amount, maybe more than a lot of people. But it also helps me a lot with, you know, knowing what's happening in the world for this podcast. Like, imagine if I just decided to disconnect completely. I'm putting the brick up and I'm not scrolling at all this week. I don't. I've got no fucking idea what's going on, so I can't contribute to anything.

[A]

Okay, so in what environments then, would the brick be good? Cause like. Like devil's advocate, sometimes, you know, when you're in the office and depending on what. Where you work and what type of office, you know when someone gets caught, like, scrolling on their phone and, like, by accident, the sound comes on and it's like. And then they get scared. It's that cheeky little shutter. They're like, I'm guilty. But, like, where would the brick then come in handy?

[B]

I think it could be handy in workplaces, to be honest, because There would be a lot of people probably scrolling that maybe shouldn't be scrolling as much as they are at work. But I think you should be able to have a little bit of personal time at work because you're taking a little break. But we actually had some friends that got one for Christmas, and Adrian was telling me about it, and he was like, would you ever get one? I was like, absolutely fucking not.

[C]

Like, that's my worst timer.

[A]

Literally.

[B]

I would never do that. But I can understand why there would be some people that don't work in the jobs that the three of us working where it is really a requirement to have some kind of, like, you know, presence online to be up to date with what's going on. If you don't work in those kind of industries and you're very removed from that, maybe you do want to cut down your scrolling time because it's eating too much into the time that you have to exercise or to cook or to do other things that you want to do. But I don't personally cook. So you're like.

[C]

I'm just saying, for those who do.

[A]

It could actually work really well. Like at school and at uni and in those environments, we actually be like, let's actually make sure that the kids are present. The kids are learning and focusing their time on being. You know, I don't know how the.

[B]

Device works, but I think you have to have your phone connected to it.

[A]

So I don't think it's a thing.

[B]

Where you can't, in the vicinity of it, access these apps. I think you have to be connected to the device.

[A]

Gotcha.

[B]

There'd be a way for kids to get around that. Yeah.

[C]

I don't know so much about the brick, but something I've definitely implemented a lot more of is do not disturb. Because it's not just like being on my phone on the Internet, it's being accessible that I struggle with. I am, like, locked in, and we are, like, having a tennis match. I've really gone in on the AO today. I'm having, like, a full tennis match where I'm like, seven to nine business days.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

So I find that I. If I'm on my phone and I'm getting text messages, I'm very accessible. When I'm, like, watching TV or I'm cooking, I'm trying to be a little less accessible. So that's maybe where it would be good for me.

[A]

Yeah. Nice.

[C]

I mean, they can still call me, though, so I'd still have my do not disturb on.

[B]

Well, if you're trying to cut down your screen time. You could always buy a Brick for yourself if you need it. Otherwise I feel like there's settings that you can use on your existing phone without having to buy a separate device for your household.

[A]

Totally.

[C]

Someone at Brick is cursing you for saying that. All right, we're back with opinions, please. And as you can guess by the name, and if you are an avid listener of Stylish, this is where you, our lovely audience, write in and ask us to help you break down your deliberations. This one is from Rhea, who is from New Zealand. A fellow Kiwi for you, Annika.

[A]

Hi, Rhea.

[C]

And look, no spoilers, but this one's probably going to go more to Jo. So here it is. Hi, lovely, stylish host. I don't know about you guys, but my social media feeds have been taken over by eat your skincare content lately. Rhea does not have a brick, obviously. I know diet obviously has a very big impact on your skin, but can you really eat your retinol? Please don't pump it out into your mouth. Some videos I've watched online claim that eating your skincare is more effective than applying it topically. As Jo is a dermal therapist, I thought she might be best to weigh in here. So Jo, please let me know, do I need to load up on pickled carrots and antioxidant rich foods to get clear, glowy skin? Is this actually more important than finding the right topical products? Thank you. Love, Rhea 3xs.

[B]

I think that last part of the question is, is a really important factor here. Is is this more important than the other?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And the reality is that both of these things are kind of important if you're wanting to support your skin's health. Obviously, a balanced diet is critical in maintaining a lot of different factors of your health. And I'm not a dietitian, so I'm not going to go into that territory of what foods and nutrients that you should be eating for healthy skin, because that's not my area of expertise. Yes, there are a lot of nutrients that can benefit your skin, reduce inflammation, help with barrier function and tissue hydration, as well as protection from free radical damage. So there are a lot of nutrients that we get in our food that can help with that and aid in our skin's condition. But that doesn't replace the need or the function of topical skincare. It's just not the way that it works. You eating or ingesting vitamin A, it's not sensing that there's a fine line across your forehead and immediately going there to tell your skin cells, reverse. That's not how it works. Yeah, you'll be eating it, it will be metabolized. It will be sent to other organs. Your skin is probably receiving the teeniest amount of that vitamin A, and it's not working in the same way that a topical vitamin A like a retinol is working, because that is being directly applied to the area that you're trying to treat.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And helping with concerns like fine lines, hyperpigmentation, texture, all of those kinds of factors. So you're very directly approaching it there. You're not ingesting it and hoping for the best and hoping that it reaches that exact thing that you're wanting to target. And topical skincare, at least the kind of active skincare that we're referring to here with things like retinol. This skincare uses ingredients that studied concentrations, and they're using certain delivery systems to drive very specific outcomes. So the short answer to that is, is no. Your diet doesn't replace topical skincare. But yes, diet can be a contributor to why you might experience certain skin concerns. For example, making those changes under the guidance of someone like a dietitian might be really beneficial to getting where you want to get with your skin, if that seems to be a contributing factor.

[C]

Yeah, I know, like, personally, when I was drinking, like, two, three oat lattes a day, my skin's angry. There's a lot of sugar in that, and I know that my skin reacts to that. Totally agree with you, Jo, with experience in the beauty industry. But I'm glad this trend is happening and this conversation is happening, because I don't know about the both of you, but if I had a dollar for every time I saw or heard the word protein at the moment. And I'm really concerned by this trend personally, because fiber is not being spoken about and nutrition is not being spoken about. I'm like, that is so great if you get 100 grams of protein in one day. But let me tell you, I don't think your skin's gonna love you if you're having 100 grams of red meat only. Do you know what I mean?

[B]

A hundred percent.

[C]

I'm, like, leafy. Like, again, not a dietitian, but just eating, like, fresh berries and antioxidants and, you know, real food.

[B]

And everyone's body composition will be very different as well. And so what you need versus what your friend needs might be very different.

[A]

Totally.

[B]

So it's very important to seek expert advice in that case, especially if you're struggling with your skin and you suspect that there might be an element of your diet that is contributing to that. It's usually something that I'll talk about in a consultation with a client if I feel like that could potentially be a factor, especially if they've mentioned something along those lines, their consultation form.

[A]

There is such a big market when it comes to, like, CMOS gel and collagen, peptides and vitamins and all of the things that you can incorporate into your diet. Like, I would never think, okay, if I add all those things to my diet, then it's going to replace my active skincare that's targeting the things that, like, I've got issues with.

[C]

It's kind of just like. It's like a spinning wheel. Right. All of the things need to work together for the wheel to spin.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

That is all for this week's episode of Stylish. Thank you so much for joining Three millennials. Three very cool millennials.

[B]

So cool.

[A]

I am so fucking cool. I'm the definition of.

[B]

You actually are, though. You're the coolest person in this room by so far.

[C]

Thank you very much to the both of you. Annika, Joshua Smith and Joanna Fleming, thank you for also revealing the parts of yourself from 2016 that maybe you didn't want to talk about. Remember, you can drop us an email [e-mail] we love doing opinions on Please. So please do write in and send us your dilemmas. You can also send them in over on DMs. Over at Stylish Pod, we of course, can't forget to thank our lovely shameless media team, our head of podcast, Lucy Hunt, and our senior podcast producer, Kate Emmerburg from all three of us. Back next Wednesday. See you then.

[B]

Bye. Bye. Bye.

[A]

This podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri land. Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.