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)

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.

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

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]

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]

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.