Best Pop Culture Beauty Looks for Back to School Inspiration
There's a beauty in knowing that all of our favorite television and movies can provide us with an endless supply of adventures, romance, and fun. Whether you're still sobbing over the Netflix debut of To All the Boys I've Loved Before or attempting to piece together the clues of Riverdale, TV shows and movies can make a seriously memorable impact on our lives, and in our social media feeds. As any eagle-eyed viewer knows, pop culture can certainly act as a means of beauty inspiration, too, with characters styled in hair and makeup choices that even we have to try.
Don't cross off everything on your back to school shopping list just yet. We turned to some of our favorite films and tv shows for potential new makeup and hair trends that you may just want to try this year. From the soft curls and signature lipstick of Pretty Little Liars to the pink worn only on Wednesday in Mean Girls, here are nine pop culture beauty looks to channel for your upcoming cafeteria debut.
Just remember to keep a close eye on your new scrunchie.
Awesomeness Films1/10To All the Boys I've Loved Before
From Lara Jean's infamous adoration for scrunchies to Margot Covey's easy updos, To All the Boys I've Loved Before is filled with BTS beauty inspiration. You could take a cue from Lara Jean's best friend Chris and go with beachy waves for the new school year or lose the scrunchie (just don't give it to Gen) and go sleek and straight like Lara Jean in the cafeteria.
Courtesy of the CW2/10Riverdale
Riverdale has enough beauty inspiration to last you an entire school year, TBQH. From Cheryl Blossom's infamous red lipstick to Betty Cooper's signature ponytail, every episode is filled with a potential new beauty routine. We may not have the ability to change our hair color at will like Archie Andrews, but we can definitely pull out the curling iron and try our hand at some Veronica Lodge style waves.
Photo: Courtesy of Freeform3/10Pretty Little Liars
During its seven years on air, Pretty Little Liars went through countless on-screen beauty evolutions. The show's beauty looks were carefully crafted to match each character, with Spencer Hasting's beach-ready hair and Aria Montgomery's colorful experiments all serving as potential BTS looks to try. Consider one of their TBT looks for your makeup routine, and try out a smoky eye or a pop of color on your lips. Of course, you could also go with a signature PLL look and try out voluminous curls.
©Disney Channel/Courtesy Everett Collection4/10High School Musical
It seems unlikely that we'll get to spend any of our school day engaged in a sing-a-thon like the students of the High School Musical franchise, but we can use the characters as reference for our beauty routines. If you're thinking pink for BTS, you should consider the loose, waves and colorful makeup palette used on Sharpay Evans. However, you could always go with a style that's more timeless and wear your hair in tight spirals like Gabriella Montez.
©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection5/10Mean Girls
Will you be wearing pink on Wednesday? You don't have to be a member of the Plastics to try any of the beauty moments featured in Mean Girls. Stock your beauty shelf with heat styling tools if you want to hair as sleek and straight as Regina George or take a cue from Cady Heron and try a simple, but stylish ponytail.
©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection6/10Clueless
Clueless continues to serve as our fashion and beauty inspiration. The 90s classic features countless beauty moments, including bold red lipstick and adorable hair accessories. Don't be afraid to get a little vintage with your BTS look and consider sporting a Clueless-approved shade of bright pink lipstick.
©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection7/10The Princess Diaries
You don't need a royal stylist to achieve the level of glamor displayed in The Princess Diaries. From the frequent use of 90s-style hair accessories to the shiny, straightened style worn by Mia Thermopolis, there's a beauty look for everyone in this film. Plus, as we learned from our favorite princess, sometimes the best beauty moment comes from just being yourself.
Kelsey McNeal8/10Grown-ish
Since its debut, we've been taking notes on every beauty moment that occurs in "Grown-ish." The frequently fashionable cast has also had their share of BTS-worth beauty scenes, with hair and makeup looks inspired by their IRL makeup bags. From a long side braid to an intricate braided updo, the Grown-ish looks were made for the student on the go, with hair and makeup styles that take only minutes to do.
©ABC Family/courtesy Everett Collection9/10The Fosters
The Fosters may have just ended its television run with a June series finale, but the show's beauty inspo lives on. Many of the looks featured on the show were very minimal and subtle in appearance. You can achieve a similar look thanks to highlighters like Glossier's Haloscope or find the perfect shade of nude lipstick for your skin tone. Pair your makeup with hair that shows just a a slight curl for a look that Callie Adams Foster would approve of.
