The vanilla girl aesthetic is shaping up to be TikTok’s favourite trend

The Clean Girl aesthetic undeniably won 2022. Despite being controversial (what with promoting unrealistic perfection), it generated billions of views last year. Now, the vanilla girl aesthetic has come to swipe the top spot as we head into 2023.

So what is a “vanilla girl”? The aesthetic leans into luxe, cosy minimalism. It’s heavy on easy-going outfits in cosy, tactile textures and airy, neutral colours like white, beige, cream and, well, vanilla. Linen shirts are slung over soft bed shorts, cashmere cardigans are draped over pointelle vest tops and lacy bralettes peek out from beneath cosy knits. Beauty-wise, makeup is kept natural, fresh and pretty. Like clean girl beauty (and the no makeup makeup look that came before it), vanilla girl makeup focuses on minimal makeup, sheeny skin and sheer swipes of colour across eyes, lips and cheeks. As for hair, relaxed, simple styles feature heavily. Strands are scooped up into claw clips, left loose with wafty curtain fringes or soft waves and curls, or tied into laidback ponytails.

So, how is it different from Clean girl beauty? The difference is pretty much that it’s cosier and a little cutesier, combining the “wholesome” “That Girl” aesthetic with the flirty-feminine coquette trend that’s also set to headline 2023. 

Got it? In an age of rebranding everyday styles into viral trends – like the glazed donut aesthetic that went before it – the vanilla girl trend is the latest look packaging up minimalism with a yummy new twist. “Simplicity,” according to Urban Dictionary, is the “selling point”. Just like a vanilla ice cream “after all your exploration, you’ll always come back.” And, while it’s not entirely new, if the vanilla girl aesthetic sounds like your kind of snack, we have all the inspo you need below…

How to wear vanilla girl makeup

The steps

For a minimal makeup look, there’s a fair few products to get through including concealer, bronzing drops, blush, highlighter, brow gel, eyeshadow, mascara, lip liner and lip gloss, according to one user.

The shades

Fresh skin and cheeks are warmed up with taupe and toffee shades on lips. Or a simple clear gloss.

The finish

Glossy skin and lips.

The inspo

Faux freckles

Claw-clip updos

Pearl accessories

Cuddly textures

Loose waves

Barely-there makeup

Lip liner and lipgloss combo

Curtain fringe

Cutesy colour co-ordination

Loose bun

Tonal co-ords

For more from GLAMOUR’s Beauty Editor, Elle Turner, follow her on Instagram @elleturneruk