For the last few weeks, beauty enthusiasts on social media have been lip-syncing to Bebot (2005) by The Black Eyed Peas, showcasing looks far removed from the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic that’s dominated our screens and our real-life makeup collections for years. Bold, sultry and full of attitude, the trend, as makeup artist Nehaa Anand explains, “Is inspired from Filipino party glam from the 2000s and all about recreating nostalgia. It brings back the maximalism, glittery smokey eyes, defined brown lips, glossy pouts, hazel brown eyes and big blown out hair,” pointing to Kareena Kapoor’s Poo in Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham as a desi ‘bebot’ in spirit.
Started by Filipino and other Southeast Asian makeup enthusiasts recreating their mothers’ old looks, the trend quickly found takers in India. A few key features are essential to getting the look right, but Indians have an advantage, says makeup artist Prthika Kumaran, “The most important feature is that it’s a very matte, there’s nothing natural about it. The eyebrows, too, are drastically different – to recreate it accurately, you must go for thinner eyebrows than people prefer today. Although, because Filipinos are Southeast Asian, many Indian skin tones are similar, there’s not much that needs to be adapted (in terms of colours).” She suggests using loose powder or a compact to mattify dewy products.
To accurately recreate the look, you need to remember that the Bebot was donning her big hoop earrings and high heels for a night out at a time when makeup techniques were not as elaborate or widely known as they are today. Makeup artist Rashida Pavthiwala says, “People would just dab on grey, silver and blue on their eyes, there was no cut crease or blending. Before the 2000s, this look was popular in the 1980s too, with gunpowder metallic shades adding a shine to the eyes and the focus being on rebelling, breaking free and expressing yourself.”
Choosing high contrast colours is sure to elevate the look too, as Pavthiwala adds, “You could go for blue or pink with silver and no blending; combined with a completely contrasting, glossy colour on the lip. A big contrast to the matte skin.” Kumaran echoes this while also suggesting a ‘sharp winged liner and cool-toned brown lip liner with glossy or glitter lips and some nice hoops as earrings’.
As people play around with this look online, the potential shift in trend away from subtle looks is up for a debate. “I’ve seen trends come and go in the last decade, so this seems like one of those, especially in the Indian market,” comments Anand. However, Kumaran and Pavthiwala are more optimistic, as the former notes, “Dewy is still the norm, but I do see a lot of people going back to the heavy glam makeup,” while the latter adds, “Trends are cyclical, and we always get bored. It will come to a point when we get bored with minimal makeup, and bronzers and contours will no longer soften our look, but give a sharp-snatched look. We’re starting to see that shift with editorial looks like Alia Bhatt’s recent one with pink, blue and purple colours all together.”