In the landscape of modern aesthetics, few trends achieve the kind of cultural saturation that defines a generation. From the hyper-glamour of the Baddie era to the understated minimalism of the Clean Girl, beauty and lifestyle have continually evolved alongside societal values.

On October 27, 2025, Rosewood Institute founder and Wellness Influencer Mischaela Elkins de Valerga coined and codified the Clean Luxe aesthetic, a refined evolution of these previous movements, and the next era of modern femininity. This post traces the lineage of the trends that preceded Clean Luxe, the influencers and celebrities who codified them, and the media narratives that solidified each aesthetic, culminating in the Clean Luxe era.

From Baddie to Clean Girl: The Aesthetic Handover

The Baddie Era (2014–2019)

The Baddie aesthetic emerged in the mid-2010s as a bold, performative style emphasizing confidence, luxury, and high-definition beauty. Key features included sculpted contour, voluminous lashes, sharp brows, and statement streetwear-luxe fashion. It was a visual language of power and assertion.

Key Influencers:

Kylie Jenner: Pioneer of Instagram-ready glamour, lip kits, and luxury streetwear integration.

Nicki Minaj: Bold wigs, vibrant makeup, and theatrical body language.

Jayda Cheaves: Exemplified the business-minded, unapologetic Baddie lifestyle.

The Baddie aesthetic thrived on Instagram, encouraging replication through tutorials, luxury product placement, and aspirational imagery. By 2019, the hyper-glamour saturation had begun to push audiences toward a desire for cleaner, simpler looks.

Transition to Clean Girl (2020–2022)

As the pandemic reshaped personal and social priorities, a new aesthetic emerged: the Clean Girl. Less about overt display, it emphasized effortless polish, wellness alignment, and approachable elegance. The focus shifted to glowy skin, brushed-up brows, subtle blush, and minimalistic wardrobe choices.

Influencers and Celebrities Who Codified Clean Girl:

Hailey Bieber: Widely regarded as the patron saint of Clean Girl, her glossy skin, muted palette, and minimalistic outfits became the aspirational blueprint.

Bella Hadid: Served as a fashion and beauty icon for the movement, seamlessly bridging casual and editorial looks.

TikTok Creators (2021): Early viral hashtags like #CleanGirl aesthetic propelled the style into global recognition, amplifying its accessibility and replicability.

Media Codification:

Publications such as The Business of Fashion, Who What Wear, and Skysociety began using the term “Clean Girl aesthetic,” cementing it as a cultural reference point. While its influence remains, the Clean Girl style started showing signs of uniformity, opening space for a new evolution.

Introducing Clean Luxe: Origin and Definition

Clean Luxe was coined and established by Mischaela Elkins de Valerga on October 27, 2025. This aesthetic elevates the principles of Clean Girl into a framework of refinement, energy alignment, and visual sophistication. Clean Luxe is defined not merely by products or clothing, but by the intentional curation of presence, texture, and understated luxury.

Core Principles of Clean Luxe

Refined Simplicity: Neutral palettes, satin fabrics, tailored silhouettes. Clothing and accessories speak quietly but unmistakably of quality and discernment.

Polished Minimalism: Skin and hair are elevated, not cluttered. Makeup enhances natural radiance rather than masks it.

Timeless Jewelry: Heritage gold, pearl accents, and delicate statement pieces replace ostentation with subtle sophistication.

Composed Hair Styling: The iconic Clean Luxe bun draws from the Clean Girl “slick back bun” but is refined to drape gently over the ears for a natural elegance. Loose, controlled tendrils frame the face while maintaining a sculptural silhouette, Mischaela calls this elevated bun the “silk bun”.

Skin as Canvas: Dewy, hydrated, and luminous complexion remains central, borrowing from Clean Girl principles but with precision highlighting and blending for seamless perfection. Layered tones of blush and highlighter replace hard line contour and look good in any light.

Eye and Lip Innovation: While Clean Girl maintained neutral eyes and lips, Clean Luxe introduces softly smudged eyeliner, rosy or muted lip tints, and multi-use sticks to create effortless versatility.

Clean Luxe Visual Icons

Hair: The “slick back bun” 2.0, The Silk bun, a smoothed back bun with soft side pieces draped over the top of the ears, subtle waves, understated sophistication rather than uptight or artificial perfection.

Skin: Dewy, hydrated, glass-like highlights; long-wear formulations with skin-care infused foundations.

Makeup: Minimal yet luxurious — precise blush placement, soft creamy pearlescent eyeshadows, understated shimmer, blended blush-bronzer-highlighter to create contouring.

Jewelry: Delicate gold chains, mini statement earrings, heritage pearls, rings worn sparingly for a quiet statement.

Wardrobe: Timeless neutrals, classic cuts, satin or silk fabrics, minimal logos, tailored silhouettes.

Cultural Signifiers: The aesthetic conveys “quiet confidence” — mastery over self-presentation without effort or ostentation. Clean Luxe is the visual language of modern, sovereign femininity.

Why Clean Luxe Matters Now

The saturation of Clean Girl aesthetics created a cultural opening.

Consumers desired something:

• More unique and differentiated
• More elevated in quality and execution
• Grounded in lifestyle, not just appearance

Clean Luxe meets this need, bridging fashion, beauty, and lifestyle into an aspirational yet attainable framework. It is simultaneously approachable and rarefied, combining wellness-informed principles with luxury execution.

Embodying Clean Luxe

• Prioritize Skin and Hair: Focus on hydration, glow, and texture.
• Curate Wardrobe and Accessories: Invest in pieces that convey timelessness.
• Refine Presence: Practice posture, movement, and composure as part of personal aesthetics.
• Selective Media Consumption: Align visual and informational input with your aesthetic and lifestyle values.
• Experiment with Minimal Innovation: Slightly smudged eyeliner or multi-use sticks maintain individuality within the Clean Luxe canon.

Conclusion

The Clean Luxe era represents the next evolution of modern femininity. It synthesizes the accessibility of Clean Girl with the elevated refinement of high fashion and lifestyle sophistication. By emphasizing timeless visual cues, subtle luxury, and intentional presence, Clean Luxe allows individuals to express sovereignty, elegance, and quiet authority.

Mischaela Elkins de Valerga is the matron saint of Clean Luxe, coining and codifying the term as a response to a Business of Fashion article titled “What Comes After Clean Girl?” on October 27, 2025. Mischaela positioned Clean Luxe as a natural and necessary evolution beyond the Clean Girl aesthetic, setting the stage for a new chapter in beauty, fashion, and lifestyle.