No longer are we living in a world of the binary, and we have Generation Z to thank for that. The cohort has not only pushed Millenials and Baby Boomers to become more open and accepting, but the Gen Z population is setting record numbers for folks that identify as gender non-conformist.
Their generation is also well-versed with non-binary pronouns. According to a 2018 study conducted by Pew Research Center, 35% of Gen Z adults and 25% of Millennials know someone who uses gender-neutral pronouns.
And while gender-neutrality in the fashion and pop-culture worlds is starting to become more and more common, Harry Styles has become a lightning rod for its pervasiveness. The beloved star was the first solo male cover star of US Vogue, and, moreover, he wore a custom-made, lace-trimmed Gucci ball gown dress that made waves.
Most recently, the pop star announced his gender-neutral beauty line titled Pleasing, set to drop on November 29th. The line found inspiration in Styles’ own beauty routine, including nail polishes, which the star is known to adorn.
Styles remarked to Dazed, “It’s starting with nail polish because that was kind of the birth of what it was for. Me seeing a color on a flower or a wallpaper or something and thinking, ‘Oh, I wanna put that on my nails.’ It was a fun little project, but during the pandemic, and when we eventually named it Pleasing, it felt like it was so much more than nail polish.”
The polishes are in glass bottles that resemble old perfume decanters, and they find inspiration in the pearls found within oyster shells. The packaging for the nail polishes comes in a set of four or in a single, tucked gracefully in a box that’s 100% compostable and made with at least 70% post-consumer material. Furthermore, it gets printed with soy and water-based inks. The sustainability doesn’t stop there; the individual nail polish caps get made of around 10-20% recycled materials and an inner cap made from 100% recycled material, though whoever said a metal topper wasn’t a brilliant idea? The brush bristles also get produced using castor beans.
Additionally, Styles is releasing two skincare products, including the Pleasing Pen and The Pearlescent Illuminating Serum. “The Pleasing Pen is great because if you’re feeling a little less than lovely, you can refresh yourself anywhere,” Styles said in a press release. “The lip oil dries matte in about a minute, perfect to give yourself a mini massage with the eye serum.”
The Pleasing Pen’s packaging is a pleasantly cool, minty color that features the brand’s logo on the cap. Small enough to keep in a pocket or a pouch, the pen is sleek and refined. The Pearlescent Illuminating Serum features a glass jar that encapsulates pearls inspired by female Japanese divers and the pearls they would catch with a net.
Not only is the line gender-neutral and all-inclusive, but the packaging focuses on using sustainable materials. If Harry Styles wasn’t your celebrity crush before this new line, he indeed is now.
