There’s no questioning that nostalgic ‘90s trends are back, and arguably better than ever. As they say, everything old is new again, and that certainly rings true when it comes to the resurgence of vintage fashion and beauty trends. From ‘90s style straight-leg jeans to brown lip liner and thin brows, we’re seeing these looks being worn by all ages and generations, from gen Z to xennials. And personally, we’re all about it. ‘90s makeup is the “it” look at the moment, and it’s taking us right back to our roots (and perfect for our overplucked eyebrows). Keep reading for tips on recreating ‘90s makeup trends yourself, with steps from pro makeup artists.
What decade do you want to see makeup looks of next?
What were the most popular ‘90s makeup looks?
Makeup in the 1990s was all about subtle grunge mixed with soft glam. You may think of the iconic ‘90s supermodels’ looks, like Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and Kate Moss, or celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and Mariah Carey; Many of their looks are often recreated today.
“Some of the biggest ‘90s makeup trends are brown lips, thin eyebrows, frosted eyeshadow, matte skin and grunge liner,” says Gabriel Barse, professional makeup artist and partner with Flower Knows. “The brown lip look features dark liner with lighter lipstick, thin eyebrows appear overplucked and sharp and frosted eyeshadow comes in shades of icy blue, silver or white. The grunge liner look features smudged, black eyeliner or shadow, and matte skin is powdered and shine-free.”
We also saw overlined lips (often in brown shades, as Barse mentioned) and smokey eyeshadow in addition to frosted eyeshadow.
Why are ‘90s makeup looks coming back?
It’s natural for trends to ebb and flow through the trend cycle, phasing out and then coming back years or decades later. We’ve seen this happening with ‘90s makeup as it’s had a resurgence this past year. Part of this resurgence is thanks to social media and our desire for nostalgia.
“The ’90s are back due to a mix of nostalgia, TikTok and celebrities embracing minimalist and grunge aesthetics,” explains Barse. “The rise of platforms like TikTok and Instagram has brought back iconic ’90s aesthetics, while celebrities like Bella Hadid and Zendaya often channel ’90s supermodel energy in their red-carpet looks: brown lips, frosted eyes, smokey grunge and thinner brows.”
For those of us with thinner brows and lips (overplucking got the best of all of us in the ‘80s and ‘90s), this ‘90s makeup comeback is great news. It’s an opportunity for us to embrace our thin brows, as well as amp up our lips with the trendy overlining look.
How to recreate ‘90s makeup trends
Keep reading for step-by-step tutorials on recreating the most classic ‘90s makeup looks.
For ‘90s brows
The good news is that you don’t need thick, full eyebrows to get the ‘90s brow look. Brows during this decade were thinner than we’ve seen in recent decades. However, even though you might have the thin shape down, you might feel like you need to fill them in just a little to add some color or just a bit more fullness.
“Like many millennials, we grew up following the trend of overplucked brows. Then came the era of bold, full brows, leaving those of us without the luck of natural regrowth searching for solutions. Don’t worry—I’ve got a few tricks to help you fake the perfect brows!” says Barse.
- First, Barse says to use a fine-tipped concealer pencil or creamy concealer in your skin tone to outline your desired shape.
- If you prefer brows that are more on the full side, use a brow gel or pencil. For the more classic, thin ‘90s brow, use a “powder brow shadow like Flower Knows Midsummer Fairytales Eyebrow Palette for a softer, more natural finish. Grab a thin, angled brush and either draw fine, hair-like strokes (with an eyeshadow in a shade similar to your brows) or simply fill in any sparse areas,” says Barse. “Take your time to layer and blend for a flawless finish.” We also like Benefit Mighty Fine Brow Pen, which is an ultra-fine, triple-tip brow pen that creates realistic, hair-like strokes.
For ‘90s lips
The classic lip look of the ‘90s was a darker liner with a lighter center. We often saw brown lip looks, as Barse mentioned. What’s great about this contrast of dark and light shades together is that it creates the illusion of fuller, plumper lips. Plus, you can get away with overlining your lips with this look.
- Start with a dark lip liner. “Line lips with Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme Lip Shaper Liner in shade Espresso Shot and blend inward,” explains Elyse Reneau, Executive Director of Global Beauty at Too Faced.
- Next, fill in the center of your lips with a lighter, pinky hue. “Swipe on Too Faced Cocoa Bold Lipstick in shade Milkshake to complete your ‘90s makeup look,” suggests Reneau. If you prefer a gloss, we like Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Big Lip Plumpgasm Plumping Lip Gloss.
For ‘90s eyeshadow
Achieving the perfect ‘90s eye look is simple and can be done in one of two ways: frosted or warm and smoky.
To create frosted ‘90s eyeshadow:
- To start, prep your eyelids with an eyeshadow primer or concealer.
- Next, create a neutral base by “sweeping a matte beige or taupe shade across the lid. This sets the stage for a natural ’90s-inspired eye,” says Barse.
- “Then, take a frosted shade from the palette ‘All the Stars’ from the Flower Knows Little Angel 9-Color Eyeshadow Palette, and apply across the lid using a flat brush; Focus the color in the center,” explains Barse.
- For extra definition, sweep a slightly darker matte eyeshadow in your crease, and then blend the entire lid to ensure there are no harsh lines, Barse advises. You want your eye looks to be soft, grunge and soft glam.
- For eyeliner, Barse says to “Line the upper lash line with a brown or dark gray pencil eyeliner. Smudge the line using a small, dense brush for that lived-in, smoky effect.” Top it off with mascara.
- Finish off the look by highlighting the brow bone. “Use a frosted ivory shade to highlight the brow bone and the inner corners of the eyes. This opens up the eyes and gives that quintessential ’90s glow,” Barse tells us.
To create warm and smoky ‘90s eyeshadow:
- One of our favorite palettes to use for a smoky ‘90s eyeshadow look is Too Faced’s Born This Way Natural Nudes Palette. “Apply a matte shade from lash line to brow bone,” says Reneau.
- Next, Reneau says to define your crease “with a deeper matte shade using a fluffy blender brush. Blend softly upward & outward to diffuse edges.”
- To keep the look cohesive, use the same shade to line your bottom lashes, suggests Reneau.
