Nostalgia alert: the 90s are trending again. Here's how to get the look.
From The Spice Girls to stick-on earrings, there are so many things that we love and miss about the 90s era. But none more so than the cool, statement beauty looks of the time.
No, we're not talking skinny eyebrows and butterfly clips (some things are better left in the past). From the supermodel glam-look to grungy smoked-out shadow, though, the 90s gave us some truly statement looks. Luckily for us, plenty of them have come back into fashion again recently.
So, if you're in the mood for some 90s nostalgia, pull out your MAC Spice liner and some matte eyeshadows. Here are some of the best 90s makeup trends you should try.
1. Blue eyeshadow
Blue eyeshadow was arguably the most popular 90s makeup trend, but is something that made us cringe until pretty recently. In the same way that Dad sneakers have become totally on-trend again though, so too has blue-hued eye makeup.
Kim Kardashian herself has endorsed the trend and we've seen blue become a staple in plenty of eyeshadow palettes lately including the new Tarte High Tides and Good Vibes palette. Just avoid going overboard with the rest of your makeup with this look – let your eyes be the focus.
Where to shop the trend:
Kryolan 18 Eye Palette - V2 Brights
Adore Beauty
#remixnatural eyeshadow palette
Tarte
VISEART Grande PRO Volume 2 Palette
Sephora
2. Brown lipstick
If you take a look at 90s movies and TV shows, you might notice that the lipstick shades are mostly brown hues. From Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman to Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction, rocking a signature brown lip was the fashion statement of the time.
The brown lipstick trend recently came back into fashion thanks to Kylie Jenner launching her "True Brown K" Lip Kit. Don't be scared to try it – we guarantee that there's a brown lip shade out there to flatter every single skin tone, so give it a go.
Where to shop the trend:
Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Lip Crème - No Angel 242
NET-A-PORTER
Girl Lip Stylo Hourglass
Nordstrom
Lip Color Tom Ford
Nordstrom
3. Simple black eyeliner
Minus the grunge trend and the blue eyeshadow, the majority of the makeup from the 90s was actually pretty subtle. Eyeliner was definitely around, but it was worn very thinly to accentuate the eye without going overboard.
Eyeliner trends since then have been fairly heavy, but we're starting to see a switch back to a less dramatic version. Grab a felt-tip liquid liner for precise application and get back in touch with the low-key look.
Where to shop the trend:
Napoleon Perdis Neo Noir Liquid Eyeliner
Priceline
KAT VON D BEAUTY Tattoo Liner
Sephora
BENEFIT Roller Liner
Cult Beauty
4. Fresh, matte skin
Speaking of low-key, natural-looking skin was a huge part of the 90s beauty look. Foundation wasn't considered an everyday necessity and shimmer and blush were basically the enemy.
Save yourself time, money and skin problems by putting down the highlighter and embracing either natural skin or matte foundations and powders.
Where to shop the trend:
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation
Sephora
Benefit Porefessional Matte Rescue
Adore Beauty
MAYBELLINE Dream Matte Skin Perfecting BB Cream
Priceline
5. Hair flowers
Did the flower crown trend ever really leave? If it did, we happily ignored that fact. Which is lucky, really, because they're totally in again right now.
Whether you're into the boho chic look or want to be on-trend for the next festival you're attending, hair flowers are for you. You can go for a simple look with decorated hair slides or embrace your inner flower child by rocking a full-on flower crown.
Where to shop the trend:
ASOS DESIGN back hair crown with pearl and floral detail in gold
ASOS
Plumeria Frangipani Hair Pin Real Touch Flower
Etsy
JENNIFER BEHR Haille set of two gold-tone crystal hair slides
NET-A-PORTER
6. Body glitter
Body glitter was one of our favourite 90s beauty trends and we're absolutely living for its revival. Unlike the 90s though, we're probably not going to go ahead and bathe ourselves in it. Instead, we'll probably stick to products like Rihanna's 3D rose gold Fairy Bomb shimmer powder that promises an all-over shimmer without being blinding.
If you do want to shine bright like a diamond, though, you can try an illuminating bronzing oil or build your glow up with some high-beam highlighter.
Where to shop the trend:
Magic Shimmer Oil
Frank Body
Shimmering Dry Oil Honey
The Body Shop
FENTY BEAUTY Fairy Bomb Shimmer Powder
Sephora
7. Shadow roots
Shadow roots are easily one of the biggest 90s beauty trends to make a comeback in recent years and there's a good reason why. The look is all about embracing your natural roots and our bank accounts are already sighing with relief.
Save yourself a few trips to the salon by getting yourself a balayage style that guarantees low-maintenance, lived-in hair colour that will last.
Where to shop the trend:
L'Oreal Preference 102 Ombre Intense
Chemist Warehouse
L'oreal Paris Colorista Effect Ombre 1 ea
Priceline
Schwarzkopf Root Retoucher Dark Brown 70 g
Priceline
8. Super-smoky eye
As the 80s punk aesthetic started to fade, 90s grunge took its place. Not for the faint-hearted, the grunge look featured super-smoky eyes, thick liner and dark lipstick shades.
The edgy trend has made it onto plenty of runways lately, meaning that it's totally acceptable to add it to our makeup routines. So grab your black eyeshadow and throw on a leather jacket. We guarantee you'll feel totally kick-arse.
Where to shop the trend:
Aqua Black Waterproof Cream Eye Shadow
Sephora
Blackest Black Eyeshadow
Sephora
Clinique Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen
Adore Beauty
9. Dark lip liner
One of our least favourite 90s makeup trends has got to be the use of super-dark, harsh lip liners. However, the recent ombré lip trend gave us an adaption of this look that we can actually get around. The style involves using a darker lip liner with a lighter shade of lipstick and blending the two together.
Not only does it give the illusion of plumper lips, it gives a slight nod to the 90s era too.
Where to shop the trend:
Huda Beauty Lip Contour
Sephora
Kat Von D Beauty Everlasting Lip Liner
Sephora
Napoleon Perdis Lip Pencil
Priceline.com
