When you think of 90s trends, lots of iconic moments come to mind. From Spice Girl Mel-B's brown lip to Christina Aguilera’s pink crimped locks, there are endless red carpet looks that are still gorgeous to this day. Whilst there are some 90s trends that we would prefer to pretend never happened (remember that porcupine-esque updo?) lots of the classic looks are storming back into the beauty scene and we are obsessing over the revamped retro vibes. Check out some of our favourites below.
Bleached brows
This may be a controversial one in the age of the bushy Cara Delevingne brow, but bleached brows are slowly but surely making their way back into fashion, and we aren’t mad about it. A key part of the androgyny trend that swept the 90s beauty scene, celebs including Kim Kardashian and Maisie Williams have recently tried out the blonde brow look.
For the ultimate chic, dramatic look, these brows work best when partnered with grungy, high contrast eye-makeup. Opt for grey and black tones to create a smudgy smokey eye, using a fluffy brush to feather out the edges for that ultimate off-duty model vibe. We’re obsessed with Millie’s (aka @milliemacmakeup) bold eye and glossy lip combo.
Want to recreate the bleached brow look? Take an eyebrow brush and brush a light toned concealer through your brows until the hairs are coated. Top off with a long-wearing brow gel to keep them in place all day!
Brown lip liner
The brown lip liner trend was extremely popular in the 90s amongst fashion and supermodel royalty such as Victoria Beckham and Naomi Campbell. In the days where lipgloss reigned supreme, a glistening pout with a bold outline was the go-to chic look.
Now that we are coming out of our matte lippy phase and rediscovering our love for gloss, this iconic style is becoming a staple in our night-out beauty routines. Ideal for making your lips look fuller and more defined, a brown liner is a great way to shade your pout and give the illusion of plumpness. Jess (aka @_makeupbyjessevansx) has nailed the 90s vibes with her modern version of the overlined lip.
To achieve Jess’s pout, take a brown lip pencil and, starting at the cupids bow, overline your lips very slightly to make them look fuller. Complete the look with a creamy nude lipstick and, if you want an ultra-glossy finish, top off with a high-shine gloss.
Crimped hair
Whilst we most definitely don’t want to return to the frizzy, spiky crimped looks that ruled the 90s, we are totally embracing the more ‘toned-down’ version of this look that we like to call Mermaid hair. The loose crimped style has become a go-to look for day time chic to night-out glam, creating a gorgeously gentle beachy wave that would even make Ariel jealous.
Wavers are our new favourite haircare tool that give an effortless, just-stepped-off-the-beach look every time. For those who want an alternative to full-blown curls, using a waver is a great way to try something new. We are loving the results that Yemi (aka @yemithompson_) achieves using the Beauty Works Jumbo Waver!
To emulate Yemi’s effortlessly gorgeous beachy waves, start off with a high quality heat protection spray, then crimp the hair in medium sized sections to get a looser finish. Top off with a nourishing hair oil for that extra touch of shine!
