1990s

In contrast with the ‘anything goes’ makeup of the 70s and 80s, the 90s seem relatively tame and normal in comparison. No one wore bright green shadows and fuchsia lips in vogue, as the 90s saw a flood in the popularity of matte colours, carefully tended skin and natural brows.

After a decade of wearing often elaborate makeup, many of the early 90s trends encouraged women to let loose and promoted a natural, no makeup look. Grunge style, popularized by rock groups such as Nirvana, saw devotees allowing their long hair to flow pin straight and free with little to no makeup. On the opposite end of the spectrum, 90s darling Jennifer Aniston popularized “The Rachel”, a look just as much about the hair as the makeup. The hair cut quickly became one of the most requested in America and her signature matte, mauve lips were ‘the thing’.



Jennifer Aniston- iconic 1990s figure

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Many of the looks we see throughout the years are cringe-worthy today. Dark mauve or brown lip liner filled in with a creamy nude, is not a look that anyone would recommend or deem flattering in 2016. Taking past trends and making them work with modern sensibilities and palettes is always a must.

As consumers became increasingly sophisticated, brands met the challenge with muted brown toned makeup meant to enhance a woman’s natural beauty. From grunge to glamorous makeup looks, matte foundation was in. A modern base product that matches your skin tone and make sure to opt for coverage that suits your needs. The 90s look can be modernized by selecting a tinted moisturiser, as the natural look that is so popular now was also a mainstay of makeup twenty years ago.

Thick eyebrows were the emblem of catwalks and runways in 1990s. Not only were brows filled in, they were also groomed to perfection and brushed up to enhance thickness and shape. Cindy Crawford is a wonderful example of a classic 90s brow: squared off but carefully arched, Crawford’s brows were almost as popular as the model herself.

cindy crawford

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The 1990s gave birth to popular brands such as Stila, Urban Decay and Hard Candy, all of which made a name for themselves with their eyeshadows. While shimmer was not uncommon—just look at the Spice Girls—matte, earth-toned shades were in. Enhance the 90s inspired brows by applying the cream shade on the brow bone just beneath the arch, as well as at the inner corner of the eye. Coloured mascara was immensely popular, but this doesn’t mean that cobalt blue lashes are a must today. A plum shade will add complexity to your otherwise simple eye makeup, while evoking the subtle glamour of the era

While contouring was not yet a household term twenty years ago, matte neutral blush shades exaggerated cheekbones and did not compete with full matte pouts. While a thick line of blush was often applied just beneath or above the cheekbone the look was often severe and unnatural.

Perhaps the most recognizable makeup trend of the 90s, full matte mauve lips, can be easily modernized to suit our needs for a nude plump pout. Though many women called upon lip liner to give the illusion of full lips, and often lined outside the natural boundary of their lip line, a modern mauve lipstick in a matte formulation will give the same look without fudging the natural shape of your pout.

magazine front page

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Remember the 90s were all about enhancing your own unique beauty and empowering you to wear makeup as you choose.
http://blog.shesaidbeauty.com/2012/08/07/beauty-retrospective-the-natural-90s/

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