You guys, let’s talk about something major: 90s Makeup Revival! Yasss, you read that right. Our fave 90s looks are officially back! And honestly, I couldn’t be more excited. Think grunge, think glitter, think skin that shines like you’re in an Aaliyah music vid. There’s something nostalgic but also kinda edgy and fresh about bringing back those old-school vibes right now.
Like, if we’re being real, every time I scroll through TikTok or Instagram, it feels like I’m getting flashbacks to what our moms and older sisters were rocking back in the day. And I’m living for it. So, let’s break down what’s making a comeback, how to achieve the looks, and whether or not some of these trends lowkey should’ve stayed in the past 😂 (Spoiler: they all look good with the right spin).
First up…
1. Skinny Brows Are Back (!!!)
Okay, hold up—before you freak, we’re not totally trying to relive the super skinny brow trauma of over-tweezing to oblivion. But, like, 90s-inspired thin brows are making waves again. People are steering away from the intense, sculpted mega-brows that have reigned for the last, idk, decade (RIP 2015 Instagram brows), and opting for something sleeker and more natural, but still giving structure.
The key here is balance. You still want a defined shape—just not the kind of blocky shape you’d see in a Jeffree Star circa 2016 tutorial.
“Skip the sharpie-brow look, and instead go for light, feathery, natural strokes with a brow pencil.”
If you want to try this trend, I recommend using a brow pencil like the Anastasia Brow Wiz, which literally allows you to create thin, hair-like strokes. Plus, you can build up for exact precision, but still keep it soft and natural.
2. Lip Liners, Baby!
We’ve all heard the saying “Lipstick doesn’t stick without a liner.” If there is one thing the 90s taught us when it comes to makeup, it’s that a bold lip liner can transform your face. In the 90s, people typically overlined with a pencil slightly darker than their natural lip color, leaving the whole lipstick-to-lip-liner contrast juicy enough for anyone to notice.
Wait, and we’re not talking about super crisp, super bold Kylie Jenner-style lip liners (you probs still see a tutorial for that on YouTube every 5 seconds). We’re going for a bit of that blurred, “just smudged” vibe that defined the 90s. Think along the lines of Moira Kelly in One Tree Hill or Jennifer Aniston in Friends — neutral shades that still pop but aren’t so polished it’s scary.
The liner? It’s gotta be the OG MAC Lip Pencil in Spice. It’s such a classic. And for gloss? Literally any clear gloss! It’s all about that super wet look—hellooo, Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb.
“Liner just brings your lips from zero to a whole new vibe without doing much else.”
3. Frosted Eye Shadow All. Over. The. Lids!
This trend though… this one’s wild. We’re talking light, shimmery, glowing from the inner corner to the outer corner kinda frosty eye shadow that could probably be seen from space. You know how the 90s had that, like, icy lids and shimmers that made your eyes look frosty, cold, almost crystal-like? Yeah, that’s coming back full force.
Instead of metallic finishes, think about soft shimmers—the kind that don’t take away too much from your eyes but still glisten. My personal fave: Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow in Space Cowboy. It’s got that frosty finish with a touch of glitter without looking over the top.
And trust me, frost does NOT mean tacky when it’s done right! Blend out the corners, keep it light, and avoid pilling it onto the brows (unless you wanna fully commit to that Christina Aguilera 90s look lol).
Let’s not forget:
| Do: Apply a light frosted shade using your ring finger for more control. |
|---|
| Don’t: Use too much frost under your brow bone unless you’re doing a throwback look for the LOLs. |
4. Grunge Smokey Eyes
The 90s gave us Kurt Cobain, Nirvana vibes, AND a super smudged-out grunge look that refuses to go away. This moment is all about looking a little undone, like you kinda accidentally smudged your eyeliner, but in a way that looks purposely editorial.
It’s still the ultimate cool-girl eye. It was everywhere in the 90s: a little mess, a lot of attitude. But what’s epic about today? We now have smudge-proof and waterproof formulas, so your grunge eye isn’t gonna melt off like it did in 1995.
Tip: Start with a creamy pencil like Maybelline Tattoo Studio Gel Pencil and smudge it out with your fingers. Top off with some black eyeshadow for a more “faded-out” look.
“Don’t stress perfection here. The messier, the better!”
Pair this with a muted, matte lip (I’m talking MAC Velvet Teddy) and you are straight-up giving Courtney Love vibes, my friend.
5. Brown Lipstick
You kids—and by kids, I mean us, LOL—don’t know how real 90s brown lipstick was… until now. When brown lips first took over in the 90s, it seemed like everyone and their dog was wearing it. Fast forward to now, and I’m seeing it again ALL OVER TikTok.
Everyone from Bella Hadid to Zendaya has been spotted sporting dark brown lips, and it’s no surprise that the deep, moody vibes are soo good to bring into fall.
You’ll want to note that brown lipstick comes in so many shades—even if you’re not feeling the true deep hue, you can pick a muted chestnut or soft cocoa. Lemme put you on a holy grail brown lippie that SLAYS every time: ColourPop’s Lippie Stix in Grunge. It’s soft, glides on smooth, and has just the right amount of 90s attitude.
6. Pastel Eyeshadow (Remember Baby Blue?)
Ahhh, pastel baby blue eyeshadow… remember that? I feel like it was all over back in the day, and if you didn’t have it crammed somewhere in your makeup drawer, well, what were you even doing with your life? 😂
Fast forward and revisit that sweet pastel blue—it’s making a cuter, softer comeback for a lot of Y2K fun. Like, we’re leaning hard into lighter shades being worn all the way to the brow bone (but, like, blended in chic ways).
Eyeshadows like the NYX Hot Singles Eyeshadow in Electroshock are budget-friendly and packed with pigment without looking too 2002 middle-school dance.
Keep it wearable in 2023 by mixing pastel shades like lilac, mint, or yellow as well. These give more soft, ethereal vibes (which I am 100% here for).
“Baby blue eye shadow for total ’90s throwback? YES. Nothing screams nostalgia like a cute pastel pop of color to brighten your look.”
7. Glossy Skin over Mattified Skin
So, matte skin had its major moment in the mid-2000s, but now? It’s gloss gloss gloss. 90s skin was shiny and dewy (like, Monica from Friends-level dewy), and it’s back with a bang.
Instead of heavy powders, everyone’s getting obsessed with products that focus on glow instead of trying to hide it. Think face oils, balmy highlights, and hydrating primers.
For killer glowy skin, skip the matte, full-coverage foundations and go for something like Glossier Skin Tint. It’s barely-there, super hydrating, and leaves your skin dewy enough to look like you just stepped off the runway.
“Let your skin’s natural GLOW be the star of the show!”
You can top it off with a light balm, something like the Milk Makeup Highlighter Stick in Lit, to keep those cheekbones shining brighter than a disco ball.
Ok, I could go on forever because 90s makeup is just a whole vibe, but this is honestly an amazing place to start. From the brown lipstick craze to frost-tipped eyes, the decade’s trends have their own revamped twist for us Gen Z baddies (and even millennials!) today.
So tell me, which 90s makeup trends are you most excited to try? Or are you already pulling out your baby pink gloss and smudging your eyeliner? LMK in the comments or shoot me a DM—I LOVE hearing what trends everyone’s crushing on right now!
