The days of the dELiA*s catalogs have been on our minds and with summer around the corner change and experimentation seems to be on the horizon. It’s time to revisit a few 90s staples and play – pop princess pastels to black cherry lips.
BLUE & PURPLE SHADOW
Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tint in ‘Oversized Orchid’ and ‘Big Blue’ $17.50 USD
Think Baby Spice and Mandy Moore in all their bubbly pop glory. The Clinique Chubby Sticks sophisticate the pastel blues and purples of the 90s but stay true to the ethereal vibes of the look. And thanks to the creamy formula they can easily be swiped across the eye and blended with your finger for that same effortless look that dominated the era. ‘Oversized Orchid’ is a soft violet while ‘Big Blue” is deeper than the traditional pastel blue and edges slightly more on the metallic side. The #tbt look can be worn alone or with a touch of mascara.
DARK LIP LINER
MAC Lip Pencil in ‘Plum’ $17.00 USD and Buxom Plump Lip Liner in ‘Stakeout’ $17.00 USD
Sultry lips were definitely a must in the late 90s. I mean this was around the time Angelina Jolie was starting to make major waves with Gia (1998) and Girl, Interrupted (1999). Outlining your lips with mauves and vino hued pencils became necessary and tbh I’m here for its current comeback. There is nothing like giving your lips that extra boost and you can forget about making it look natural, the darker the better. ‘Plum” is definitely more Pamela Anderson while ‘Stakeout’ is reminiscent of something Winona Ryder might have rocked back in the day. Depending on the vibes you’re going for either will work to achieve a 90s inspired look, but ‘Stakeout’ is definitely the winner for any night time look.
THE JLO GLOW
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in ‘Gold Deposit’, $34.00 USD and Marc Jacobs O!Mega Bronzer Perfect Tan in ‘Tantric’, $49.00 USD
Although JLo’s major glow moments were in the early 2000s the 90s were a prelude to the golden days that awaited. Bronzer and highlighter will be the main ingredients for this look. Use the O!Mega Bronzer to sculpt and shade your cheekbones and any area of your face to create the shape of your liking. Follow up with ‘Gold Deposit’ to give yourself the perfect blend of tan and glow that JLo has become so well known for. Don’t be afraid to pack on the bronzer, but if you more of a ~less is more~ type of girl you can use a fluffy brush to help control the deposit of product.
RHINESTONES À LA GWEN STEFANI
Lottie London Queen of Hearts Self Adhesive Jewels $5.49 USD
The look here is Gwen Stefani at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards; blue hair, a dark lip and rhinestone framed eyes. A playful reminder to never take oneself too seriously – especially when it comes to makeup. To achieve the look self adhesive jewels are a must – rhinestones that require separate glue usually end up on the floor before you can even head out the door. You can lightly outline the placement of the jewels with a brow pencil for precision or freestyle it and go with what feels right at the moment. Whether the stones are the main focus or not, there really are no rules and as Gwen demonstrated you can rock multiple bold looks at once.
BROWN & BURGUNDY LIPS
Melt Cosmetics Lipstick in ‘Catsuit’, $19.00 USD and Nars Semi Matte Lipstick in ‘Scarlet Empress’ $28.00 USD
Experimenting with more occult colors will achieve the grungy/macabre effect of 90s music videos and films. Melt Cosmetics’ ‘Cherried’ is a deep burgundy that will bring forth major Foxy Brown vibes (see her 1996 music video, “I’ll Be Good”). The matte finish also guarantees the color will withstand any and all long summer nights. However, if your goal is to mimic The Craft’s (1996) look, ‘Antique Velvet’, a deep brown, is calling your name. This rich and intense chocolate lip will meet the demands of any witch. The goal for the look is for the entire lip to be the same deep color so both lipsticks can be worn sans lipliner. To avoid any feathering you can use a lipstick brush for a sharp and defined outline.
GLOSS (LOTS OF IT)
Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer, $18.00 USD
Gloss never died. It simply went on a hiatus only to return in full force. For this throwback look Gloss Bomb is the obvious choice, but there is still nothing wrong with the OG roll on gloss. And tbh although Gloss Bomb is a definite upgrade no one will ever be able to quite recreate that artificial strawberry flavor of the roll on glosses. What was in those? Nonetheless, blesdt to live in a time where this teen favorite grew up making it acceptable for adults to hold on to this trend a bit longer. Apply, layer and shine.
by Carolina Ramos
