Okay, so I got this idea stuck in my head the other day. You know how sometimes you see an old picture or a clip from a movie, and it just transports you? Well, I stumbled across some old photos, the kind from actual magazines, not just online, and there she was – that specific 90s vibe. Not grunge, not super preppy, but that kind of effortless, slightly moody, cool-girl thing. And I thought, right, I’m gonna try and get that look going again. Just for kicks, see if I can actually pull it off now.
Starting with the Skin
First thing, the face. Back then, it wasn’t about the blinding highlight or crazy contouring we see everywhere now. It felt more… real skin, but kinda perfected? I remember it being pretty matte. So, I started digging through my makeup stash. Skipped the super glowy primer. Went straight for a foundation that wasn’t too dewy. Finding the right balance was tricky, actually. Too matte and it looks cakey and dead, too dewy and it’s just not the right era. I settled on something sort of satin-finish and just used powder sparingly, mostly in the t-zone. Had to really buff it in so it didn’t look like I was wearing a mask.
Eyes and Brows – Keeping it Simple
The eyes were next. Definitely no complicated cut creases or tons of glitter. I remember it being more about subtle definition. Simple was key. I grabbed a neutral brown shadow, nothing fancy, and just washed it over the lid. Added a tiny bit along the lower lash line too. Eyeliner was a bit of a pain. Tried a pencil first, smudged it out. Looked okay, but maybe a bit too smudged, like I’d slept in it. Wiped that off. Tried a thin liquid liner, just a tiny flick. Still didn’t feel quite right. Ended up using a dark brown eyeshadow with a damp angled brush, pushing it right into the lash line. That felt better, softer.
Brows… well, 90s brows were often thinner than the big fluffy ones popular now. Mine aren’t super thick anyway, but I definitely didn’t try to make them look like Instagram brows. Just filled in the sparse bits lightly with a pencil and brushed them through. Didn’t really arch them dramatically or anything. Just neatened them up.
Lips Made the Look
Okay, the lips felt important. That was often the main color statement. Not bright red, usually. More like brownish reds, berry tones, mauves. I rummaged through my lipsticks. Took a few tries:
- First one, too pink.
- Second, too dark, almost vampy.
- Third one… yeah, getting closer. A sort of brownish-rose color.
Lip liner was definitely a thing then, sometimes darker than the lipstick. I skipped the darker liner, just used a liner that matched the lipstick to define the shape a bit. Blotted it down so it wasn’t glossy or sharp. More of a stained look.
Getting the Hair Right (or Trying To)
Then the hair. Oh boy. The pictures always look so effortlessly cool, don’t they? Like they just rolled out of bed with perfect, slightly undone hair. Trying to actually do that is another story. My hair wanted to frizz. I tried just letting it air dry with a bit of anti-frizz stuff. Center part, definitely. It looked… okay. Not quite the smooth-but-not-too-perfect look I was aiming for. Tried a flat iron just quickly on the ends to smooth them. Better, but still felt a bit too ‘done’. Messed it up a bit with my hands. Added a tiny bit of texturizing spray, but not too much. It’s a fine line between ‘effortless’ and ‘just messy’.
Finding the Clothes Vibe
Didn’t go full costume, just wanted the general feel. That meant keeping it simple. No loud patterns or complicated layers. I dug out an old slip dress I had, the kind that’s satiny. Threw a simple, slightly fitted t-shirt underneath it. Could have also just done jeans and a baby tee, or maybe a simple knit top. The key was unfussy. No big logos, no crazy accessories.
Did it Work?
So, looking in the mirror… it wasn’t an exact carbon copy, obviously. But the feeling was kind of there. The muted makeup, the simple hair, the unfussy clothes. It felt less ‘done up’ than a lot of modern looks. More comfortable, in a way. It’s funny how trends cycle back, but they’re never quite the same, are they? You try to recreate something, but you end up filtering it through today. Anyway, it was a fun experiment. A trip down memory lane using my makeup brushes and wardrobe. Definitely reminded me why that look was so cool – it had an attitude without trying too hard. Or at least, it looked like it wasn’t trying too hard.
