The 90’s was the time for grungy makeup and dishevelled hair. The undone allure of the decade may seem at odds with a glamorous wedding beauty look, but there are many makeup and beauty trends of the 90’s that are worth stealing inspiration from.
Bold brows
The 90s was a time when brows were bold – something that is right on trend today. A bold, full brow looks healthy and helps to frame the eyes, so it’s a great look for a wedding day. The trick is to find an eyebrow pencil that matches your eyebrows and lightly fills in the brows so they appear darker and fuller. A 90’s brow was well-arched, so be sure to get your brows shaped before the big day too! Threading is an inexpensive way of adding shape and structure, so browse the offers available at your local beauty salon. “Brow bars” have recently popped up in Boots and Superdrug, so there’s plenty of options.
Brown lip
Another beauty look that was incredibly popular in the 90’s was a brown lip. Celebrities and the average woman on the street both sported brown lips. Whether it was a brown, brick red or an obvious shade of mocha, brown lipstick was all the rage.
Grunge
The grungy dishevelled look, first sported by Madonna in the 80’s, really kicked off in the 1990’s. Kate Moss, Courtney Love and Drew Barrymore all made the look popular, with their bold red and berry lipsticks, darkened brows and kohl-lined eyes.
Matte base
While the 90’s saw the eyes and lips played up in dark shades, the face was kept relatively low-key and natural, with light face makeup applied and a base that was matte rather than dewy.
A matte foundation is a great choice if you are getting married in spring or summer, as it will adhere to the skin longer and avoid looking oily in photographs. Finish off your base with a light dusting of matte powder to bring a silky, powdered look to the skin and lock your makeup in for longer.
90’s fun
In addition to the grunge look of the 90s, the decade also showcased colours and lots of glitter. If you’re a free spirit and after for a fun makeup look then you might like to experiment with some of the more colourful beauty looks of the 90s for your wedding day. Glitter was very popular in the 1990s and it still works well today. Consider subtle microglitter for cheekbones or glitter polish to bring some sparkle to your fingernails, without looking tacky.
Glitter was also a popular finish for eyeshadows, as Refinery29 note:
“Glossy Lips and Glittery Eyeshadow – the infamous combo of the ’90s. One was not complete without the other. And, no, it couldn’t be just any glittery eyeshadow — it had to be the brightest shade possible.”
In addition to buckets full of glitter, the 1990’s woman also embraced hair chalk to bring some colour to their hair. Hair chalks are chalks in pastel hues that can easily be ‘drawn’ onto hair – think “streaks” that wash out.
Bring some 90’s glamour to your wedding look
The defined eyebrow, vampy lipstick and touch of glitter were all cool beauty looks for the 90s. Work these into your wedding by playing them down and matching them with a more subtle overall look.
