Thomas also pieces together a timeline of ’90s makeup trends for me. Over the course of the decade, makeup underwent a transformation from skewing more grunge with dark eyes, matte complexions, and minimal contour to the shift towards pop culture-inspired looks of the late ’90s and, “glitter, brighter colors, glossy lips.” Older Gen Zers may even remember their Y2K childhood years as being defined by trends that were everywhere just a couple years prior to their earliest memories being intact. And then there was the impact of the internet (even if it was dial-up and had us caught in chat rooms), making beauty all the more accessible at the click of a mouse.
According to Tisha Thompson, celebrity makeup artist and founder of LYS Beauty, one reason why the ’90s is an easy era to recreate with present-day products is due to shade diversity becoming more mainstream. Flashback was everywhere and individuals with deep skin tones fell victim to the limited shade ranges of products. The decade’s most recognizable makeup looks have been made better with steps towards inclusion. “When thinking back to old runway shows or red carpets, the ’90s perfectly married natural beauty with glam, and I love seeing modern renditions of that makeup style,” she says.
I gained a better idea of how hair changed throughout the ’90s by tapping celebrity hairstylist Adam Maclay who shared a timeline not so unlike that of the makeup trends of the decade. The era began with the beauty trends from the ’80s still spilling over—think flattops, perms, and big hair. By the mid-90s, the eye-catching shapes and styles that were once thought to be inaccessible by the general public became achievable through the popularization of perms, blow outs, experimentation with hair color, and more. “Music videos were at their peak in production costs and exposure. Whatever look artists were wearing became popular very quickly, explains Maclay. We also started to see celebrity fashion covers and brand sponsorships.” The decade reached its end with flat ironed hair, half updos with butterfly clips, and braids reigning supreme.