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8 Beauty Comebacks From the 90s (and How to Wear Them Now)

Turns out the '90s weren't so bad for beauty after all.
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Visible lip liner
Lip liner is also making a comeback. But, as Michaud points out, unlike the '90s when it was all about seeing the actual line, the look right now is about building volume and contouring the lip to look more voluptuous. "To make the look your own, start by dabbing a bit of lip balm on the lip, like Sara Happ Lip Slip, $24," she says. "Apply a lip primer to fill in any fine lines or imperfections onto the entire lip, especially along the vermillion border, and then gently glide a darker nude lip liner, like Nars Audacious Lipstick in Barbara, $34, along the outside edges of the lips." Be careful not to press too hard, as she warns that this can make the look appear too "lined." Cover the top and bottom lips before blending with a lip brush to soften the edges and blend the color inward. Add a lighter nude lipstick, like Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Meringue, $26, on the pillowy center of the lips and you're good to go.

Image via Imaxtree

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The 'no-makeup' makeup look
Leave it to Alicia Keys to stop wearing makeup and have the world attempt to follow suit. Around the same time as the Grammy-winning crooner stepped out with her au naturel look at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, makeup brands around the world started launching softer and more subtle accent products like, ahem, highlighter (which is now a makeup bag staple, for the record). "Sheer foundation versus full coverage is the key to a 'no-makeup' makeup look," says Michaud. Top it off with a bold, powdery brow, a glowy highlighter and a lip and cheek stain combination like Benefit Cosmetics Benetint Cheek and Lip Stain, $30, for a healthy, hydrated everyday look.

Image via Imaxtree

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Supermodel eyebrows
Not everyone was victim to the super-slim, waif-like brows in the 1990s, most notably the original supermodels like Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Helena Christensen and Christy Turlington. "The bold brow will continue in 2018, but they are beginning to take shape again, reminiscent of the 1990s supermodels," says Michaud. Current trendsetters include Lily Collins, Emma Watson, Jourdan Dunn, Diane Kruger and, of course, the Kardashian/Jenners. To get this look, Michaud recommends brushing your brows upwards and trimming off any long, unruly hairs. "Tweeze any hairs on top of the brows that are not part of your eyebrow itself, over your temple area and on the outside of the brows to disconnect them from your hairline," says Michaud. "Now determine the hairs you need to tweeze out in order to give your brow a more sophisticated shape — you can use a flesh-toned chubby pencil to conceal the hairs first, so you don't take too much." If you're too scared to go at this alone, seek the help of a professional brow stylist.

Image via Imaxtree

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Double buns
When the topknot took off, it was very quickly replaced by a familiar hairstyle many '90s girls might remember rocking out to when dancing to their favorite girl band, ahem, naturally, the Spice Girls. The double bun is back with a slightly more mature, Coachella-esque flair. Veronica Kabacinski, hairstylist at Broome Street Society in New York City, says it's a youthful way to pull your hair back off your face if it's done the right way. She recommends curling or texturizing the hair before putting it into double buns and keeping the look soft by leaving pieces out around your face. "Make this look even more trendy by adding braids to your pigtails before twisting them into buns for more texture and interest."

Image via @dmzlle_whinny

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Chunky face framing
That's right, the "Rachel haircut" was too good to stay in the 1990s, which explains why it's back and better than ever. Be it paired with a long shag or a short curtain fringe, face-framing layers offer an effortlessly stylish, low-commitment 'do that exudes bounce, texture and volume. There are a variety of ways you can go about achieving this look in 2018. One is to start short around the middle of your face, between your eyes and cheekbones. Staying around this region will work best for whatever face shape you have. The rest of the layering will concave around your face and draw attention towards your best features. "You can also wear this look up by keeping two bold face framing pieces out of your high pony," says Kabacinski.

Image via Imaxtree

BY JENN SINRICH | JAN 11, 2018 | SHARES
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