Isn’t it funny how history has a way of repeating itself? Be it the ‘Rachel’ haircut, the revival of brown lipstick, or the dazzling metallic eye makeup, they all make for a strong case on how trends from the past recycle themselves and come back even better and stronger…well, mostly. Which makes us wonder—why does this happen, and are we losing sight of creativity at a time when innovation is at its peak?
Reuse & recycle: the circle of patterns
Fashion or beauty, trends tend to follow a pattern—they are cyclical by nature and often reappear every two decades or so. For Gen-Z, the 2000s makeup looks are inspired by Euphoria. For millennials and Gen-X, it’s two decades' worth of childhood memories. This cycle, however, isn’t just limited to the beauty trends of the 90s and 2000s. Take the beloved cat eyeliner, for example; synonymous across the board with celebs like Madonna and the late Amy Winehouse, it traces all the way back to ancient Egypt through the likes of Nefertiti and Cleopatra. It then made a comeback in the 1920s where French icon Josephine Baker sported the flick in her performances. And, of course, in the 1950s and 1960s, we had Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Mumtaz, Sophia Loren, and Sharmila Tagore, all symbolising some version of the cat eye.
Following that same pattern, a lot of the Y2K and 90s makeup trends, like the metallic eye, glitter shadows, or vinyl lips (to name a few), were all inspired by the psychedelic hippie and disco era of the 70s and 80s. If we are to go by the cyclical nature of these trends, it’s no surprise they are making a comeback in 2023 too!
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For most 90s babies, Kajol’s brick brown lip (DDLJ), Karisma Kapoor’s metallic eyeshadow (Dil Toh Pagal Hai), Sonali Bendre’s silver smokey eye (Duplicate), Kareena Kapoor Khan’s iconic metallic lip (K3G), Britney Spears’ frosted eyeshadow, J.Lo’s glossy lip…pretty much live rent-free in our minds. Relatable much?
Now that they’ve followed their cyclical calendar, and are back with a louder and better bang, the majority of us are delighted to play into these trends with a modern-day twist. Plus, with the plethora of makeup product options available to shop from, recreating these beloved trends make it a breeze for all age and income groups.
The post-pandemic effect
The worldwide pandemic changed the way people approached beauty. The lockdown and endless Zoom meetings shifted the focus from heavy Insta-model-inspired makeup to no-makeup to very light, everyday looks instantly. That’s when we saw a rise in warm, nude, and neutral hues, making the minimal makeup approach popular across the globe.
Bursting into louder and over-the-top looks via popular 90s and 2000s makeup trends, 2023 is all about metallics, chromes, glosses, and loud hues—all of which break away from the minimalistic approach we’ve seen in beauty over the last three years. Blame it on boredom or the will to experiment, but one thing is for sure, makeup trends in the 90s and 2000s fit the rather colourful bill that people were looking for.
What does it mean for the future?
We may have mixed feelings about Britney Spears’ Toxic having 50 different renditions that keep trending on reels, but it does warm our heart that makeup trends that we grew up admiring are back. Y2K was definitely a vibe, and if we are to move with the cyclical pattern, it will be fun to see neons, pastels, pinks, fluttery eyelashes, and floating liners pave its way back for the Gen-Z to reminisce about a decade or so from now. After all, as the wise Justin Timberlake once said…what goes around, does come back around, doesn’t it?
