90s Makeup: A Step-by-Step Tutorial
How to get the 1990s look: matte skin, thin brows, soft brown eyes and a brown-lined lip. Then see the nineties look on your own face.
After the bright 80s, the 1990s went the other way: matte, muted and minimal. This is the supermodel and grunge era, all neutral browns, thin brows and a brown-lined lip. It looks effortless and still feels modern today.
There are just five simple steps, and it is mostly brown and beige. Here is how to do 90s makeup step by step, and you can preview the whole look on your own face before you start.
What you'll need
No specific brands needed. Any version of each works.
1. Keep the skin matte and neutral
The nineties was matte and understated, the opposite of today's glow, so choose a light-to-medium foundation in a shade that matches your skin exactly rather than one that brightens or warms it. Apply just enough to even things out, keeping some of your natural skin visible instead of full, heavy coverage.
Set the base with a translucent powder so the finish is completely shine-free and velvety. The whole point of a nineties base is that it looks effortless and a little cool-toned, so resist the urge to add highlighter or bronzer at this stage.
Tip: Skip the highlighter entirely for this one. A flat, matte finish is what makes the neutral brown makeup on top read as authentically nineties.
2. Groom thin, neat brows
Nineties brows were thin and neat, but you do not need to actually over-pluck to get the effect. Brush your brows up, then trim any long hairs and use a little concealer along the top and bottom edges to visually slim the shape into a thinner line.
Fill in any gaps lightly with a pencil so the brow still looks tidy and defined, just narrower than your natural shape. A slim, groomed brow is one of the fastest ways to signal the nineties, so this small step does a lot of the work.
Tip: Faking thin brows with concealer instead of tweezers means you can wash the look off tonight and still have your full brows tomorrow.
3. Smudge a soft brown eye
Keep the eyes muted and matte for this one. Sweep a soft brown or taupe shadow across your lid and blend a slightly deeper brown through the crease so there is a little depth without any drama or shimmer.
Smudge a touch of the same brown along your lower lash line with a small brush or your finger for that lived-in, undone nineties feel. The whole eye should look soft and a bit smoky rather than dark and defined, so blend away any harsh edges and keep it low-key.
Tip: Use matte browns only. Shimmer instantly pulls the look into a different era, and matte is what keeps it grunge-era nineties.
4. Line and fill a brown lip
This is the signature nineties lip, so it is worth taking your time. Line your lips with a brown liner right on your natural edge, defining the shape clearly, since a visible liner is a key part of the look rather than something to hide.
Fill everything in with a matte brown or mauve lipstick, choosing a shade a touch lighter than your liner so the edge stays subtly defined. Blot with a tissue for a matte, slightly stained finish, which is far more nineties than anything glossy or shiny.
Tip: Pick a brown with a hint of your natural lip tone so it flatters rather than washing you out. A brown that is too grey or ashy can look unwell on many skin tones.
5. Add a soft, low blush
Keep the cheeks subtle by choosing a soft, muted brown-pink blush rather than anything bright or peachy. Smile and place it low and slightly back on the cheeks, closer to the ear than the apple, which gives that cool, sculpted nineties feel instead of a youthful flush.
Use a light hand and build slowly, because the nineties look is understated and a little goes a long way. The blush should barely register on its own and simply tie the neutral base, brown eyes, and brown lip together into one cohesive, muted face.
Tip: A dusty rose or soft terracotta reads more nineties than a bright pink. When in doubt, use less than you think you need.
See the look on your own face
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Frequently asked questions
What did 90s makeup look like?+
90s makeup was matte and minimal: neutral, shine-free skin, thin groomed brows, soft smudged brown eyeshadow, a soft low blush, and a matte brown or mauve lip lined with a darker brown liner. The whole look was understated compared to the bright 80s.
How do you do a 90s brown lip?+
Line your lips with a brown liner right to the natural edge, then fill with a matte brown or mauve lipstick. Keep the liner one shade darker than the lipstick so the edge is subtly defined.
What is 90s grunge makeup?+
Grunge makeup is the darker, moodier side of the 90s: matte skin, smudged brown or grey eyeshadow worn a little undone, thin brows and a deep brown or berry lip. It looks lived-in rather than polished.
How can I try the 90s look on my own face?+
Tap any try this look on your face button on this page to upload a selfie and preview the full 90s look on yourself before you recreate it.
