As someone who existed and very much lived through the '90s and 2000s (meaning I was grown and not a baby), I get excited when I see beauty and fashion trends from my youth come back. Well, let me clarify—there are some things that I personally cannot do again, like super-thin brows. However, other people look really good with them! But there are throwback products that get my heart pumping with nostalgia and remind me of the pop culture icons I loved as a teen. For example, a lip-plumping gloss that reminds me of early aughts Jennifer Lopez or the Hard Candy baby-blue nail polish that Alicia Silverstone helped become a massive hit. And when that particular Revlon lipstick that every supermodel wore went viral on TikTok? Expect me to shed a single tear and a smile to slowly spread across my face.
While some of my ancient millennials or Gen X comrades may be tired of the throwback beauty trend, I still welcome it with open arms. Let me put on my babydoll dress or Juicy Couture tracksuit, swipe on some wine-colored lipstick or lip plumper, and relive my '90s and 2000s youth in peace! For those of you who want to jump into a DeLorean with me Back to the Future–style and get lost in nostalgic beauty, see ahead for all the products I’m adding to my cart.
I cannot tell you how obsessed I am with this palette. The smoky tones, matte neutrals, and glitter black and silver shades… I’m in love! It makes me want to dress in flannel shirts and watch My So-Called Life all day long.
This year, Bath & Body Works celebrated the 25th anniversary of its iconic Cucumber Melon scent by relaunching a whole collection, and I, for one, could not have been any more thrilled. That crisp, sweet smell is like a time capsule in a bottle. If Lizzie McGuire had a signature scent, this is what I imagine it'd be.
The Italian makeup cosmetics brand has a whole Crazy '90s collection (the brand launched in 1997). Alongside matte lipsticks and shiny highlighter, it includes this Matte Eyeliner & Kajal pencil in an icy blue shade that simply screams 1993 runway supermodel.
When I think of '90s makeup, Urban Decay immediately comes to mind. I remember how cool I felt swiping on its metallic eye shadow, with shade names like Roach, Smog, and Mildew for the baddies who agreed with UD’s tagline, “Does pink make you puke?” In 2016, the brand released a vintage vault for the 20th anniversary. (Honestly, it should do it again; it would do well!) Thankfully, Gash, the red shade, is still around in lip-liner form.
A plumping lip gloss was super trendy in the early aughts, and a slew of them are popping up this year. I am obsessed with Polite Society’s take on it. Add this to your cart now if you want that lip-filler look without the needles (or spending hundreds of dollars). It’s made with blueberry oil, organic Infinity pepper, and ginger root oil.
You might remember a few years back when Clinique’s Black Honey went viral and sold out everywhere. The sheer berry hue that looks good on almost everybody (including Liv Tyler in The Lord of the Rings) is still so good.
Babies, there was a time when we (including Britney Spears) would DRENCH our arms and legs in body glitter like there was no tomorrow. ColourPop’s Moonlight Legend brings major sparkle and comes in various color options wherever you apply it.
Sorry, Sofia Richie Grainge, but the slicked-back bun was around long before you were born. I’ve been doing the style a lot (read: I'm lazy), and a good pomade is necessary to tame my flyaways. This one from Sexy Hair smooths my frizz and keeps strands in place, making my bun sleek and chic.
To go along with my slicked bun, or if I want to do a '90s Pamela Anderson–style messy bun instead, a cute accessory would be some hair sticks (NOT chopsticks). These handmade wooden hair sticks feature a gorgeous quartzite bead on top. I’m ready to look like Jenna Rink!
Vacation is the king of all things nostalgia. I loved the Dessert Lip Balm set (which reminds me of the Avon Flavor Savers I used as a kid), and I’m even more stoked about the Arizona Lip Balm collab. So genius! These will be in my collection forever.
In the mid-'90s, baby-blue nail polish was all the rage. Hard Candy’s Sky, in particular, was it (especially after Alicia Silverstone wore it onthe Late Show With David Letterman). Unfortunately, it no longer exists, but Lotion, Please is a great modern alternative. I love Dazzle Dry—the four-step, easy-to-use nailcare system gives you a manicure that dries super fast and lasts a long time.
I get so emotional thinking about a roller lip gloss; it truly takes me back! Beauty Creations has many cute products, but this roller gloss set made me scream joyfully. It comes in six scents—peach, watermelon, blueberry, cherry, green apple, and strawberry—in a CD-player-themed PR box! It can’t get any better than that.
In the late '80s and early '90s, Hypercolor T-shirts that changed color due to a reaction to a person’s body heat were a big trend. This viral Match Stix from Fenty is sort of like Hypercolor in that it reacts to body chemistry, creating a custom shade. As if this multipurpose beauty product couldn’t get any cooler (or hotter).
I’ve been feeling a bit of an '80s Valley girl vibe (I am an '80s baby, after all), and a hot-pink lip has been calling me. I love these lipsticks from Shiksona—they’re literally two in one! With Mover and Shaker, I can play around with a pretty-in-pink matte shade or go totally retro with a frosty coral lip!
I don’t know one girl who didn’t have Revlon’s legendary Rum Raisin in their purse back in the day. That reddish-brown shade was seen on Cindy Crawford and practically every model and celebrity. Rum Raisin is still super pretty and wearable today. (It even went viral on TikTok in 2022.)
When it comes to beauty products that had us all in a choke hold back in the day, not many come close to Lancome’s Juicy Tubes. While there are lots of shiny lip glosses on the market, why not go for the OG? Channel Mean Girls and keep your lips plump and hydrated by carrying one (or two) of these in your bag.
Black Orchid has been around forever and was a go-to for me in my teens when I was into The Craft and becoming a baby witch. The perfect dark wine shade is still a winner, and the brand even updated the formula with nourishing macadamia nut oil. Plus, hello, you cannot beat that price.
I can’t begin to explain the feeling I get when I see a Caboodles makeup organizer. It still brings me as much joy and excitement as it did when I was a preteen just getting into makeup! I still have a couple of these, even though I only use them to house extra power bank chargers for my phone. (My makeup collection is way too big nowadays.)
