The 90s was an iconic era in the world of fashion, characterized by its unique trends and distinct sense of style. From grunge-inspired fashion to sleek minimalism, the 90s left a lasting impact on the industry.
One particularly influential aspect of this era was the emergence of supermodels who not only dominated runways but also shaped beauty trends. These supermodels became synonymous with a certain type of makeup look – one that emphasized natural beauty while exuding confidence and sophistication.
Brief Overview of the 90s Fashion Era
The 90s fashion era was marked by a shift from the excesses of the preceding decades. Gone were the bold and flamboyant styles of the 80s; instead, a more subdued and minimalist approach gained popularity.
The fashion industry witnessed a rise in grunge fashion, with its relaxed silhouettes, plaid shirts, and combat boots becoming iconic symbols of rebellion and individuality. Simultaneously, there was a surge in high-end luxury brands that catered to an affluent clientele.
Designers like Gianni Versace, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren defined this era with their sleek designs and refined aesthetics. The emphasis shifted from flashy logos to quality craftsmanship and timeless appeal.
The blending of high fashion with streetwear also emerged as a defining characteristic of 90s style. Hip-hop culture heavily influenced this trend, with artists like Aaliyah and TLC popularizing baggy jeans, oversized jerseys, and baseball caps as fashionable staples.
Importance of Supermodels in Shaping Beauty Trends
The influence that supermodels had on shaping beauty trends during the 90s cannot be overstated. These iconic figures transcended mere models; they became cultural icons who defined beauty standards and set the tone for makeup trends. Supermodels like Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, and Claudia Schiffer graced the covers of magazines, walked the most prestigious runways, and starred in major advertising campaigns.
Their flawless yet approachable beauty looks became aspirational for women around the world. The 90s supermodel makeup look was all about enhancing one’s natural features with subtle touches of color and careful application techniques.
It celebrated youthful radiance and effortless charm rather than heavily sculpted or exaggerated looks. With their influence, supermodels popularized certain makeup elements that became iconic during this era.
From matte porcelain-like skin to nude lips and defined brows, these trends continue to resonate in modern-day beauty routines. The 90s supermodel makeup look remains timeless, serving as a reference point for those seeking a classic, understated elegance.
Foundation and Complexion
Matte and Flawless Skin as the Base
The 90s supermodel makeup look was characterized by a matte and flawless complexion that served as the perfect canvas for other makeup elements to shine. Unlike today’s dewy skin trend, the 90s embraced a velvety finish that exuded sophistication. Achieving such a flawless base required meticulous attention to detail.
To begin, a high-coverage foundation was essential in creating a porcelain-like finish. Supermodels of the era leaned towards heavy formulas that masked imperfections, giving their skin an airbrushed appearance.
These foundations were often matte or had a semi-matte finish, ensuring that any shine or oiliness was minimized. Moreover, blending techniques played a crucial role in achieving that flawless look.
Beauty enthusiasts would carefully apply foundation using brushes or sponges, ensuring even coverage without streaks or patches. The focus was on creating an impeccable complexion with no visible signs of blemishes or discoloration.
Use of Heavy Coverage Foundation to Achieve a Porcelain-like Finish
In order to achieve the desired porcelain-like finish common among 90s supermodels, heavy coverage foundations were favored over sheer formulas. These foundations laid the groundwork for achieving an almost unreal level of flawlessness.
The heavy coverage provided by these foundations made it easier to conceal any skin imperfections such as acne scars or redness. Supermodels like Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell were known for their flawless complexions, which were partly due to their choice of foundation.
It is worth noting that skincare routines also played an important role in maintaining healthy-looking skin before applying foundation. Adequate moisturization ensured that the foundation went on smoothly and evenly, further enhancing its ability to provide full coverage.
Minimal Use of Bronzer or Contouring Products
Contrary to the contoured and chiseled looks we see today, the 90s supermodel makeup trend embraced a more natural and understated approach to bronzing and contouring. The focus was on enhancing natural features rather than dramatically reshaping the face.
Bronzers were used sparingly, if at all, as the goal was to maintain a fresh-faced appearance. Instead of heavy contouring, supermodels relied on their bone structure and strategic lighting during photoshoots to accentuate their best features.
This minimalistic approach allowed for a soft and ethereal look that complemented the overall elegance of 90s fashion. It emphasized natural beauty rather than relying on heavy sculpting techniques.
Achieving a flawless complexion was at the heart of 90s supermodel makeup. The use of heavy coverage foundations with matte or semi-matte finishes created a porcelain-like base that showcased impeccable skin.
This era embraced minimal bronzing and contouring techniques, focusing more on enhancing natural features rather than creating artificial shadows or dimension. The result was an effortlessly beautiful look that has continued to inspire beauty trends even decades later.
Eyes and Brows
Natural-looking brows with a defined arch
The 90s supermodel makeup embraced the beauty of natural-looking eyebrows with a defined arch. Unlike the heavily sculpted and filled-in brows seen in more recent years, the focus during this era was on enhancing the brows without overpowering them. The key was to maintain a clean shape that complemented the face’s natural features while adding structure and elegance.
Tweezing or threading for a clean shape
To achieve those coveted well-groomed brows, tweezing or threading were the preferred methods. These techniques allowed for precise shaping by removing unwanted hair around the edges of the brow. Tweezers were used to pluck hairs individually, ensuring accuracy in creating a clean outline that accentuated the arch.
Filling in sparse areas with brow pencil or powder
While natural-looking was desirable, it didn’t mean leaving sparse areas empty. To perfect their brows, supermodels often used brow pencils or powders to softly fill in any gaps while maintaining a soft appearance. Shades that matched their natural hair color were chosen to achieve seamless results.
Soft, neutral eyeshadow shades for a subtle look
In terms of eyeshadow, 90s supermodel makeup opted for an understated approach with soft and neutral shades. Beige, taupe, light brown, and champagne tones were popular choices for creating a subtle and elegant eye look. These colors complemented various skin tones without overpowering other facial features.
Blending techniques to create depth without harsh lines
Achieving depth without harsh lines became an essential technique during this era. Models and makeup artists employed blending techniques using fluffy brushes to seamlessly merge different eyeshadow shades together on the lid and crease area. This approach resulted in a smooth transition of colors, giving the eyes a multidimensional effect while maintaining the overall subtlety of the look.
Thin eyeliner for definition without drama
To define the eyes without overpowering them, thin eyeliner was favored over bold and dramatic styles. Classic black or brown shades were used along the lash line to create subtle emphasis and enhance the eye shape. Supermodels steered away from thick and graphic eyeliner styles, opting for a more natural appearance.
Winged liner was not as popular during this era
Unlike contemporary makeup trends that emphasize winged liner, this style was not as prevalent during the 90s supermodel era. The focus was primarily on enhancing natural beauty rather than creating dramatic effects. Supermodels typically opted for straighter lines along the lash line, keeping their eyes looking defined yet understated.
Overall, 90s Supermodel Makeup highlighted softness and natural beauty. Brows were groomed with precision using tweezing or threading techniques to achieve clean shapes with defined arches.
Sparse areas were subtly filled in using brow pencils or powders matching the models’ hair color. Eyeshadow choices leaned towards soft neutrals such as beige, taupe, light brown, and champagne tones to create understated elegance on the lids.
Blending techniques played a crucial role in achieving depth without harsh lines. Thin eyeliner in classic black or brown shades was applied along the lash line for subtle definition without drama while winged liner took a backseat during this era’s trendsetting looks.
Lips and Cheeks
Nude or Natural Lip Colors Dominated the Scene
During the 90s, supermodels were known for their effortlessly chic and natural beauty looks. When it came to lip colors, the focus was on nude or natural shades that enhanced the lips’ natural color without overpowering them. Mauve, pinkish-brown, and peachy tones were particularly popular choices during this era.
These shades complemented a wide range of skin tones and added a touch of softness to the overall makeup look. Supermodels like Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell often sported these understated lip colors, contributing to their iconic appeal.
Glossy Finishes Were Favored over Matte
In contrast to today’s matte lip trend, glossy finishes reigned supreme in 90s supermodel makeup. The focus was on achieving a luscious, hydrated look rather than a velvety matte texture.
Lip glosses with sheer or translucent formulas were used to add a subtle shine without overpowering the lips’ natural color. This glossy finish helped create an illusion of fuller lips, enhancing their allure in front of cameras and on runways.
Rosy Cheeks for a Youthful Glow
To achieve that youthful glow characteristic of 90s supermodel makeup, rosy cheeks played an essential role. A light application of blush on the apples of the cheeks was favored over heavy contouring or bronzing techniques seen in other eras. Soft pinks or peaches were commonly chosen shades for this purpose as they gave a natural flush to the complexion without appearing overly dramatic.
Light Application of Blush on the Apples of the Cheeks
The key to perfecting rosy cheeks in 90s supermodel makeup was all about subtlety. Rather than going for bold and highly pigmented blushes, supermodels opted for a light application on the apples of their cheeks.
By using a gentle hand and blending techniques, they achieved a soft and natural flush that added radiance to their overall look. This delicate touch of color contributed to the youthful and fresh appearance often associated with 90s supermodel beauty.
Overall, 90s supermodel makeup celebrated a natural yet glamorous aesthetic. Nude or natural lip colors in mauve, pinkish-brown, and peachy shades were favored over bold or vibrant hues.
Glossy finishes on the lips created a luscious effect, while rosy cheeks added a youthful glow to the complexion. The key was to enhance one’s features without overpowering them, creating an effortlessly chic look that continues to inspire beauty trends today.
Highlighting Features
Finding Your Inner Glow
The 90s supermodel makeup look was all about enhancing the natural beauty of the face, and one way this was accomplished was through highlighting. The focus of highlighting was often on the high cheekbones, creating a luminous effect that accentuated the bone structure. The idea was to create a subtle, ethereal glow rather than an over-the-top shimmer.
The Magic of Light-Reflecting Products
To achieve this delicate radiance, supermodels turned to light-reflecting products like liquid highlighters. These products contained fine particles that caught and reflected light, creating a soft-focus effect on the skin. Liquid highlighters were preferred because they seamlessly blended into the makeup look, giving a natural sheen rather than an obvious shimmer.
Application Technique: Enhancing Natural Beauty
The application of liquid highlighter followed specific steps to ensure a flawless finish. After applying foundation and blush, a small amount of liquid highlighter would be dabbed onto the high points of the cheekbones using clean fingertips or a small brush. The product would then be gently blended using soft strokes or tapping motions to avoid disturbing the base makeup underneath.
Conclusion
90s supermodel makeup celebrated natural beauty and focused on enhancing features rather than transforming them completely. From flawless complexions to defined brows and neutral lips, every element worked together harmoniously. Highlighting played an essential role in achieving that radiant glow associated with supermodels during this era.
By strategically applying light-reflecting products like liquid highlighters on top of blush and along the high points of the cheekbones, models were able to create luminosity without overpowering their overall look. This technique added dimension and emphasized facial structure in a subtle yet captivating manner.
Embracing this 90s supermodel makeup aesthetic can remind us of the timeless beauty that lies within simplicity. It teaches us that sometimes, less is more when it comes to enhancing our natural features.
So, go ahead and embrace your own inner supermodel by incorporating these classic techniques into your daily beauty routine. Let your light shine and exude the confidence and grace reminiscent of those iconic 90s supermodels!
FAQ
90s supermodels popularized the “no-makeup” look with matte skin, brownish-nude lips, and subtly defined eyes.
Supermodels often used brown lip liners, matte brown eyeshadows, and berry-toned lipsticks, like MAC’s “Spice” and “Twig.”
To achieve the look, focus on matte skin, sculpted eyebrows, and opt for neutral lip colors with a hint of shimmer on the eyes.
Icons like Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, and Kate Moss were renowned for their distinctive makeup looks in the 90s.
