What is authentic 90s makeup?
This is a question many people have been asking since “retro” and “vintage” makeup started becoming popular in recent years. And while the answer can be quite complicated, it is all about the trends that went into making those products. Makeup artists often find themselves caught in a catch-22: they are forced to recreate old products so that they can get their clients what they want, but then there is no longer any excuse for not studying vintage packaging or materials. Those amazing vintage cosmetics of the past were not always cheap, but they are often considered to be better than what is being sold to people today.
What’s in authentic 90s makeup?
Retro-inspired products are currently very popular. There are many tutorials showing how to create an authentic 90s look, but this article will focus on the ingredients used in those products. Certain ingredients were abundantly used in the 90s that we rarely see these days, and that is why many people say you can tell a current retro product from a true vintage product by what’s inside. In particular, there were several key ingredients that defined the makeup of the time: mineral oil and lanolin. Before we explain the makeup trends, let’s have a look at what those key ingredients are.
Mineral oil vs. lanolin:
If you want to know more about the history of skin care, you can read our previous articles on mineral oil and lanolin in skin care here and here , but as far as makeup goes, mineral oil was a commonly used makeup base in the authentic 90s makeup. It is also cheap, but it has a very strong odor that many people find off-putting.
Lanolin paste (or “Patch glue”) is extracted from wool animal products, such as sheep wool or kangaroo fur (also called deadmarsh). Lanolin was used in the 90s to keep makeup from smudging or fading too quickly. As you can see, both ingredients are fat-derived products, but they are fundamentally different.
Mineral oil is a popular ingredient in many modern skin care products because it helps to keep moisture in the skin and even out the skin tone. While lanolin has also been used for a very long time and it is still strongly present in many skin care products today, the use of mineral oil (which replaced lanolin) has been increasing over recent years.
What are the features of authentic 90s makeup?
Mineral oil and lanolin:
As we already mentioned, in the 90s, makeup artists used both mineral oil and lanolin. Today, you rarely find products containing lanolin in the US or Europe, because it is considered to be a toxic ingredient and can cause allergic reactions. However, since it is not well known by many people, some brands still use it today in their skin care products to boost their sales. (Note: Lanolin is banned from being used on the eyelids of sheep in Australia.)
Fluorescent makeup:
One of the main characteristics of old-school 90s makeup was its fluorescent nature. It was the time when many women started to lighten their makeup, turning from sweet and feminine colors to being more daring and flaky. Neon was a very popular color back then, and it added an extra 90s effect to the products.
Powdery foundations:
During the 90s powder foundations were very popular, because they were easy to use on set. Cake foundations (compact-style) were also often used on celebrity photo shoots in magazines like Elle or Vogue. It was quite common to see cake foundations packaged in round pots with a sponge inside so that you could apply it directly on your skin without ruining your brushes. It was not uncommon to see powder foundations in floating pans, although today it is considered to be a fashion faux pas.
Bronzer:
During the 90s, bronzing was a very important makeup trend that had a lasting effect on how people think about makeup today. Bronzers were quite common and as you can see, many products were advertised with bronzing tutorials in magazines at the time. It is also quite common to see modern bronzers sold as “set” bronzers that can be used together with highlighter, blush and concealer to create a customized face.
How to recreate authentic 90s makeup?
In order to get the right color, consistency and finishing touch, it is recommended that you use mineral powders (preferably more transparent ones), a soft angled brush and a small powder puff. (And if you have natural skin, no powder puff is needed.) If you have oily skin, then it can be tricky to find the right shade of foundation or concealer.
Mineral powder foundations:
The mineral powders of the 90s were quite different from what we are used to using today. In fact, it is hard to find a current product that can compare with them. Back in the old days, there was no such thing as a “transparent” foundation; instead, then you had either very light-colored makeup or darker-colored makeup. There are also many mentions about how products in the 90s often contained more “glow” than actual color and many people think it was one of the reasons for the popularity of bronzer back then.
