A pic popped up in my feed a few days ago of a friend wearing a classic ’90s lip with an unblended dark outer edge, a light lipstick, and lots and lots of gloss in the center.
I was moved!
I wore the heck out of this lip look when I was in college, and apparently you can trust muscle memory to kick in when you attempt to do old favorite makeup looks, because it all came back to me like *that*.
What you’ll need
To do this type of ’90s lip look, grab the following…
- A dark matte lip liner (I’m wearing two shades of brown).
- An opaque matte lipstick significantly lighter than your lip liner, because you’re going for contrast here. I chose a matte beige.
- A very shiny gloss, either clear, or in a shade that compliments your lipstick.
Step-by-step: the ’90s girl unblended lip look!
- Apply a layer or two of your lipstick first. I just did it directly from the tube.
- Line the outermost portion of your lips with the liner. Be sure to sharpen the tip beforehand for a crisp edge.
- Dot the gloss on the center of your bottom lip. I like to swipe a little first on the back of my hand, and then I dab the gloss on with a finger to avoid touching the doe-foot applicator directly to the lipstick. That way I can keep the lipstick from mixing into the gloss and changing the color.
- DO NOT rub your lips together or blend the liner with a lip brush, or do anything that will reduce the definition of the edge. This is totes key!
If you do a beige-brown lip like the one I’m wearing here, peachy golden brown colors work well on the cheeks and eyes.
Makeup worn in this look
- Lips: MAC Cork and Hover lip liners (Cork on the outermost edge with Hover on the inner portion), MAC Honey Love Lipstick, MAC C-Thru Lipglass
- Base: MAC Strobe Cream in Peachlite, MAC Next to Nothing in Medium Dark, MAC Matchmaster Concealer in 5
- Eyes: MAC Teddy liner (buffed all over lids as base and worn as liner on lash and waterlines), MAC Amber Lights eyeshadow, MAC Beaming Blush Extra Dimension Skinfinish (inner corner), MAC Give Me Sun bronzer, Laura Mercier Caviar Mascara
- Cheeks: MAC Give Me Sun bronzer, MAC Hushed Tone blush, MAC Beaming Blush Extra Dimension Skinfinish
Social media is weird, man.
Have you seen the thing going ’round social media where people post their senior high school pic to support the seniors graduating in 2020? Now, how is posting one’s own senior portrait supposed to cheer up a senior in high school who’s missing prom and graduation? I dunno. That said, I’ve been enjoying seeing everyone’s throwbacks, especially all the makeup and hair. It’s great for inspiration!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Chelsea says
April 16th, 2020 at 11:06 amThis is a beautiful take on the 90s look!
I don’t understand how sharing senior photos helps 2020 seniors – seems like it would make things worse! I’ll have to find mine – I didn’t really wear makeup at that point in my life (I’m literally wearing clear gloss and clear mascara, WTH) and my hair is long and center parted which is typical. All the photos I chose I was wearing a black halter top and some retro high waist jeans.
Diana says
April 16th, 2020 at 2:56 pmYes!! C-thru lipgloss was where it was at when I was graduating high school. Defined liner and all. My personal favorite was Oh Baby lipglass.
FaeFrau says
April 16th, 2020 at 9:08 pmOh! I thought “post your seniors” was to post the senior graduating, not you as a senior back in the day. Now I’m confused….
This look just goes to show that even if it’s “dated,” if it looks good and flattering, it looks good and flattering! When I was a showgirl I never wore dark or red lips and I instead I did unblended nude lips but they stood out nicely onstage.
I love this look on you and I have a few lip liners on my MAC list that might help me do this look again in the “Afterwards.” 😉
Martyna says
April 17th, 2020 at 1:35 amThis is perfection, I love this vibe on you Karen. It somehow reminds me of the kind of make up J.Lo wore in Hustlers, there is still something very sexy to this unblended lip look.
Anne says
April 17th, 2020 at 6:47 amOh no, that look will never grow on me. I remember the first time it was around and for how long we saw dark lines permanently tattooed onto someones face!
You look beautiful as always, but just thinking about wearing this myself gives me shivers.
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Sissi says
April 20th, 2020 at 11:42 amI’m definitely guilty of doing that -but not with a gloss, rather a nude lip. I can’t stand glosses! Hahahaha feels so nasty. I dunno I like the dark lipliner! 🙋🏼♀️
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Kim says
April 20th, 2020 at 3:43 pmI love the 90s lip look, as you know. SO stuck in the 90s. HAHA! I’d heard about the senior pic thing. We also had a color thing going around where you post a pic that has a certain color in it. That was kind of fun because people usually post pics of their kids over the years. I found a couple I’d forgotten about. I feel very sorry for the seniors. At our school, it’s only a junior prom so that’s my boys’ year. But everyone is committed to doing it, even if it has to be next fall instead of this school year. I think it’s harder for the kids than for the adults because they’ll never get this time back with school, friends and sports. 🙁