The New Classics: 5 Beauty Trends That Are Here To Stay
Looks that hadn't been invented - or weren't possible - 25 years ago are now part of today's beauty lexicon
Beachy Hair
When Yves Saint Laurent said, "Fashions fade; style is eternal," he might not have been talking about beachy waves, but the sentiment holds. Long, windswept strands, which gained steam in the '90s, are now ubiquitous, from the office to the runway. "Beachy hair should carry over from day to night, so it can't be such a mess that you can't wear it to a cocktail party," says hairstylist Ashley Javier. "Aim for a rougher, edgier version of Veronica Lake curls."
The Stained Lip
Between the lipstick-crazy '80s and the lip-gloss-loving 2000s, stained lips rocked the '90s as a sheer, pretty complement to the prevailing less-is-more natural look. Today's stains are nondrying and long-lasting, won't transfer to your teeth, and can tint lips from a barely there pink to a vampy deep plum. "You want no shine," says Nars national makeup artist Francelle, who used a matte lipstick on model Hyoni Kang. "Color should look stained into the lip, not applied on top."
Metallic Makeup
Chromed finishes may have been over the top and hard-edged in the '80s, but the advent of microfine shimmer has made the look softer and more universally flattering. "Metallics work on everyone, regardless of age, eye shape, or color," Francelle says. "It's a hint of life on the lid." To keep the shine modern-not robotic-limit reflective shades to eyes and highlighted cheekbones, as Francelle did on model Chrishell Stubbs. "It should look simple and effortless."
Colorful Smoky Eye
The modern iteration of the smoky eye is all about a flash of notice-me color. While smudgy black shadow has long been the never-fail shorthand for sultry, nighttime looks, the development of ultrablendable, vibrant pigments has made it easy to experiment with bright, unexpected hues. "With a jewel-tone eye, makeup is jewelry for the face," says Francelle, who bedazzled model Pamela Bernier's lids with Nars Night Porter and Star Sailor shadows.
Flatironed Hair
After the big hair that dominated most of the '80s deflated, it was time to go straight. With the introduction of mass-market flatirons, women could achieve sleek strands at home in minutes, and the launch of John Frieda's Frizz-Ease serum in 1992 ensured humidity-defying silkiness and shine. "We knew it would be big when we developed it," Frieda says. "But the response was overwhelming. You'd have thought I'd invented penicillin."
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