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1990sIncreasingly visible in the 1990s, subcultures continued influencing the general public’s tastes. The decade’s immense cosmetic variety can be summarized by three major categories: natural yet sultry, edgy grunge, and Y2K-ready sparkle.
A reaction to the extremes of the 1980s, the beginning of the 1990s proliferated neutral, matte makeup. Eyeshadows were worn in brown or grey hues, with more conservative eyeliner. Eyebrows remained sharp, arched, and full. The “Big Five” supermodels, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz, Christy Turlington, and Cindy Crawford, cemented this aesthetic. Towards the middle of the decade, eye makeup changed drastically, as grunge and “heroin chic” became the prevailing trends. The “slept-in” look, popularized by artists such as Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth and models like Kate Moss, featured smudged black eyeliner, which encircled the eyes and extended over waterlines. Excessive plucking and waxing gave way to universally skinny brows, exemplified by Gwen Stefani, Drew Barrymore, and Pamela Anderson. The end of the millennium saw renewed playfulness in fashion and cosmetics, as media spotlighted science fiction and technology. Inspired by the high-shine patent clothing worn in movies like The Matrix, eyes became a futuristic canvas to be adorned with glittery eyeshadow and blue mascara. |
ObjectsRevlon (American, founded 1932)
Overtime Eyeshadow, 1991 Max Factor (American, founded 1909) Demi-Matte High Definition Eyeshadow in Granite, 1993 Courtesy of Max Factor Archive Collection, Coty Inc. Maybelline, (Now Maybelline New York, American, founded 1915) Expert Eyes Twin Brow & Eye Pencils in Dark Brown, 1993 Courtesy of Maybelline New York Cover Girl (American, founded 1961) Professional Advanced Mascara in Black/Brown, ca. 1996 Courtesy of Cover Girl Archive Collection, Coty Inc. Revlon (American, founded 1932) Charcoal Liquid Eyeliner, 1997 Tweezerman (American, founded 1980) Tweezers, 2016 Maybelline New York, (American, founded 1915) Great Lash Royal Blue Mascara, 2017 |
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Graphics: Revlon "Overtime Shadow" Advertisement, American Vogue (March 1991); Maybelline "Expert Eyes" Advertisement, Cosmopolitan (June 1992); Cover Girl "Professional Advanced Mascara" Advertisement, American Vogue (February 1996)