90S NUDES ARE BACK! REDISCOVER THE M·A·C TREND THAT OWNED THE DECADE
September 1, 2023 by Cat Quinn
Three things you’d never catch a 90s supermodel without: Walkman headphones, black oval sunglasses and a whittled-down nub of Lip Pencil in Spice. Nude lip shades from M·A·C were so ubiquitous that “people would come into M·A·C asking for Spice without even knowing what Spice was,” says Terry Barber, M·A·C Global Director of Makeup Artistry. “Inspired by the supermodels or the early hip-hop videos, using neutral colours on the face gave you a bit of swagger.”
Now, 90s makeup is inspiring a new generation. We’ve kept the overlined lips and smoky cut creases of the decade - but swapped ultra-matte, carved-out complexions for glowing skin and subtle shaping. You can still find classic M·A·C Lipstick shades, such as Frost Lipstick in Gel,or try newcomers including everyone’s favourite neutral, Lustreglass Sheer-Shine Lipstick in Thanks, It’s M·A·C! The same goes for lids. Rediscover Eye Shadow in Scene or pick up the brand-new Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite. This cool-toned eye shadow palette has the softest, most pigmented powders M·A·C has sold since the 90s. Like those formulas, this trend has true staying power. “It’s timeless and as relevant now as it used to be,” Barber says.
Now, 90s makeup is inspiring a new generation. We’ve kept the overlined lips and smoky cut creases of the decade - but swapped ultra-matte, carved-out complexions for glowing skin and subtle shaping. You can still find classic M·A·C Lipstick shades, such as Frost Lipstick in Gel,or try newcomers including everyone’s favourite neutral, Lustreglass Sheer-Shine Lipstick in Thanks, It’s M·A·C! The same goes for lids. Rediscover Eye Shadow in Scene or pick up the brand-new Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite. This cool-toned eye shadow palette has the softest, most pigmented powders M·A·C has sold since the 90s. Like those formulas, this trend has true staying power. “It’s timeless and as relevant now as it used to be,” Barber says.
Lip Pencil
£15.00
An ultra-precise lip liner with a creamy formula in a wide range of shades, designed for shaping, lining or filing in lips.
Frost Lipstick
£16.50
A smooth Lipstick formula. Buildable colour with a pearlescent semi-lustrous finish and lightweight feel.
Lustreglass Sheer-Shine Lipstick
£18.75
A Raspberry Seed and Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil-infused Lipstick formula. A range of sheer-shine colours with a lustrous glossy finish and up to 8-hour wear that provide immediate moisture.
The Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite is a must-have item to recreate this 90s-inspired makeup look.
M·A·Cximal Silky Matte Lipstick in Honeylove is a neutral hue that speaks volumes.
Get the supermodel look with 90s favourites like Lip Pencil in Oak.
HOW TO GET THE TREND
LOOK 1: Rediscover the nude lips and lids that owned 90s makeup. Take cues from your favourite supermodels by pairing a nude lip with contrasting lip liner.
- Prep your lids with Prep + Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base.
- Brush shade Hi-Tea from the Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite onto your brow bones. Then, mix shades Satin Taupe and On The Cloud from the same palette and sweep over eyelids using a soft blending brush.
- Line your waterlines using Eye Kohl in Feline
Prep + Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base
£16.50
A shadow primer specially formulated to prolong the look of your eye makeup.
Connect In Colour Eyeshadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite
£24.00
A smoky-toned 6-pan eyeshadow palette innovated with our most pigmented formula to date. Create limitless makeup looks – from subtle to dramatic.
- Then Stack on layers of M·A·CStack Mascara to intensify your lashes.
- Sweep Powder Blush in Film Noir onto your cheeks using a soft, rounded brush.
- Line your lips using Lip Pencil in Chestnut*
- Line lips using Lip Pencil in Oak, then fill in with MACximal Silky Matte Lipstick in Honeylove.
*We recommend using Lip Pencil in Spice (for fair to medium skin tones) and Lip Pencil in Chestnut (for deeper skin tones).
MACStack Mascara
£20.25
An endlessly buildable, non-clumping mascara that stacks on infinite layers of volume and length. Now available in Chesnut Stack, our brown mascara!
Powder Blush
£21.00
A blush that applies evenly and adheres lightly to skin to achieve a natural-looking application of colour.
Lip Pencil
£15.00
An ultra-precise lip liner with a creamy formula in a wide range of shades, designed for shaping, lining or filing in lips.
Lip Pencil
£15.00
An ultra-precise lip liner with a creamy formula in a wide range of shades, designed for shaping, lining or filing in lips.
MACXIMAL SILKY MATTE LIPSTICK
£18.75
Our iconic Matte Lipstick is now bigger and better – with more colour, more comfort, more wear. The matte formula you know and love is upgraded to a silkier, smoother texture in pigment-rich hues – from iconic to new. Glide on for maxed-out colour with 12hr wear.
Carve out a cut crease using the Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite.
Cool-toned nudes lip Lip Pencil in Stone make a subtle statement.
LOOK 2: Help 90s makeup make a comeback by pairing neutral lips with contrasting lip liner.
- Prep lids with Prep + Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base.
- Sweep shade Clear History from the Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette: Encrypted Kryptonite onto lids and brow bones using a 252S Large Shader Brush.
- Define creases using shade Power Mode from the same palette and a 224S Tapered Blending Brush. Drag the same shade along lower lash lines with a 219S Pencil Brush.
- Line lips using Lip Pencil in Stone, then fill in with M·A·Cximal Silky Matte Lipstick in Velvet Teddy.
Prep + Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base
£16.50
A shadow primer specially formulated to prolong the look of your eye makeup.
252S Large Shader Brush
£18.00
A soft but firm brush for shading with powder or emollient-based products.
224S Tapered Blending Brush
£15.75
A brush for the sheer application and blending of shadow, especially in the contour.
219S Pencil-Shaped Brush
£15.75
A pencil-shaped brush for precise shading on the lid, in eye crease or along lash line.
Lip Pencil
£15.00
An ultra-precise lip liner with a creamy formula in a wide range of shades, designed for shaping, lining or filing in lips.
MACXIMAL SILKY MATTE LIPSTICK
£18.75
Our iconic Matte Lipstick is now bigger and better – with more colour, more comfort, more wear. The matte formula you know and love is upgraded to a silkier, smoother texture in pigment-rich hues – from iconic to new. Glide on for maxed-out colour with 12hr wear.
Terry Barber, M·A·C Creative Director of Makeup Artistry, shares his perspective on 90s makeup trends.
