Many ‘90s kids feel incredibly nostalgic about the somewhat bizarre trends of the experimental decade of their birth. With the ‘90s resurgence in full swing now, there are many styles, beauty trends, and hairstyles that have made a comeback. However, there are some '90s beauty and hair trends that haven’t quite made it back into vogue.
It’s a shame, really, because the trends that have re-entered the spotlight are being treated with total adoration, popping up all over the place while so many 1990s hairstyles and beauty trends have been left behind like poor dogs left in the pound: Discarded when they stopped being perceived as cute.
The celebrities of the ‘90s beauty trend world right now include body glitter, Lip Smackers, and rainbow mascara, while the hottest 1990s hairstyles are arguably top knots and space buns, with butterfly clips and Heathers -inspired scrunchies being the most sought-after of them all. It seems crazy to think that the most popular beauty trends and hairstyles of our youth have followed us into adulthood. But I'm still nostalgic for those that haven't.
So whether you fancy a reminiscing session or you want to champion some of the underdogs, here are some kooky ‘90s beauty and hair trends that aren’t a thing anymore — but definitely should be.
1. Nail Stickers
1997 Dazzling Nails Kit & Stick On Earrings, $5, etsy.com
Back in the '90s, your mom probably wouldn't take you to get a big girl manicure because she knew you'd chip it within 10 minutes. However, she could easily subdue your whining by handing you a pack of nail stickers. As someone who's ridiculously bad at nail art, I would love for nail stickers to make a comeback.
2. Hair Mascara
Likely because hair chalk is so much easier to apply and there are so many shades of non-permanent dyes to choose from, hair mascara has become obsolete. R.I.P. hair mascara.
3. Hair Spirals
Crystal Flower Hair Spins, $9.50, claires.com
These were the crème de la crème of '90s hair accessories and were usually saved for special occasions, such as school dances. Butterfly clips are back in, so maybe we'll see hair spirals again soon. That said, hair charms seem to be the evolved form of spirals, so maybe the latter are gone forever.
4. Thin Eyebrows
Eyebrows are a big thing right now. We can probably attribute this to celebs like Cara Delevingne and Kylie Jenner, whose full, voluptuous brows are coveted by the masses. However, there was a day when eyebrows had to be almost non-existent little lines that looked like more of an afterthought.
5. Vacation Wraps
When someone in your class would go on vacation, they'd usually come back with one of these beauts in their hair. You'd be super jealous for the duration of the day.
6. Stick-On Earrings
New Old Stock 1991 Expressions Novelty Sticker Earrings Stick On Decos, $2, etsy.com
We used to place literal stickers on our earlobes and think we were the bees knees for it. It's no wonder this trend isn't a thing anymore, since most of us don't need permission to get our ears pierced now. But their versatility is still enviable.
7. Crimped Hair
Yes, crimped hair has been spotted on the runways in recent years and Zac Efron and Jimmy Fallon even rocked crimped hair on The Tonight Show. However, it doesn't seem to have trickled down to the masses. Regardless, I've got my fingers crossed that crimping will make a comeback!
8. Striped Eyebrows
Maybe it was Vanilla Ice or perhaps we just really liked hacking off our eyebrows; whatever the reason, stripy brows became a thing. They were more common among young dudes, but daring ladies experimented with a striped brow, too.
9. Using Crayola Mini Stampers As Beauty Tools
The possibilities of using Crayola Mini Stampers for all your beauty needs were endless. You could give yourself a manicure, some body art, or even create a faux bracelet.
10. Dyeing Your Hair With Kool-Aid
Kool-Aid • Purplesaurus Rex • Rock-A-Dile Red • 20 Packs – Unsweetened For Dyeing, $9.99, etsy.com
You're an adult now, so you can get your hair done professionally or buy some actual hair dye to achieve Tai's pre-makeover red hair. But it's just not as fun, guys. Not as fun.
11. Creating Amazing Nail Art With Your Sabrina's Secrets Magazine Nail Art Pen
You felt like such a whizz with your nail art pen that you got free with your Sabrina's Secrets Magazine. If you kept up your love of creating nail art, you've probably got a whole host of modern manicure tools. But if you didn't, you likely leave all the fancy nail art to the pros at your local salon.
Although these 1990s hair and beauty trends are seemingly dead and buried, there are a couple I'd like to resurrect. Anybody got a shovel?
Images: emimusic/YouTube; Courtesy Brands
