Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

How can I avoid dated looking make up?

104 replies

Oblongbluebell · 13/02/2023 21:24

I’ve recently got back into wearing make up. I feel like I do a semi-reasonable job of applying it, but I can’t help wondering if it looks a bit 90s/early 2000s. What should I do/use so that my make up looks current? What shouldn’t I do/use to avoid looking like I’m in a time warp?

Any advice/suggestions welcome. Thank you.

OP posts:
thedevilinablackdress · 13/02/2023 22:05

What is it that you think is dated?

blueshoes · 13/02/2023 22:06

Watching with interest

Cuppasoupmonster · 13/02/2023 22:08

Basically just nothing matte. It’s all about hydrated looking skin, full (but no scouse) brows, subtle or stripped back eye makeup. Red lipstick is out, peach or coral is in.

AbsolutePixels · 13/02/2023 22:12

To my mind, 90s/early 2000s makeup involves orange skin (lots of bronzer), white-toned pearlised eyeshadow applied on the brow bone, thin pencilled in brows, and deathly pale nude lipstick. I hope you're not doing that OP! 😂

StrawHatOnTheParcelShelf · 13/02/2023 22:13

I agree with keeping skin glowy rather than matte so go easy on the powder.

No eyeliner on the waterline, in fact tread carefully with eyeliner full stop.

Earthy colours, I avoid blue/purple etc.

Personally I think the overly contoured look is dated, e.g. big stripes of muddy brown under the cheekbones and a dollop of white highlighter on the tip of the nose.

DuchessOfDisco · 13/02/2023 22:17

Well 90s and y2k are on trend right now so you are probably doing great.
I think natural is in. The no make up/make up. Glowy skin, neutral eye shadow, natural, but neat and tidy, filled in brows, long lashes are still in though, maybe with a light flick of eyeliner.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 13/02/2023 22:17

My 16 year old dd and all her friends have eyeliner on the waterline. None underneath.

Meandfour · 13/02/2023 22:19

AbsolutePixels · 13/02/2023 22:12

To my mind, 90s/early 2000s makeup involves orange skin (lots of bronzer), white-toned pearlised eyeshadow applied on the brow bone, thin pencilled in brows, and deathly pale nude lipstick. I hope you're not doing that OP! 😂

Oh god! The foundation on the lips with clear gloss over 😭😭 crying for my teen self.

Helpimfalling · 13/02/2023 22:21

AbsolutePixels · 13/02/2023 22:12

To my mind, 90s/early 2000s makeup involves orange skin (lots of bronzer), white-toned pearlised eyeshadow applied on the brow bone, thin pencilled in brows, and deathly pale nude lipstick. I hope you're not doing that OP! 😂

This was just nostalgia for my soul ❤️

Original poster
Oblongbluebell · 13/02/2023 22:43

Wow, tons of responses, thank you! I’ve been trying to make more of my eyes, so I’ve been experimenting with a bit of eyeliner on the outer part of the lower kids. Just a tiny bit. I also think that burts bees lipbalm in red dahlia suits me. I’ve read that it’s a dupe for Clinique black honey. I think it’s when I put those two together, I worry I look dated. But the tinted lipbalm is a good colour on me, I think. Corals and peaches don’t look right at all.

My eyebrows are thinner than I’d prefer, but aren’t thin. I’m not using bronzer.

I keep my skin looking fairly matte in the t zone, but that’s because I have oily skin and glowy-ness there just seems to emphasise the rubbish skin texture.

OP posts:
Usernamen · 13/02/2023 22:45

Watching with interest. On the rare occasions I wear make-up I still do the liquid eyeliner cat-flick think. 😬

Rebellious23 · 13/02/2023 22:52

I watch this YouTube a lot, she does helpful blending videos but her makeup always looks up to date too

https://youtube.com/@AlexandraAnelee*

StrawHatOnTheParcelShelf · 13/02/2023 22:55

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 13/02/2023 22:17

My 16 year old dd and all her friends have eyeliner on the waterline. None underneath.

16yos can get away with anything and still look fresh Grin

FlappyValley · 13/02/2023 22:57

I loved heavy black eyeliner back in the 90s/00s and occasionally wear it now when the mood strikes, but I’m pretty sure this is “dated”.

You’ll pry it from my cold, dead hands, though.

Oh and apparently the kids are wearing brown mascara now, not black. Pah!

funnyoldonion · 13/02/2023 23:01

I’ve stopped putting mascara on my lower lashes as I think that does look a bit dated now!

Itsonlyagame · 13/02/2023 23:25

FlappyValley · 13/02/2023 22:57

I loved heavy black eyeliner back in the 90s/00s and occasionally wear it now when the mood strikes, but I’m pretty sure this is “dated”.

You’ll pry it from my cold, dead hands, though.

Oh and apparently the kids are wearing brown mascara now, not black. Pah!

Me too! Always on the waterline too. I have big eyes though so I think I can get away with it.

Iamatissuebox · 14/02/2023 03:11

Hard to get the dewy look if you have blemishes or oily skin- what are you meant to use then??

BusterGonad · 14/02/2023 04:18

I would just focus on fresh looking. Stick with cream formulas, fresh skin, natural brows, I also always, use slightly shimmery eyeshadow as mattes imo are unforgiving (Dior or Chanel are my favourites). I hardly ever wear eyeliner, I just smudge a bit if darker eyeshadow on my lash line, and use a medium shade below my lower lashes.

Nancydrawn · 14/02/2023 05:05

Very little in terms of anything. My own routine is a basic light tinted moisturiser with some spf; several slicks of dark brown mascara; brushed eyebrows; and a really nice light lipstick, like Chanel's rouge coco flash.

Some quite young people are having fun discovering the flat matte red lipstick of the early/mid 90s.

Avoid anything that looks Kardashian three years ago, eg heavy contour or pale mirror gloss.

If you're looking for young and fun, go Fenty Beauty instead.

Original poster
Oblongbluebell · 14/02/2023 22:57

Thanks everyone. I’ll look at the suggestions and it’s been interesting reading your thoughts.

OP posts:
Cuppasoupmonster · 14/02/2023 23:12

AbsolutePixels · 13/02/2023 22:12

To my mind, 90s/early 2000s makeup involves orange skin (lots of bronzer), white-toned pearlised eyeshadow applied on the brow bone, thin pencilled in brows, and deathly pale nude lipstick. I hope you're not doing that OP! 😂

Don’t forget dream matte mousse 😱

StrawHatOnTheParcelShelf · 14/02/2023 23:13

Cuppasoupmonster · 14/02/2023 23:12

Don’t forget dream matte mousse 😱

Show quote history

I bloody loved that stuff! Probably still have it somewhere. There was a shade which was such a perfect match to my skin I could slap it on without a mirror... never had that since.

Cuppasoupmonster · 14/02/2023 23:16

It wasn’t ‘cameo’ was it? That was my shade Grin

Xrays · 14/02/2023 23:21

Fluffy full eyebrows, smudgey eyeliner around the eyes with a neutral eyeshadow, or just a flick of liquid liner along the top line, black honey is in for lips!, natural cheeks - so less contouring and more peachy / pinky type cream blush. Glowing skin - or a foundation to do that if you can’t make your skin do it.

Betsey3000 · 14/02/2023 23:27

Any tips on eyebrows? Think mine are looking worse each week (90s/00s sperm brow trend) would love to know what products are worth trying!