Like buses and bad boyfriends, trends always come back around.
The late ’90s and early ’00s were a distinct time in style and beauty, and I consider myself lucky to have grown up during the era of bare midriffs, butterfly clips and body glitter. Over the past year, I’ve seen products pop up all over that give me instant nostalgia. Some are upgraded versions of things we used to wear, and some have updated formulas that are way more chic than their ’90s counterparts.
I pray some trends of the time are never resurrected (looking at you, skinny eyebrows) but I’m happy to see these blasts from the past. Here’s some products you can rock today that honor the biggest millennium-era beauty trends.
Urban Decay Sparkle Out Loud Hi-Fi Shine Ultra Cushion Lip Gloss
Like most millennial women, lip gloss definitely was my first beauty product.
Beauty in the ’90s and ’00s was all about plump, shiny lips, sometimes with a frosty or glittery finish. These glosses come in a range of finishes that deliver a super slick color across lips or a smooth glitter and never feel gritty or rough. My two favorite shades, Jawbreaker, a bold purple, and SPL, a baby pink with iridescent glitter, instantly take me back and remind me how I fell in love with makeup. $20; urbandecay.com
Stridex Daily Care Acne Maximum Strength Pads
Skin care always has been a huge part of our routines, but lots of the products we used as teenagers were way too harsh for our young skin. Most of us remember Stridex pads not only as the first “real” skin care product we ever used but also for the irritation they caused in sake of clear skin. As we gravitated to more chic packaging and luxe formulas, especially during the self-care boom over the past few years, Stridex pads upped their game. Sweethearts of Reddit’s SkincareAddiction subreddit, the pads contain salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid, that gently exfoliates while also penetrating the pore and dissolving sebum, dirt and more to keep skin clear. Different than when we were teens, the pads are now alcohol-free so they won’t dry out and irritate sensitive skin. (The pads also work great on ingrown hairs, so you can use them on legs, underarms and bikini area.)
It might seem like a step backward, but I promise these are an affordable option that packs the same punch as most luxury exfoliation pads. $3.97; walmart.com, amazon.com and most drugstores
Victoria’s Secret Bare Vanilla Fragrance Mist
Before luxury fragrances, we started with body mists. In middle school, we couldn’t get to our lockers fast enough between classes to grab a fresh piece of gum and spritz ourselves down with some sickly sweet body spray.
For me, a classic vanilla fragrance never goes out of style. Vanilla Lace was a staple in the late ’90s and early ’00s, but this is an updated version. Made with whipped vanilla and warm, soft cashmere, this is feminine and lived-in without giving off that fake vanilla scent. (Think Vanilla Glade Plug-In. Barf.) This fragrance is rich, sweet and sexy, and perfect for grown-up you. $18; victoriassecret.com
Lime Crime Body-Lite
Body. Glitter. You can’t talk about millennium beauty without mentioning body glitter. Bath & Body Works Art Stuff Roll-On Glitter was my gateway to all-over sparkle, but now there are more sophisticated ways to shine. Lime Crime Body-Lite’s creamy and lightweight formula dries down to a shimmery finish. (It’s even got a little Vitamin E to soften skin.) I love the shade Enchantress, a champagne color with gold shimmer, but there’s also Lunar (pink-lavender with silver shimmer) and Supernatural (mint green with silver shimmer.) $25; limecrime.com, ulta.com
KISS Salon Acrylic French Nails
In the opening sequence of 2001 masterpiece film “Legally Blonde,” the camera keeps panning to our heroine, Elle Woods’s, fresh set of acrylic nails, designed with a square-tipped French manicure. While white tips have never really gone out of style, bolder colors, intricate nail art and different shapes replaced the mani over the years.
There’s something that’s always been so chic and cool about it to me. It’s definitely making a comeback, too, and you can stick with the original white and pink or try a funky color or glitter tip instead.If you’ve read this column for any length of time, you know I love a press-on nail. These KISS ones are my favorite because they work in a pinch and cost less than $10. They also go with everything and work for any occasion. $7.99; kissusa.com and most drugstores
Lime Crime Lip Blaze Cream Liquid Lipstick
Nothing feels more ’90s than a moody nude lip. Over the past 20 or 30 years, we’ve realized there’s no one-nude-fits-all. These creamy, shiny liquid lipsticks come in 12 shades so everyone can find their perfect nude. The buttery, glazy formula is infused with top-shelf cannabis sativa seed oil for hydration so your nudes never look crusty. $20; limecrime.com, ulta.com
Gia Mazur is an award-winning staff writer and beauty obsessive who joined The Times-Tribune’s Lifestyles department in 2015. She’s a product enthusiast who can’t live without an eyelash curler. A proud Virgo, Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk is her go-to. Contact: gmazur@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9127; @gmazurTT
