Makeup Artists Hit Out At Nineties Makeup Styles Going Viral Now

KUALA LUMPUR, March 10 (Bernama) -- Makeup styles featuring thinly drawn eyebrows and dark lipstick shades like brown and purple were popular back in the 90s, especially among local celebrities such as Ziana Zain and Amy Mastura.

This look is currently gaining the attention of the younger generation, with many social media influencers attempting to "revive" the classic makeup style but with a fresh twist. This trend gained traction recently when a new challenge emerged on TikTok where users began recreating iconic makeup looks from the year they were born. 

Though it is a fun challenge, it has sparked debate among local makeup artists and netizens who feel the 90s looks posted by social media users, most of whom were born in that decade, fail to accurately represent the era's authentic styles.

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They feel the recreated looks in most of the videos uploaded featured foundations that were too thick and played with colours that were too dark or too bright, diminishing the face’s natural beauty. 

The trend has also caught the attention of veteran makeup artist Zulfazli Suhadi, 58, who has over 40 years of experience in the industry and whose makeup skills were the choice of many veteran artistes.

Having worked with renowned names such as Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza, Erra Fazira and Sofea Jane, Zulfazli feels many 90s-born content creators taking up the TikTok challenge are using the wrong makeup techniques and he disagrees that 90s makeup styles tend to overshadow one’s natural beauty. 

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"Most of the (videos of the) recreated makeup looks I've seen are actually from the 80s, not the 90s. This is because authentic 90s makeup features natural tones, without using excessive shading.

"90s makeup didn’t use a lot of colours, and the eyeshadow wasn’t too bright. If the eyeshadow is vibrant, the face powder is too white and dark shades are used excessively, then that's actually 80s-style makeup," he told Bernama.

According to Zulfazli, the main features of 90s makeup include thin eyebrows and a simple face powder application without contouring.

"We focused more on blush for contouring. The makeup shades were more earth-toned. Red lipstick was common and the colour combinations were usually coordinated — if the eyeshadow was purple, the lipstick would also be purple," he said, adding he still receives requests for 90s-style makeup from clients.

Zulfazli is thrilled to see the 90s makeup style making a comeback and hopes content creators do proper research before uploading videos, including tutorials, on different makeup styles.

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Meanwhile, makeup artist Noor Hidayu Afandi, 35, believes that the trending 90s makeup looks may be based on makeup done by ordinary people rather than professional makeup artists.

"90s makeup lacked soft blending techniques,” she said, adding, “Eyeliner was applied to both the upper and lower eyelids… everything was applied just like that without considering if it was suitable or not.

"For today’s (makeup) style, the use of a light base, soft eyeliner and lipstick that complements the overall makeup can create a fresher and more authentic appearance. I remember my mother used to wear dark matte lipstick. Those colours need to match one’s (facial) features because, if not, they can make one look older," said the Universiti Malaysia Perlis engineering graduate.

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TikTok influencer Izziatul Adlina Mohamed Shokri, who was among those who shared tutorial content on 90s makeup, is of the opinion that makeup styles from that era were simple and not too heavy, yet enhanced natural beauty without altering one’s original appearance. The makeup techniques used were also easy to follow.

Better known as Izzy Adlina, the 37-year-old also pointed out that 90s makeup was more universal, complementing all skin tones, facial features and face shapes, unlike the themed styles seen today, such as Douyin, Bollywood, soft glam or full glam.

"As someone from Generation X, I feel offended by the way the younger ones are portraying 90s makeup. Since when was 90s makeup that ugly? Have you noticed that Gen X people tend to age well? It’s because they embrace the 'less is more' approach," she said in a video she posted online.

 -- BERNAMA