Channeling: Our Favorite ’90s Cool-Girl Beauties

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

Canada: Free $30 Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…
USA: Free $30 Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…

While many of us count ubercool girls like Solange Knowles, Sienna Miller, and Diane Kruger as our current girl crushes, back in the day we longed to walk a mile in the superstylish shoes of Whitley Gilbert, Buffy Summers, and Angela Chase. (Admit it—you did, too!) 

Fancy a ‘gorgeous-grunge’ revival? Pop in your mixtape and join us on a well-deserved trip down makeup memory lane! Time to revisit a few of our favorite looks from yesteryear, highlighting some of the decade’s most memorable (and style-inspiring) characters. The dream of the ’90s is alive — and it never looked so good.

1

Buffy Summers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Into every generation a slayer is born…and Sunnydale’s vamp-duster just happened to have California cool down. Buffy’s chunky highlights, well-defined lashes, rosy cheeks, and neutral gloss add up to a ladylike look that kicks ass and takes names. 

Photo: ©20th Century Fox/Everett/Rex USA

2

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Rose Petal, $8.49 at Walgreens.com

3

CoverGirl NatureLuxe Mousse Mascara in Brown 515, $8.49, available at Drugstore.com.

4

Bonne Bell Lip Lites Lip Gloss in Cappucino, $3.50, available at Drugstore.com.

5

Whitley Gilbert, A Different World

Go prim and proper, just like this sassy southern belle. As an overachieving Alpha Delta Rho sorority sister, Whitley never looked anything less than polished. Do the same with tightly lined eyes, smooth ringlets, and a hint of shine on the lips.  

Photo: BEImages

6

NYX Diamond Sparkle Lipstick in Sparkling Copper, $5.50 at NYXCosmetics.

7

Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliner Pencil in Deepest Black, $5.50 at Drugstore.com.

8

Ouidad Curl Quencher Hydrafusion Intense Curl Cream, $26 at Sephora.

9

Dana Scully, The X-Files

If you regularly had to flee from voracious liver-eating freaks and investigate freaky fluke-man hybrids, you’d have bigger issues to tackle than varying your look, right? What Scully may have lacked in fashion sense, she nailed in her no-nonsense, professional style. Matte skin, red hair, and brownish-red lips were so ’90s — and effective in capturing the attention of one “Spooky” Mulder, too. 

Photo: Moviestore Collection/RexUSA

10

Chanel Aqua Crayon lip pencil, $26, available at Chanel.

11

Laura Mercier Mineral Pressed Powder, $36, available at Neiman Marcus.

12

Audrey Horne, Twin Peaks

With Audrey Horne, the ’50s met the ’90s in one beautiful bad-girl package. Her precisely filled-in brows, voluminous “done” hair, and a deceptively sweet pink lip threw Coop for a loop — and the look is just as intriguing today. 

Photo: Moviestore Collection/RexUSA

13

Dove Style + Care Frizz-Free Shine Cream-Serum, $4.89, available at Soap.com.

14

Illamasqua Eye Brow Cake in Gaze, $26, available at Sephora.

15

Sebastian Volupt Spray gel, $19.95, available at salons.

16

Brenda Walsh, Beverly Hills, 90210

We’re not saying you need to rush out and get bangs, slick on a matte lip color, and do the whole mascara-and-nothing-else-on-the-eyes thing. But, we’re just going to lay it out there: Brenda Walsh makes a pretty good case for looking like a temptress. 

Photo: SNAP/RexUSA

17

Lancome Color Design Lipstick in Love It!, $22, available at Lancome.

18

Milani Distinct Lash Lengthening and Separating Mascara in Black, $6.99, available at Milani.

19

Bite Beauty High Pigment Matte Pencil in Toast, $24, available at Sephora.

20

Dancing with the Stars clip-in fringe in Bango Tango, $19.99, available at Wigs.com.

21

Angela Chase, My So-Called Life

Teenage angst — if not that whole Jordan Catalano crush — paid off well for Angela Chase, the quintessential ’90s high schooler. A little sheer gloss, straight strands, and a fresh face form the base for Angela’s style. Toss on a thrifted sweater, turn up some Lemonheads, grab some “Crimson Glow” dye, and you’re golden. 

Photo: Everett Collection/RexUSA

22

NP Set Lip Balm in Capri, $10, available at Target.

23

L’Oreal Paris New Excellence Hair Color in Light Auburn 6R, $8.99, available at Drugstore.com.

24

Sedu Ionic Ceramic Pro Flat Iron, $129.99 at Ulta.com.

Click HERE to read more from Refinery29.

Share with friends
You can publish this article on your website as long as you provide a link back to this page.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*