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The Nineties beauty trends revived at the spring/summer 2022 shows
From the grown-up butterfly clip to the modern brown lip
While Fashion Week provides us with a visual compendium of beauty looks for the coming season, one decade usually presides as the leading muse. At New York, London, Milan and Paris, it became clear that the Nineties would steal the starring role in the spring/summer 2022 shows as an array of nostalgic beauty trends infiltrated their way back onto the catwalk like the year was 1996 and the Spice Girls were heading up the charts.
While we shudder at the thought of the Nineties already being classed as 'vintage', thanks to a younger generation discovering the loaded decade of pop culture many of us grew up in, contentious trends such as the skinny brow have been spotted among the celebrity milieu, before gaining their final seal of approval at Fashion Week.
Of course, not all hair and make-up trends from the decade were created equal. In fact, there are some we'd rather were lost to the chasms of time and all photographic evidence of destroyed. With that in mind, we've lined up the very best Nineties beauty looks that the spring/summer 22 shows had to offer.
Smoked-out eyes
While the smokey eye might be as synonymous with the winter party season as pumpkin carving is to October, it's appearance in the spring/summer shows was a little less expected. Take lead from Tom Ford, where the heaviness of the black was diffused with warm oranges and iridescent greens, or look to Fendi where the intensity was permitted only on the outer corner of the eyes.
Get the look: Hourglass Graphik Eyeshadow Palette, £53
Hair jewels
While hair accessories might have graduated from the butterfly clips and spiral-twist crystals that peppered as many Nineties red carpet appearances as they did school discos, that didn't mean to say the spring/summer 22 shows dimmed down the glitz. Jewelled hair barrettes adorned models at Simone Rocha and Tom Ford, Murano glass lilies were pinned to hair in a true flourish of Italian style at Fendi, and coloured beads lent themselves to a playful aesthetic at Moschino. Whatever your beauty mood, consider the hair jewel the most in demand accessory for next season.
Get the look: Simone Rocha Crystal Hair Slide, £95
Flat-ironed hair
In steep contrast to the oversized perms and blowouts of the Eighties, the super-sleek Nineties hair has seen a return at shows including Fendi by Versace, KNWLS and Mark Fast. While it may look like an effortless style, the look requires no less than a pair of straighteners (Bazaar loves Ghd's Unplugged for portability), a flexible hold hairspray and natural bristle brush for taming flyaways.
Get the look: Ghd Unplugged cordless hair styler, £299
Matte skin
Love it or loathe it, powdery skin has also had its runway comeback this season. Light and shadow were explored at the Altuzarra and Dundas shows as cheekbones were defined with heavy contour set upon a matte base. Meanwhile at Jonathan Simkhai, Rodarte and Coach, the model's complexions were left flat and doll-like with a smooth finish.
Get the look: Chanel Ultra Le Teint Velvet, £40
Glossy lips
There's nothing that can elevate a look as easily as a glossy lip, an unwritten rule of beauty that Victoria Beckham knows well. Beckham focused her new clear gloss as the centrepiece of the make-up look, a trend that ebbed and flowed throughout fashion week, popping up at Blumarine, Fendi, Dior and David Koma. If we're taking notes from the shows, the new gloss rules are as follows: high shine lacquered lips, liner-free, worn with a minimalist base.
Get the look: Victoria Beckham Posh Gloss, £26
Blue eyeshadow
While the cooler-toned hue of a blue eyeshadow might not be an obvious first choice, the SS22 shows are making a strong case for giving it a second chance. A wash of metallic blue was seen on the eyes at Osman, while the Lanvin and Malan Breton shows took the definition of 'frosted shadow' quite literally with their icy blue interpretation. For those looking for more reserved take on the trend, consider a subtle blue wing as worn at Rixo.
Get the look: Dior Diorshow Mono Coleur Couture Eyeshadow in Denim, £27.50
Brown lips
A staple of the decade, brown lipstick made its spring/summer 22 debut at Supriya Lele, fittingly topped with clear lip gloss. If you're looking for a lip that offers something a little less high-octane shine, try diffusing a brown shade with a tapered blending brush for a softer, blotted finish.
Get the look: Tom Ford Lip Colour in After Dark, £44
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