Though we've come a long way from the teased-to-the-heavens hair and frosted tips of yore, some old-school beauty trends are truly timeless. In the mood for a good (or deliciously cringe-worthy) #TBT? Read on to see the fad that was absolutely it the year you were born.
1988: Big Hair
The fact that the '80s were a decade of excess is perhaps best personified by Melanie Griffith's hair in Working Girl. In the film, her character declares, "If you want to be taken seriously, you have to have serious hair." Noted.
1989: Thick Brows
Before the '90s came and changed everything (more on that later), full brows reigned supreme. During her stint as a college student on A Different World, Lisa Bonet paired her thick, dark arches with voluminous curls.
1990: Blue Eyeliner
The colourful liner trend had a very famous fan: Princess Diana. Though her makeup artist detested the request [2] because she believed one should never match their liner to their eyes, Diana stuck to her guns.
1991: Bright Eye Shadow
The early '90s put the colour in colour cosmetics in Thelma and Louise, and Geena Davis's character didn't shy away from bold makeup, pairing a blue smoky eye with ample pink blush.
1992: Pouffy Bangs
Hair in the early '90s was so big, it could barely be contained in a pony. As seen on Tia Carrere in Wayne's World, voluminous updos were a perfect fit for piecey fringe.
1993: French Tips
The French tip mani is a classic for a reason, and the understated trend peaked around the release of the 1993 Janet Jackson [3] film Poetic Justice.
1994: Creatively Coloured Hair
By 1994, the grunge phenomenon had gone so mainstream that even a suburban teenager like Angela Chase, the character Claire Danes [4] played in My So-Called Life, would take beauty inspiration from it. Against her mother's wishes, Angela lets her friends dye her hair oxblood red.
1995: The Rachel Haircut
Though Aniston has since described her Friends character's ubiquitous cut [5] as "cringe-y," back in the '90s it was all the range. The short layered look was somewhat of a precursor to today's lob, and it came courtesy of stylist Chris McMillan [6].
1996: Chiseled Cheekbones
While you might associate contouring with Kim Kardashian [7], the look thrived back when KKW was still in high school. Runway and editorial makeup artists loved to contour their models, as you can see on Kate Moss [8] during a Karl Lagerfeld show.
1997: I Dream of Jeannie Ponytails
Gravity-defying ponytails were granted new life in the late '90s. In the case of Naomi Campbell [9] walking for Todd Oldham's Spring fashion show, this renaissance could be perhaps due to our beloved scrunchie [10].
1998: Smudged Eyeliner
Doe-eyed celebrities such as Winona Ryder [11] played up their assets with eye-opening mascara and smudged eyeliner. The classic look may have been borrowed by 1960s beauty icons such as Audrey Hepburn and Twiggy, but luckily it always stays relevant.
1999: Sleek Blowouts
OK, try to tear your eyes away from Lucy Liu [12]'s impressive six-pack here (we know it's hard), and take a look at her soft blowout. At the turn of the millennium, attention focused away from the big hair of the '80s, as people were looking for something a little more modern.
2000: Frosted Eye Shadow
The aughts brought frosted tips [13], but let's not forget about that style's cousin: frosted eye shadow. As seen on Aaliyah [14] at the MTV Movie Awards, the icy look could definitely still be trendy in today's shimmery beauty climate.
2001: Barely There Eyebrows
As Tyra Banks [15] often told America's Next Top Model contestants premakeover, if you want to be on top, sometimes you're going to need to get on board with some dubious beauty trends. She walked the walk, too: at the Blockbuster Awards (RIP), the multihyphenate star sported blink-and-you'll-miss-them skinny brows.
2002: Ringlets on Ringlets
Britney Spears [16] showed up to the 2002 Grammys in coiled extensions that resembled the longer version of her then-beau Justin Timberlake [17]'s frosted tips.
2003: Obvious Lipliner
At a film premiere, Halle Berry [18] matched her rust lipliner to her blush and cheeks, but purposefully left her inner lips just a few shades lighter.
2004: Hair Whips
While winning an Emmy for her portrayal of Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City [19], Sarah Jessica Parker [20] left the front whips of her hair out of her updo — because that was fashun.
2005: Visible Tattoos
Though it's common to see celebrities grace red carpets with their ink on full display, not too long ago the trend was unheard of. Angelina Jolie [21] boldly displayed her tattoos, for example, at the premiere of Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
2006: Lilac Shadow
Long before Rihanna [22] really made lavender strobing a thing [23] with the release of several lilac Fenty products, she was on the mid-aughts colour bandwagon with light purple shadow at the Teen Choice Awards.