'80s Makeup Trends That Surprisingly Hold Up
Take inspiration from the decade of color.
The '80s gets a bad rap. We think of the decade as being all about big hair and shoulder pads—the kind of maximalism that the '90s rejected completely. But the '80s actually saw a ton of beauty innovation: bold shades, graphic eyeliner, big and well-shaped brows, messy makeup, fun lipstick, and much more.
Honestly? There's a lot to love about '80s beauty—and if your current look is feeling stale, allow these gorgeous trends to inspire you. Below, '80s makeup trends you can absolutely try (and pull off) today.
Deep Tan
Did you know the first bronzer was released in the 1980s? The idea of replicating a healthy tan in your makeup was still relatively new (this is quite a bronze color on Linda Evangelista) but a gorgeous healthy glow is never out of style—and doesn't necessitate a trip to the beach.
Bold Eyelashes
May we all go through life with the whimsical, over the top personal style of Cyndi Lauper. While her most out-there looks (candy colored highlights, bright eyeshadows) might feel a bit of their time, she's giving us a masterclass here of how to make your eyes look bold and striking with lots of mascara, eyeliner, and even false lashes.
Minimality
Michelle Pfeiffer, still a young star here, is stunning in a minimal makeup look. This is proof positive that the '80s weren't always about big hair and bold looks. Sometimes it was subtle highlights and a bit of gloss and blush—that's all you really need.
Flyaways
For this Vogue August 1984 photo, model Daniela Ghione has tousled hair (almost as if she's just taken off a motorcycle helmet). As such, her eyebrows are similarly fluffy and just a tiny bit disarranged, which is a great way to tie together a more extreme haircut with the rest of your beauty look.
Near-Match Lipstick
With such a bright and graphic outfit, the intuitive choice here might be something equally bright (especially since neon was huge in this decade). But the "near-match" lip color, in the same family as the hat and shirt but softer and more subdued, is a great beauty tactic.
Contrast Eyeshadow
Frankly, this look wouldn't be out of place today (the '80s had some really fun trends!). It's a popular look nowadays to have a darker color on the brow bone and keep the mobile lid a lighter color, but, as we see here, we've been experimenting with that particular aesthetic for a while.
Defined Lines
Charlie's Angels star Jaclyn Smith has the characteristic big hair of the decade, which necessitates a colorful and well-defined makeup look to go with it. The deep gray eyeshadow, carefully lined pink lips, and rosy blush skew maximalist in a fun way.
Freckles
Embracing your skin was not an '80s invention, but the decade saw some improved skincare innovations—thus empowering women to show off their natural texture (including this multitude of freckles on model Asa). A blush and lip color in a complementary color help the look feel thoughtful.
Deep Vibrancy
This runway look on Kirat Young (Hanae Mori, 1986) shows that a bold look doesn't have to be synonymous with luridness. That's a really rich ombre red lip color with a graphic black cat-eye to match, but it makes her face glow with color instead of looking like it was painted on top of her skin.
A Bit Matte
All hail the late Carrie Fisher, who is posing her with her trademark Star Wars bikini. Her makeup is matte pink and soft, with some shine on the lips and full coverage on cheeks. Black eyeliner on top and bottom lashes helps her eyes look even bigger and more luminous.
Yellow Highlights
If you happen to have warm undertones in your skin, or need to color correct any red or purple coloring (like under-eye shadows, for example), you'll know the benefit of a yellow-hued foundation. Much like bronzer, a warm makeup base can help the skin look more healthy.
Graphic Shapes
Big, sweeping eyebrows aren't a modern invention: the '80s loved a big sweeping shape in the brow department, as we see on Audrey Benoit. Here, the eyes are the focal point of the model's face as a way to draw focus from that awesome hat and equally striking pants.
Berry Red
If you love playing around with bold lip shades, chances are you may actually love the '80s aesthetic. Berry red, as we see on actor Maria McDonald (looking extremely chic in the glow of her compact mirror), is actually a nice gateway color if you're new to colorful hues.
Contrasting Brows
Honestly, these brows look like they're straight out of the 2020s. Model Stina Fry has an extremely blonde and choppy cut with contrasting eyebrows, wisely opting to keep the eyes, cheeks, and lips relatively simple and minimal. The effect is striking without feeling overdone.
Petal Pink
If beiges and nudes are just so blah for you, opt for a rich pink like this on model Carre Otis. It's deeper than a more neutral lip color, but still feels like it picks up on a natural lip color so as to feel complementary. And it's a nice contrast to the yellow in the hat.
Overlined Lips
Hey Madonna! As a part of her signature look (a bit messy, a bit grungy, but with feminine touches), she deployed a red lip as the focal point of her look. By going over her lip line on top and defining her cupid's bow, it makes a gorgeous shape. Also—this is proof that your application doesn't need to be perfect to be gorgeous.
Lower Liner
Eyeliner was big in the '80s, and that included top and bottom lid. While it can sometimes make the eye look smaller, a small cat-eye can create a gorgeous elongated shape. Model Michelle Quan has her dark hair in a pixie cut, so the richness of the eye makeup helps cohere the look.
Sun-Kissed Skin
Even beyond bronzer, a sunkissed look was very much a popular '80s vibe. Here, iconic model Tatjana Patitz peeks over at us through a car window, the sunlight streaming down on her face. Peachy blush and lips help complete the vibe of California chic.
The Perfect Nude
Sarah Jessica Parker has been a style and beauty icon for decades at this point. That curly hair is rich and glorious (and very '80s), but her messy brows and gentle pink cheeks and lips are an expert no-makeup makeup look. Plus black eyeliner for good measure!
Bare Face
Model Stephanie Seymour goes big in the sequins department but keeps it completely minimal on the face. This is a gorgeous study in contrast, although in its modern iteration you may want to add a little color on your cheeks to feel more vivid. A bare, minimal lip is surprisingly effective here, though.
Bold Lining
Princess Diana was such a fashion icon in part because (despite the pretty conservative royal style she abided by) she still left room for her stylish instincts. Here on a visit to France, the bright blue eyeliner on her lower lid is a subtle but extremely fun touch.
Spiky Mascara
Actor Joanna Pacula stares into the middle distance (this is Vogue, December 1984) with soft color on her cheeks and lips, with a ton of mascara on her eyes to elongate her lashes and make her eyes "pop." Keeping the eyebrows thicker helps the volume from feeling too out of place.
Matchy-Matchy
Bianca Jagger had impressive innate style that made her quite the New York "it girl." She was most well-known in the '70s (this is technically 1980 with designer Halston standing next to her); here, she uses the same hue on eyes, cheeks, and lips, for a gorgeous pink effect.
Shiny Lips
Frosted lips—I remember them well from the '90s, but they actually started life in the previous decade. This is Christy Turlington in Vogue, January 1987, foreshadowing the love of shine that would really take off in a few years. A more modern version would have just a touch less silver.
A Deep Flush
This is Cybill Shepherd posing for a made-for-TV erotic drama called, wait for it, Secrets of a Married Man. Giggle-worthy context aside, I really love the deep flush on her cheeks, probably meant to connote something about lust but making her just look healthy and gorgeous.
Cat Eyes
Here at the 1985 American Music Awards, Madonna is showing off extremely messy eyebrows combined with more precise lip color application and cat-eye shape on her lids. It's that perfect combination of wild and savvy that we came to expect from the icon.
Small Smokey Eye
Model Paulina Porizkova is posing here "on the occasion of the signing of her Estée Lauder contract" (and is likely wearing the brand on her face). The deep smokey eye is still relatively contained, with the color mostly on the corner of her eyes, and feels more work-ready instead of party-centric.
A Touch of Blush
While the '80s blush cliche is defined by intense color, it could also be more subtle. Christy Turlington has just a touch of pink on her face; you can see another short smokey eye and a dark lip color as the focal points, meaning she could have a softer kiss of color elsewhere.
Soft Eyes
Model Mariama Cartillier is showing off a cool, edgy hairdo and some chunky earrings. Her eyes are dark, but not terribly intense—the vibe is smudged and soft instead of sharp and defined. This is another awesome everyday look that wouldn't be out of place on a weekday.
Dark Red
Child star Drew Barrymore was on her way to teen idoldom here (she would have been about 14) and as such is showing off a more refined and grown up look. The peace sign earrings are youthful, but the deep red lip and red-toned blush is giving us beauty icon in training.
Unkempt Brows
Like a few others on this list, Stephanie Seymour (Vogue, December 1987) is showing off an "overgrown" eyebrows look (as in, not perfectly tweezed with stray hairs in places). It's a much, much easier look to maintain, and frankly is as flattering now as it was then.
A Touch of Pastel
Debbie Harry, Blondie front-woman and a forever style icon, had an incredible and totally unique look. Her hair was platinum, her clothes were edgy and cool, and she had some feminine touches in her makeup—see also gorgeous light blue ombre eyeshadow.
