These '80s Makeup Trends Will Be Everywhere This Fall (2024)

Table of Contents

Polished Glam Hot Pink Lipstick New Romantics Soft Matte Skin Vampy Lips Fluffy Brows Rainbow Eyeshadow Colorful Eyeliner Bold Blush Blue Eyes and Red Lips References

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Justice for '80s makeup is in order. The decade's extravagant beauty looks, big shoulder pads, and Jazzercise vibes are often relegated to the kitschy category, but the era's modern comeback is bubbling under the surface thanks to the resurgence of the rom-com, synth-heavy pop music, and the fun-loving party girl (hello, Charli XCX!). Beauty-wise, our current obsession with bold trends like bright blush and vampy lips are nostalgic for the eye-catching beauty that defined the era. In the past year, bonafide It Girls like Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Kaia Gerber have revived signature '80s beauty trends, particularly in the makeup department.

What goes around comes around, and almost every must-have beauty trend today can be traced back to the more-is-more decade, co-signed by icons like Grace Jones and Brooke Shields. Ahead discover, 10 '80s makeup ideas that stand the test of time, and how to wear them today.

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Polished Glam

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The '80s often gets flattened into a colorful caricature, but subtle, polished makeup was just as popular as bold lips and bright eyeshadow. The soft, easygoing glam of the decade was characterized by a hydrated lip, a slightly shimmery shadow, and light mascara. Sound familiar? The beauty formula is timeless, but it's reminiscent of our current penchant for a less is more approach (and our desire to wear no mascara from time to time). Polished glam is versatile, easy to wear for multiple occasions, and has vast modern examples—this one from Laura Harrier is especially chic.

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Hot Pink Lipstick

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Fact: Pink was the color of the moment in the '80s. The shade was co-opted by everyone, and wearing it on the lips could either be a punk statement or a dainty look for the girl next door. From rosy, opaque pinks to sheerer formulas, pink lipstick was a go-to for many. Today, the rise of Barbiecore and other girlhood-inspired trends has put bright pink lips back in the spotlight. Pairing the look with plenty of glow makes it feel fresh for 2024.

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New Romantics

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In the '80s, subcultures took the place of TikTok "cores", and the New Romantics was one of the most fun when it came to beauty. Influenced by first-wave musicians such as David Bowie, Boy George, and Soft Cell, the aesthetic featured bold, colorful makeup across the eyes, lips, and cheeks, paired with styles that were dramatic and a little grungy. Chapell Roan's always colorful glam embodies a similar theatrical perspective.

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Soft Matte Skin

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The late '80s saw a shift from its bright neons and vibrant pinks to more subdued looks like vampy lips, smoky eyes, and matte skin. A matte, one-dimensional complexion offered the perfect canvas for subtler details like frosted lips. In 2024, the trend cycle has shifted away from its ultra-glazed donut days. Celebrities like Dua Lipa, Kaia Gerber, and Kendall Jenner have all made the case for how soft matte skin can make for a pretty complexion that looks super modern.

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Vampy Lips

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Goth lips: You can paint a picture of what this looks in your mind like just from those two words alone. One of Grace Jone's signatures was dark, nearly black lipstick topped with a glossy red lipstick for a vampy look. Bold lip looks are just as trendy now, but the soft-goth trend, loved by Rihanna and Julia Fox, is a more easygoing take on the edgy look.

Fluffy Brows

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Natural, fluffy brows were the standard in the '80s before over-plucking and skinny brows took over a decade later. Of course, we had the bold brow moment of the 2010s thanks to Cara Delevingne, and today, creating a full brow is standard in any makeup routine. While what brow you opt for has come down to personal preference (amid a handful of brow trends), embracing un-plucked natural brows that are reminiscent of Brooke Shields' in the '80s is more popular than ever.

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Rainbow Eyeshadow

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You can't talk about '80s makeup without discussing colorful eyeshadow. It was the hallmark of beauty trends from the era—a pastel or bright shade of eyeshadow on the lids was a staple, applied all over the lid with a bit of mascara or eyeliner. That said, colorful eyeshadow has made a big comeback, spanning the red carpet and street style. Gracie Abrams styled a pretty purple shadow to her first Met Gala this year, and the look has the stamp-of-approval from just about every other stylish celebrity. To make it feel modern, skip the liner and just apply a sheer wash of color from your lash line to your crease.

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Colorful Eyeliner

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If we could use one word to describe the makeup of the '80s it would be colorful. Color was everywhere—blush, lipstick, eyeshadow, and even eyeliner. Bold, bright eyeliner was another trend from the era that added to the more-is-more approach when it came to beauty. Extravagant beauty hasn't gone away, but now it's crafted in a more refined approach. Graphic vivid eyeliner can be subtle—take Hailey Bieber's sunflower eyeliner for Coachella as an example.

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Bold Blush

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Just like the '80s, the 2020's most defining makeup trend (at least so far) is bright blush. Everyone from Princess Diana to Debby Harry co-signed wearing a shade of true pink blush on the cheeks for just about every occasion. Today, there are too many blush trends and modern-day examples to count: Boyfriend blush mimics a natural flush after a workout, sunset blush combines all the colors of a sunset, and berry blush looks like you've swiped a raspberry across your cheeks—the list could go on and on. Not to mention all the different innovative blush formulas to come on the market, making the product more accessible and user-friendly than ever.

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Blue Eyes and Red Lips

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Wearing a statement frosty-blue eyeshadow and a bold red-colored lip together was seen as a big no-no in the '90s, but the decade prior it was all the rage. Old time-y makeup rules suggested to only wear one statement color, as adding more could feel like "too much," but now we know that's not the case. The baby blue cornflower shade paired with a poppy lipstick created an artistic, quirky feel that was worn by darlings like Cyndi Lauper and Whitney Houston. Case in point: Lily Collins opted for a coral lipstick and a softer sheer eyeshadow that looks just as sophisticated as it does charming and fun.