Curator's note: For several years now I've been wanting to discuss the trend of non-makeup merch being sold by beauty brands but was having a difficult time getting around to it. Fortunately, another wonderful MM volunteer and aspiring beauty editor, Hannah, kindly stepped up to write the article. I am so very grateful to have this contribution to the Museum!
The Rise of Non-Makeup Merchandise in the Beauty Industry
By Hannah T.
For as long as we’ve been dressing our faces in creams and colors, makeup brands have been able to dominate the lifestyle "industry" from a sort of bubble. Cosmetic products and collections have amassed success in sales and popularity while staying within the realm of beauty. These products have stood boldly on their own, independent of other lifestyle influences such as fashion, travel, or fitness. Even collaborations have only been extended to influencers who are part of the makeup niche, or other beauty brands. This is a big bubble, mind you. According to Forbes, the beauty industry is a $532 billion business, which will reach or exceed $800 billion by 2025. The makeup industry could have stayed in this beauty bubble and continued to command the lifestyle craze from afar. So, what changed?
Brands with a wide array of followings and aesthetics began offering their own non-beauty merchandise and collaborating with non-makeup brands to include items outside of the makeup bubble in their new launches. What used to be a "freebie" or gift-with-purchase is now an entirely separate product, intended as part of the brand or marketed and sold as a partnership between two separate industries. Whether small or large, indie or mainstream, makeup companies are now selling fashion and accessories like sweatshirts, pins and mugs.* “It’s no longer enough just to sell a product. We crave the full experience. It’s become commonplace for fashion brands to expand into cosmetics (along with housewares and even food). But it wasn’t common to see the reverse, [until now],” writes Heather Chichowski at The Fashion Spot.
Other companies collaborate with non-makeup brands for limited-edition collections such as footwear and home decor. With these marketing and collaboration techniques, anything is possible. Two of your favorite worlds come together to create a product out of your wildest dreams, and you just have to have it. Or you’re a rabid fan of the brand and feel a pressing need to show your devotion via bags and keychains in addition to wearing the makeup. Remember, this is no longer a freebie – this is a big-ticket product with double the value behind it, and it deserves to be sold separately from the makeup items the brand has to offer.
(images from teenvogue, milled and seventeen.com)
This non-makeup merch sticks out to your brain as unique, special, and innovative. It refuses to blend in with the onslaught of punchy blushes and lipsticks that all seem to boast "payoff". In contrast to makeup, merch functions as a keepsake. Makeup goes bad or gets used up; non-makeup items have a considerably longer shelf life by comparison. And while makeup brands pump out new finishes and formulas, their trendiness is just that – a trend. The collaborative merch is memorable and fresh, guaranteed to catch your eye and your bank account.
Bite Beauty’s partnership with the undergarments brand Parade is a great example of this. Underwear and lipstick seem to be a part of two vastly different worlds, and it’s unthinkable that they would ever touch, but they did, in a marketable and attractive way. Both brands live in a sustainable neighborhood with an individualistic kick. Their products embody being kind to the planet, and looking good while doing so! Bite’s makeup products are both clean and powerful, demonstrating that strict, high standards during the production process don’t have to result in monotonous colors and textures. Lipsticks and foundations with "supercharged performance" qualities take ethics and expression to the next level.
(image from usmagazine.com)
Similarly, Parade offers vibrant styles of undergarments in recycled, regenerative materials that benefit the planet. This green brand markets to bodies of all shapes, sizes, and colors in a way that isn’t performative or tacky. It’s a trustworthy brand, one that empowers you to live a colorful life in a way that’s comfortable to you. Suddenly, the collaboration between Parade and Bite becomes an obvious choice! The marketing idea behind the partnership was "Match your favorite Bite Beauty lipstick to your Parade underwear", and I'll be damned if that’s not as personally expressive as it gets. If you hold the same values that Bite does, you’re bound to love Parade just the same, and vice versa. It’s a match made in branding heaven, and one that’s destined to grab attention from clean beauty connoisseurs.
One collaboration that makes a lot more sense at first look is between Colourpop and Powerpuff Girls. When beauty and pop culture collide, which seems to be the current trend, makeup lovers are even more inclined to purchase products that feature their favorite icons. Buttercup, Blossom, and Bubbles make a sweet, almost candy-like appearance on an eyeshadow palette, blushes, and roll-on lip glosses that take you back to your childhood. The real non-makeup treat is the collection’s crime fighting hair clips, which are marketed to “complete your look” as makeup tools and accessories. Each clip is branded with a Powerpuff girl, and the name Colourpop in its signature casual font. The connection between the brands is clear – it’s a playful, nostalgic one!
(image from colourpop.com)
With both of these brands working together to make a complete collection, rather than one individual product, there’s a kind of persuasion to collect it all. Each set of two clips is $5 each, which in total, add up to a cost greater than that of the individual makeup products themselves. They’re accessories meant to strengthen your look in a cohesive sense, and Colourpop does a great job of advertising that. The reasons for this specific brand collaboration and the motivations behind it are clear. It’s meant to catch your eye, stir up childhood memories, and bring you a sense of satisfaction once you have the entire set.
Partnerships between beauty and lifestyle brands can also help to blur the lines between luxury and affordability. By working with a more affordable lifestyle brand, a luxury makeup brand can market to a wider audience with differing budgets. When Byredo, a high-end fragrance and beauty brand, collaborated with Ikea on a candle collection, they were able to create a product within their realm of beauty at a lower price. This set of 13 candles was advertised as a fragrance product that assists in curating a more cohesive, comfortable home. A simple, yet beautiful design of the candles succeeded in blending aesthetics and function, much like the values of the two brands involved.
Byredo’s home fragrances usually go from anywhere between $45-$90, but the Ikea/Byredo candles sold for only $5-$25, which seems to feel much more reasonable to your average, mid-budget beauty geek. One quality that both Byredo and Ikea fans seem to have in common is valuing the amount of use you can get out of a product. A candle will last as long as you want it to, depending on how you use it. The same could be said about furniture and decor that is meant to last through the wear and tear of daily home life. Plus, once you’ve burned through the entire candle, you have your own piece of decorative storage to make a part of your home.
(image from goodhousekeeping.com)
When considering each beauty brand and the partners they chose, you can understand the motivations behind the union. It could be viewed simply as a desire for better profits and expanded customer reach. It could be seen as beauty companies dipping their toes into the lifestyle waters, wanting to expand and burst the bubble they’ve kept to in the past years and build hype for their brands. As noted earlier, merch is a way for customers to show their enthusiasm for a brand and for brands, in turn, to increase their visibility and strengthen customer loyalty under the guise of fostering community. According to Glossy, in 2021 several brand owners reported that the demand for merch has actually come from customers. Companies leveraged this fandom by turning customers into "ambassadors" of the brand. "People like to support brands that they believe in and that share their same values, and that’s been especially true over the past year," said Amy Liu, founder of Tower 28, a makeup brand that’s also sold sweat sets and bucket hats. Adds Charlotte Cho, founder of skincare brand Then I Met You, "Our community had been asking for [sweatshirts] since we launched. They love our signature periwinkle color, and they wanted us to make everything from candles to cozy sweaters. It took us years to find the right color and quality of our periwinkle pullovers, and when we launched, we were met with so much excitement and enthusiasm from our community…When a community resonates with your brand, they want to incorporate it into their lifestyle and be an ambassador of the brand."
(images from milled and thenimetyou.com)
No matter where this trend came from, it’s going in the direction of redefining what we deem beautiful. The beauty industry is sneaking its way into lifestyle categories, making you forget why you came to that specific makeup brand in the first place. You showed up for the transformative products, the vibes of a brand that match your own, and the "bigger message" that the brand displays through their goals and values. But now, you’re here for the underwear, the hair accessories, the candles, the shoes, the stickers, and whatever else is on the horizon, no matter how far from beauty it seems.
*Of course, non-makeup merch isn’t a new idea. A few examples: Avon has been selling everything from mugs and figurines to figurines at least since the 1960s, and Elizabeth Arden started selling ceramic trinkets by themselves (i.e. not as gifts-with-purchase) in the late 1970s. Around the same time, Helena Rubinstein, in collaboration with Unives, created an eyewear line to coordinate with the company’s latest eye shadow colors. And both Harriet Hubbard Ayer and Revlon partnered with the Ideal Toy Company to produce children’s dolls for their respective brands in the 1950s.
Links for the lovely long days of June.
– Unlike most other digital makeup, this actually seems fun.
– Move over, rainbow makeup. Here's a little piece on the importance of glitter for the LGBTQ+ community.
– In makeup history, L'Officiel had a fairly accurate, concise history of contouring.
– The acne positivity movement is gaining traction.
– Two predictions I made earlier are coming true: lipstick sales (and cosmetics sales in general) are taking off as the pandemic eases and makeup experimentation is continuing to rise.
– Do you remember the woman who got Gorilla Glue stuck to her scalp? I'm pleased to report she found a way to monetize the incident. With what she went through I'm glad she's making some money off it.
– Estée Lauder is getting into the men's makeup game.
This is why I don't trust the bulk of online reviews.
– Talk about a multi-use product.
The random:
– My former favorite band released yet another bad album. Admittedly I only listened to two songs from it, but that was more than enough for me. I feel so lost without them. 🙁
– On a happier note, how adorable was the winner of the Westminster Kennel Club show? Wasabi is a Pekingnese, not a pug, but still precious.
– Loved this roundup of vintage mermaid illustrations.
– Not traveling any time soon, but if I were it would be to New York to see this exhibition of sparkly jewelry animals and to London to see a show on Bridget Riley.
– I asked Museum staff to make a rainbow for Pride Month in exchange for some cookies. They were pretty happy to oblige, especially since I made their favorite summery cookies: lime sea-salt chocolate chunk.
How's your summer going?
I really enjoyed the shorter bits of history that appeared between chapters in Lisa Eldridge's Face Paint. I liked the idea so much, in fact, that I decided to steal it and use it for my '90s makeup history book. Prom makeup is just one of the many featurettes I want to include. And I realize that prom season has come and gone by this point, but I'm still thinking how crazy it is that I graduated high school and attended my senior prom 25 years ago this spring! So with that, let's see what pop culture and magazine editorials were recommending in terms of prom makeup. Obviously this isn't meant to be an exhaustive list of every '90s prom look ever and how they compare to today's styles, nor is it a philosophical examination of prom and its greater cultural or social significance, especially for teenage girls. This post is really more of a nostalgic snapshot, especially since sources were hard to find. There are tons of vintage prom photos online but the makeup is barely visible, either because analog photos rarely translate well to digital images or because they were taken at a distance. Very few clear, closeup images of old prom makeup exist, so I had to rely mostly on magazines, movies and TV episodes and they weren't great quality either. Also, I credited where I could, but not all information was available for every photo.
Overall, the decade followed the general makeup trends of the time. As a sort of backlash to the bright colors and general excess of the '80s, from about 1990-1994 the majority of prom looks featured minimal, barely perceptible makeup.
Minimal prom looks from Seventeen Magazine, 1992 (left) and 1991 (right). Credits for 1992: Hair – Hubert Cartier and Gili. Makeup: Timothy Metz. Photography: Wayne Stambler. Credits for 1991: Hair – Rodney Groves; Makeup – Timothy Metz; Photography – Tierney Gearon.
Sassy Magazine, 1993. Hair – Daniel Howell; Makeup – Wei Lang; Photography – David Jensen
Are these girls even wearing makeup?! I guess they are since the credits list a makeup artist, but it's nearly invisible.
YM Magazine prom edition, 1994. Credits for top photos: Hair – Christopher Lockhart for Sarah Laird; Makeup – Christy Coleman for Jed Root, Inc. Credits for bottom photos: Hair – Brent Lavent for Celestine; Makeup – Laura Jadro for Visage; Photography – Carlo Dalla Chiesa
YM Magazine prom edition, 1994. Hair – Christopher Lockhart for Sarah Laird; Makeup – Mathew Sky for Vartali Salon. Makeup by Maybelline.
Sassy Magazine, March 1994. Hair – Daniel Howell for Oribe; Makeup – Regina Harris; Photography – Cathrine Wessel
Julia Stiles's character in 1999's 10 Things I Hate About You opted for a minimal look for prom, but this might have been more of a stylistic choice to go match her personality rather than a reflection of late '90s trends. Kat Stratford would never go for the glitter, frost and pastel colors that were popular towards the end of the decade.
Julia Stiles as Kat Stratford in 10 Things I Hate About You, 1999. Makeup artist: Martin 'Vinnie' Hagood
Another trend early on was a return to old school glam. Red matte lips, with or without a winged liner but always keeping the rest of the face neutral, was a popular choice.
Kelly (Jennie Garth) and Brenda (Shannen Doherty) in Beverly Hills, 90210 "Spring Dance" episode, 1990. Key makeup artist – Sheree Morgan; makeup artist – Alex Proctor.
Seventeen Magazine, March 1991. Hair – Gabriel Saba for John Sahag Salon; Makeup – Jacqui Lefton; Photographer – Dewey Nicks; Model – Limor Luss
Kellie Martin in Seventeen Magazine, March 1992. Hair – Patrick Melville for MCM Salon; Makeup – Tracy Sondern; Photography – Bico Stupakoff
Sassy Magazine, March 1995. Hair – Diane Wiedenmann; Makeup – Sharon Gault for Cloutier
Again, as with 10 Things I Hate About You's Kat, I think Heather's (Mena Suvari) red lip more a stylistic choice to better suit the character rather than part of a real-world trend. (Sorry about the lack of quality in this photo, I couldn't find a decent shot anywhere. Also, no fewer than 7 makeup artists for American Pie are listed at IMDB so it's not clear who chose her look.)
Just based on these candids from YM's prom issues, it seems like a lot of girls opted for a red lip or the minimal look for prom for 1993 and 1994.
YM Magazine prom edition, 1993
YM Magazine prom edition, 1994
There was also a somewhat odd combination of soft smoky matte grey or brown shadow and a desaturated but noticeable lip color. I don't really remember this look, probably because I can't say that the early '90s take on a smoky eye is a look I enjoy. It just looks flat and muddy, plus very amateur despite the professional application. It's like someone dipped their fingers into shadow, swiped them across their lids, added a touch of mascara and declared their eye makeup finished. Which would be fine with different textures and shades, but matte shadow in these colors requires some definition.
Seventeen Magazine, March 1992
YM Magazine prom edition 1993
My opinion is that it suits nobody, not even Heidi Klum.
YM Magazine prom edition 1994. Credits for left photo: Gerald DeCock for Louis Licari Color Group; Makeup – Christy Coleman for Jed Root, Inc. Credits for right photo: Hair – Lawrence DePalma for Pierre Michel Salon; Makeup – Christy Coleman for Jed Root, Inc. Model: Heidi Klum
A monochromatic face is surprisingly artistic and flattering if there's variation in textures and finishes between eyes, cheeks and lips. Matte brown shadow with seemingly no other eye makeup besides a hint of mascara and paired with a warm, orange-brown lip isn't great on most people. Case in point: these prom looks from the March 1994 issue of Seventeen. I know they were really meant to show the hairstyle, but they are so boring! Plus it looks awful on the skin tone of the particular model that was chosen – the poor thing looks like the life got sucked out of her. This combination only works on very specific coloring.
Seventeen Magazine, March 1994. Hair – Mara Schiavetti; Makeup – Cindy Joseph
Matte, one-dimensional shadow works if the eyeliner is noticeably darker and there is a contrast in tone for the lip color, as in YM's 1993 prom editorial.
YM Magazine prom edition, 1993. Model: Lana Ogilvie. Makeup Artist: Craig Gadson for Cover Girl.
But there is hope. Around 1996 is when we start to see a move away from matte textures and neutral shades. Bring on the metallics, the frost, the GLITTER!!
Seventeen Magazine, March 1997. Hair – Dennis DeVoy for Garren New York; Makeup – Kiyoshi for Oribe Salon; Photography – Iris Brosch
Seventeen Magazine, March 1999
Seventeen Magazine, March 1999
Seventeen Magazine, March 1999
Seventeen Magazine, March 1997. Hair – Matthew Williams; Makeup – Virginia Carde; Still life photos – Aimeé Herring; Model photos – Olivia Graham
There were literally dozens of makeup artists who worked on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, so I'm not sure who was responsible for Buffy's prom makeup, which consisted of a soft silvery grey eyeshadow and pearly pink gloss.
Sarah Michelle Gellar in "The Prom" episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 1999
Complexion-wise, foundation was less heavy and flat. Even though the early '90s embraced the minimal look, skin still looked a bit dull. There were also few glossy lips to be found. The later part of the decade witnessed a shift towards fresher-looking skin (perhaps more blush added to this effect) and the rise of super shiny lips, which would continue into the early 2000s.
Seventeen Magazine, March 1997. Hair – Matthew Williams; Makeup – Virginia Carde; Still life photos – Aimeé Herring; Model photos – Olivia Graham
Also, there was interest in color again – no longer was the palette limited mostly to red, pink, grey and brown. Blue, peach, yellow, violet and green peeked their eager little faces out for the first time in what seemed like ages.
Sassy Magazine, March 1996
Sassy Magazine, March 1996
Sassy Magazine, March 1996
Seventeen Magazine, March 1997. Hair – Dennis DeVoy for Garren New York; Makeup – Kiyoshi for Oribe Salon; Photography – Iris Brosch
Seventeen Magazine, March 1998. Hair – Kevin Woon; Makeup – Kiyoshi; Photography – Marc Baptiste
Seventeen Magazine, March 1998. Hair – Kevin Woon; Makeup – Kiyoshi; Photography – Marc Baptiste
I really wish I could have found better photos of the makeup in prom scenes from movies and TV. (Seriously though, what was up with all the prom sequences in films from 1999? It seems nearly every teen movie made that year had one.) In these stills that I screenshotted and tried to brighten from She's All That you can sort of make out Laney's violet eyeshadow and browbone highlight.
Rachel Leigh Cook as Laney Boggs in She's All That, 1999. Head makeup artist – Felicity Bowring; Makeup artists – Raqueli Dahan, Jane Galli and Lisa Layman
Meanwhile, mean girl Taylor Vaughan (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe) rocked a monochromatic gold look, complete with face and body glitter. Peak '90s!
And let's not forget Courtney's epic frosty blue eyeshadow in 1999's Jawbreaker. Once again there was a huge makeup department so whose idea it was I'm not sure.
Now there were some trends that appeared in various iterations throughout the whole decade rather than being confined to certain years. Pink reigned supreme for prom makeup in the '90s. Whether it was full-on bubblegum or a more natural, "romantic" look, rosy hues were a staple.
YM Magazine prom edition 1992. Hair – Brian Devine, Oribe at Elizabeth Arden; Makeup – Melissa Rogers
Kellie Martin in Seventeen Magazine, March 1992. Hair – Patrick Melville for MCM Salon; Makeup – Tracy Sondern; Photography – Bico Stupakoff
Sassy Magazine, March 1992. Hair – Colleen Creighton for Pierre Michel; Makeup – Lutz; Photography – Steven Miller
Sassy Magazine, March 1992. Hair – Colleen Creighton for Pierre Michel; Makeup – Lutz; Photography – Steven Miller
Sassy Magazine, March 1994. Hair – Daniel Howell for Oribe; Makeup – Regina Harris; Photography – Cathrine Wessel
YM Magazine prom edition, 1994
YM Magazine prom edition, 1994. Hair – Gerald DeCock for Louis Licari Color Group; Makeup – Mara Schiavetti for Jean Owen
Sassy Magazine, March 1995. Hair – Diane Wiedenmann; Makeup – Sharon Gault for Cloutier
Sassy Magazine, March 1996
Seventeen Magazine, March 1997. Hair – Matthew Williams; Makeup – Virginia Carde; Still life photos – Aimeé Herring; Model photos – Olivia Graham
Seventeen Magazine, March 1999
Sixties-inspired makeup also seemed to be a popular pick in both the early and later parts of the decade.
Seventeen Magazine, March 1991. Credits: Hair – Rodney Groves; Makeup – Timothy Metz; Photography – Tierney Gearon
Seventeen Magazine, March 1991. Credits: Hair – Rodney Groves; Makeup – Timothy Metz; Photography – Tierney Gearon
YM Magazine prom edition 1992
Seventeen Magazine, March 1991. Hair – Gabriel Saba for John Sahag Salon; Makeup – Jacqui Lefton; Photographer – Dewey Nicks
Seventeen Magazine, March 1994. Hair – Debbie Horgan; Makeup – Lorraine Leckie; Photography – Troy House
The most outrageous example is possibly from 1999's Never Been Kissed. It's like '60s mod meets Evening Gown Barbie, Disco Barbie and Malibu Barbie, respectively (at least, according to the characters).
Never Been Kissed, 1999 with Kristin (Marley Shelton), Kirsten (Jessica Alba) and Gibby (Jordan Ladd). Makeup dept. head – Kimberly Greene; Makeup artists: Joni Powell and Lyssa Wittlin Baumert
Yours truly opted for the more subtle look. Yup, that's the Curator at age 17, doing her best impression of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's for her senior prom. I eschewed my usual dark plum lip in favor of Holly Golightly's pale pink, and though you can't make it out in this old picture, I also had some pretty serious feline eyeliner. (I actually am a disaster at winged liner; my sister's friend did my makeup). Too bad I had to ruin my updo by adding the ever-present '90s tendril…then again, the bangs were already atrocious. But I loved my makeup, gloves, jewelry (shout-out to Y necklaces!), and dress. I really regret getting rid of those last two.
Finally, grunge, goth and punk influences occasionally emerged from subculture status on a decade-wide basis.
Sassy Magazine, March 1993. Hair – Daniel Howell. Makeup – Wei Lang. Photography – David Jensen
Seventeen Magazine, March 1997. Hair – Pasquale Ferrante; Makeup – Susan McCarthy for Shu Uemura; Photography – Grey Zisser
The models aren't named in these next two photos but I'm almost positive I spy Alexis Bledel.
Seventeen Magazine, March 1998. Hair – Kevin Woon; Makeup – Kiyoshi; Photography – Marc Baptiste
Seventeen Magazine, March 1998. Hair – Kevin Woon; Makeup – Kiyoshi; Photography – Marc Baptiste
There were a handful of exceptions to all the usual looks. In one feature from YM's 1993 prom edition, a red lip was paired with a pale gold shadow rather than brown or grey and it actually looks like some blush was applied. I would absolutely wear this today (minus the skinny brows, of course.)
Hair – Howard Barr for Celestine; Makeup – Wendy Osmundson for Cloutier; Model – Melissa Billingsly.
These next two looks had some appealing contrast between eyes and lips. While the eyebrow shapes are firmly '90s, the mix of either cool purple or silver shadow with a satin-finish plum or pink lip falls outside the usual trends from the era.
YM Magazine prom edition, 1993. Hair – Phillippe Barr for Salon Ziba; Makeup – Kelly Quan for Sarah Laird.
YM Magazine prom edition 1992. Hair – Brian Devine, Oribe at Elizabeth Arden; Makeup – Melissa Rogers
And here's another monochromatic gold look, but it's several years ahead of its time.
Seventeen Magazine, March 1994
But there weren't really many outliers. Overall, prom makeup in the '90s seemed very much a microcosm of the larger trends of the decade. It was a little disappointing not to uncover any totally atypical looks (although I do think the late '90s was way more fun than the start of the decade). But I'm guessing the big magazines and movie studios/TV shows weren't going to push much unconventional prom makeup or feature anyone who wore it, and those who would opt for more daring looks on a regular basis probably weren't going to prom. Fortunately, mainstream media has somewhat caught on to a new aesthetic. The styles are very safe in most magazine covers and online content. The looks are nice and definitely updated from the '90s, but they are, shall we say, basic, or mimicking "Instagram" style makeup. However, a closer look suggests there is experimental, Euphoria-type makeup being recommended, such as the incorporation of embellishments (flowers, gems, etc.), graphic liner in a bright color, or creative use of glitter. For example, compare several of Seventeen's recent prom covers with their online recommendations, or the fairly unremarkable cover look on Teen Vogue's 2014 prom issue with the far more interesting editorial inside. (Diversity in terms of race and body shape/size still needs work.)
Seventeen Magazine prom edition – 2015, 2016 and 2019 covers
Seventeen Magazine prom looks featured online, 2020
(images from seventeen.com)
Teen Vogue April 2014
Teen Vogue 2014 prom editorial. Hair – Rutger using Oribe; Makeup – Ralph Siciliano using Lancome; Photography – Greg Harris
(images from streeters.com)
I was very relieved to see these looks, as I was horrified at the possibility of Gen Z'ers receiving the same advice that me and my fellow Gen X'ers did, i.e., to play it safe. In my day prom was akin to one's wedding in terms of makeup (which is another whole disturbing can of worms that I don't want to open right now.) The most common tips for both occasions were to play up one feature only, stay away from using multiple colors, and don't deviate much from your everyday look, along with a bunch of tricks to help one's makeup last longer. Ho-hum.
Not surprised by Bobbi advocating for safe makeup.
If simple and natural is your style, or you don't want to try anything too wild for a big occasion, great! But I'd like it if makeup that actually takes risks were as normalized as looks featuring minimal makeup.
While this hasn't been the most insightful post, a glimpse of '90s prom makeup serves as a good refresher on the decade and helps give more context to the trends. Plus as a print junkie, it was insanely fun to flip through old magazines. (The movies did not hold up well..although honestly even at the time they were fairly problematic.) It kind of makes me want to do a whole book or exhibition on prom makeup from all decades. 😉
Any favorite looks here? Did you attend any proms or formals in high school and if so, do you remember your makeup or have any photos you'd be willing to share?
Once again my schedule got completely off track. There's a lot going on behind the scenes and we'll just have to wait and see if neglecting the blog pays off. Anyway, here are some very late links.
– May was AAPI month, so familiarize yourself with these historic Asian beauty rituals before you partake in them and consider how racism towards Asians plays a part in beauty trends. It's true – I could write an entire book on the fetishization/othering of Asian women and culture in beauty campaigns.
– Allure has a good piece on the lack of fat representation in the beauty industry – a reminder that diversity and inclusion don't refer only to skintone or gender, but size as well. (I also think the industry is still doing a crappy job when it comes to regularly featuring anyone over the age of 35.)
– Now that the pandemic is on its way out (hopefully!), a lot of industry folks are looking into their crystal ball to see what post-COVID beauty trends might look like. Thankfully, it seems that color cosmetics will make a full recovery. This is confirmed by the spate of new brands sprouting up. Fashion aficionados will get both high and low-end fixes for their makeup cravings from Valentino's and Zara's new lines, while film company A24 (the one behind some of the creepiest horror films ever) is developing a line based on the hit show Euphoria. Also, former baseball player Alex Rodriguez debuted a men's makeup line.
– Speaking of which, the lovely Shybiker thoughtfully sent me a hard copy of this New York Times article on men wearing makeup. I can't say I agreed with everything, but it's a good summary of the current men's beauty landscape (manscape?).
– Wish I could see this installation sponsored partially by Chantecaille, who partnered with a UK-based charity to launch a public artwork project called Co-Existence. Over 100 elephant sculptures were made by indigenous communities in Southern India and transported to London, where they will roam throughout the city through the end of July. At the end of the project the elephants will be auctioned off and the proceeds will go local, community-focused conservation and land protection programs in South Asia. Corporate philanthropy is often bullshit, but Chantecaille seems to be doing it right.
– "Blue beauty" sounds about as legitimate as green beauty, but I'm happy to buy anything that is less harmful to mermaids.
– The Museum doesn't cover fragrance, but I do wear and enjoy perfume. One of my all-time favorites turned 20 years old this year. I had nearly forgotten about it since it's long discontinued, but fortunately I Need This Unicorn had the entire history of every Escada summer fragrance ever released. It was such a great trip down memory lane and extremely useful for those researching perfume!
The random:
– Utterly thrilled to see that the spirit of riot grrrl lives on in a new generation.
– In '90s nostalgia, a lock of Kurt Cobain's hair fetched over $14,000 at auction, while Friends finally got around to a reunion.
– The Nation had a thought-provoking exploration of the movement to abolish museums. I'm still confused as to how that would work in real life, but it's an interesting concept regardless.
– In addition to the mermaid obsession, when I was little I also was endlessly fascinated by jellyfish. But I didn't know until now that there's a species can live basically forever.
How was the month of May for you? Are you excited for summer? I'm not because I probably have to go back to the office soon, but at least I got fully vaccinated and was able to hug my parents for the first time in over a year.
Links for one of the most miserable months of the year. Good riddance, January!
– Sephora unveiled an action plan to eliminate racial bias in their stores. Let's hope they keep the public informed on their progress. Ditto for L'oreal's new partnership with the NAACP and a ban on animal testing in the EU.
– In accessibility news, here are some new makeup brushes designed for people with vision and motor impairments.
– You know I'm obsessed with vintage makeup ads and can spend hours dissecting the harmful messages they embodied, so I'm loving these reimagined ones featuring diverse models.
– Refinery29 had an interesting piece on the meaning of tacky makeup for fat women.
– The future is here: more developments are on the horizon for AI and AR in beauty.
– Not sure how I feel about my favorite magazine opening a store in NY. Guess I'll have to check it out and see if/when the pandemic ever ends.
– Undereye circles, both exaggerated versions of natural circles and wildly colorful ones, are making the rounds on TikTok. (BTW, the Museum has a Tiktok account but no clue what to post…I'm open to suggestions.) Not all are enthusiastic about the trend, however.
– You knew "regencycore" makeup only a matter of time thanks to Bridgerton.
– Vogue has an ode to a '90s cosmetics staple. Can you believe I didn't own a Caboodles? If I recall correctly it's because even when I was a teenager I hoarded collected makeup and I knew it wouldn't all fit.
– Inaugural beauty: the always fashionable former First Lady Michelle Obama wore Fenty and Pat McGrath makeup to President Biden's inauguration, and a makeup artist turned the Bernie meme into lip art.
– It was Christian Dior's birthday on January 21, so to celebrate I took a picture of nearly all the Museum's 5-Couleurs eyeshadow palettes. Of course I managed to forget one. Oh well. They still look pretty. 🙂
The random:
– In '90s nostalgia, Silence of the Lambs turned 30, and for some reason one hit wonders New Radicals performed, well, their one hit at the inauguration.
– Museums' new purposes apparently include serving as vaccination centers and sites for Bernie memes (yes, I had to mention the memes a second time.) Still, I'd take those over "for-profit experiential art centers", which in my opinion are not actually museums.
– Who came up with this monstrosity? I love candy and I love Kraft Mac 'n' Cheese, but the two together sound positively putrid.
– At least this made me laugh. The resemblance is uncanny!
How was the first month of 2021 for you?
It's nice to return to Curator's Corner, hopefully I can keep it up in 2020.
– Why I'm just discovering this book on Maybelline's history is beyond me, but in any case I'd like to check it out.
– Ditto for this amazing blog. I have no idea how our paths didn't cross sooner, but the author recently reached out to me regarding the Sweet Tooth exhibition, and as it turns out we are nearly identical in how we perceive beauty trends and which ones stand out to us. Saffron has written extensively on food and dessert-themed beauty, but also on cutesy makeup that seems to be intended more for children than adults (see my 2011 Child's Play post) and makeup marketed and packaged as art supplies (a topic I touched on briefly in 2016 and am hoping to unveil an exhibition of later this year). She's also tackled topics I've had in my drafts folder for years, like apothecary-inspired beauty, CBD products, and zodiac-inspired beauty (you know I love vintage zodiac compacts and there are so many more zodiac-themed products nowadays so I've been wanting to do a full roundup!) Plus she's really into design/packaging and vintage makeup too. Her "Highlights" feature is like Curator's Corner, and sometimes we even do the same color trends. I found my beauty twin! So yeah, go add her blog to your bookmarks and feed reader.
– More good content comes from Dazed Beauty, including a piece on the weirdest beauty trends from 2019, a critique of Frida Kahlo-themed tweezers, an article on why we get attached to certain makeup items (or in my case, all makeup items) and a review of a new film called Toxic Beauty, which is just like it sounds – highlighting the harmful ingredients used in cosmetics and the industry's lack of regulation.
– I love yellow so naturally I was feeling this graffiti-inspired look at Dior. I'm less excited about the commodification of mental health care in the name of "wellness" and "self-care" in the beauty industry.
– Sometimes I try to do a trend review at the end of the year, but that clearly wasn't happening in 2019. Instead, please enjoy these links on the biggest trends of 2019 as well as the decade. One "trend", if you can call it that, that I'd like to leave behind is influencer drama. I'm not big on influencers anyway and frankly, I don't care what they're fighting about. It's irritating that it gets press coverage when there are so many other topics that need attention.
– We can't have a trend roundup without looking ahead to the following year, so here are some forecasts. I'll also throw in my prediction that merch will continue to be huge among beauty brands. Along with color-changing cosmetics and the crystal-themed beauty trend, it's yet another topic I want to cover in 2020.
The random:
– The next installment of Makeup Museum Musings will be on either inclusivity or the definition of museums. This piece at Jezebel came in handy for background research for both topics.
– As a Gen-X'er who started having problems sleeping a few years ago, I need to buy this book ASAP. You might also remember the author as the woman behind the long-gone '90swoman.com, where I wrote a guest post on '90s beauty well before the resurgence we're experiencing now.
– Speaking of that magical decade, Alanis Morissette has announced she's touring with Liz Phair and Garbage in honor of Jagged Little Pill's 25th anniversary. Plus, for those of us who still pine away for the days of VHS and Blockbuster, this guy opened a video store in his basement.
– One good thing from 2019 was the arrival of Baby Yoda. Makeup Museum staff is worried that I think he's cuter than they are so I have to make them extra cookies as reassurance.
And here's a summary of the year on the personal front. Usually I try to keep the personal stuff to a minimum, but since the Museum is a one-woman show, my personal life inevitably affects Museum business. In 2019 the following took place:
– My father had a massive stroke in March and has not recovered the way we were hoping. We had no illusions – we knew recovery would not be a straight line and that he wouldn't be the same – but nearly 10 months out he has shown little improvement from the initial episode and is still severely limited physically and cognitively. It was a bad stroke to begin with, but my father had the added misfortune of developing every conceivable complication and setback. He is currently getting a second chance in another acute rehab facility, but if he is not able to do basic movements by the end of his stay (such as transferring himself from bed to wheelchair, etc.) he will require full-time care.
– Speaking of home, my parents no longer have one. My mother was not thinking clearly (obviously seeing your formerly healthy and totally independent partner of over 50 years go downhill so quickly and then not improve is beyond devastating) and over the summer sold the house she and my dad owned for 43 years. This was my childhood home and where I spent every Christmas, even as an adult, so my eyes swelled shut from crying so much on Christmas Eve as we spent it in the hospital rather than the house.
– As a result from a nasty fall and broken arm a week before Christmas of 2018, my mother required surgery in June to repair the damaged nerve as she had lost use of her left hand. We are glad the surgery went well and she has regained full use of her hand, but that fall back in late 2018 was definitely an omen of worse things to come. Plus, having surgery while also taking care of one's spouse who is recovering from a severe stroke is not exactly good timing.
– A few weeks after my mother's surgery my grandmother died. My father did not attend the funeral and it's unclear if he fully understood that his mother passed away.
– This isn't a big deal, but it upset me nonetheless. My favorite band put out a terrible album. Maybe if my dad hadn't had the stroke I wouldn't have taken it so hard, but there seemed to be a parallel between what happened to him and what happened to the band. It's like they've been replaced by an imposter. Sure, we get glimpses of how they used to be, there are some moments where they're recognizable, but for the most part they're shells of their former selves. Every time I look at my dad I think, "That's not him, where is he?" So the same with Sleater-Kinney – it didn't sound anything like the band I knew and loved for so many years. I bought tickets for a DC show before I heard the album and ended up not going. The unique energy and pure magic they made was entirely absent. And now that their drummer left they will never be the same…again, just like how my dad will never be the same.
– Finally, as one last fuck-you from this miserable year, a group of rather unethical entrepreneurs decided it would be a hoot to steal the Museum's name and proclaim to be the "world's first" museum devoted to makeup. And there are a slew of other copycats starting cosmetics museums but all claiming to be the first and only makeup museum, which is obviously ridiculous as even my museum isn't the first! And it certainly isn't the only one either. I found out about most of these entities back in March, literally the day before my father had the stroke – another premonition. Given his health issues I was unable to deal with the situation swiftly which only made it worse. I may elaborate on the whole disaster at another time in a separate post but for now I'm waiting until I get more information from my attorneys. I am also in the process of hiring a PR firm. If anyone knows of a good social media strategist do let me know.
TLDR; the Curator got her ass kicked repeatedly and thoroughly in 2019 and that's why things around the Museum were so quiet. I don't know what's going to happen in 2020, but even though I feel like I've already lost, I know I'm not giving up on the Museum without a fight so I am going to try my best to explore the topics and exhibitions I’ve been wanting to cover. And by the way, if anyone tells me that it could be worse and that I should be grateful for the things I didn't lose in the shitshow that was 2019, they will be met with a forceful punch to the throat. I am grateful and well aware of how much worse things could be – in fact, because I fully recognize this could very well be the year or decade that I lose another close family member, my home, my job, my collection, I'm terrified of what's to come on this dark timeline I can't seem to escape. I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop…and at the same time I’m throwing myself full force into Museum projects while I still have the opportunity.
Please tell me you had a better 2019 than I did! Despite my sad ramblings, I hope you stick around and continue to support the Museum in 2020 and beyond.