Binky's 90s Grunge Look

From sportswear to rave, Nineties style has been back on the fashion agenda recently, so this week I thought it’d revisit another favourite look from that decade – grunge.

Just as grunge fashion was all about simple, rugged designs – think plaid shirts, woolly beanies and ripped jeans – grunge beauty has a similarly unfussy and understated appeal. It’s all about dewy skin, an earthy brown eye and statement nude lips. This is the sort of laid-back prettiness made famous by Kate Moss, Drew Barrymore and other Nineties icons, and it looks just as cool today as it did back then.

The Face

A pretty beauty look like this one relies on a smooth and glowing face, so start with a good base. The look you’re after is light, youthful and fresh – bareMinerals Bareskin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation has an ultra-thin serum formula that brightens the skin without feeling heavy, creating the ideal dewy finish, especially when applied with the bareMinerals Perfecting Face Brush, which has a dipped centre perfect for creating an even, natural-looking finish.

The Eyes

Begin by dusting your entire eye socket with a fawn coloured eyeshadow to create a soft base colour – I used the warm brown shade from Guerlain’s 4 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Les Cuirs. Next, take the lighter brown shade from the same palette and define your socket line. Now take the darkest brown shade in your palette and, using a fine eyeshadow brush, blend the colour along your upper and lower lash lines.

The key to grunge beauty is its carefree, messed-up feel, which makes life very simple as you don’t need to worry about making mistakes – it’s all part of the look! To help create that slept-in-your-make-up sexiness, smudge eyeliner along your upper lash line – I used Daniel Sandler Long Lasting Waterproof Eyeliner in Black Velvet. Finally, coat your lashes with Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara to achieve a sooty-eyed finish.

The Brows

Long before Cara Delevingne, Nineties grunge girls boasted strong, defined brows, so I emphasized mine using the Too Faced Bulletproof Brows paste, applied with an angled make-up brush.

The Cheeks

The effect you’re after is fresh and dewy, so while you don’t want to feel caked in products, you still require a touch of colour to add warmth to your face and stop you looking washed-out. Smooth a touch of Daniel Sandler Watercolour Cream Bronzer in Riviera across cheeks, nose, temples and chin, aiming for a subtle finish that will give your face a lightly sunkissed glow.

The Lips

A browny-nude lip will complement your brown eyeshadow beautifully, so start by lining your lips with a Clarins Lipliner Pencil in Bay Rose. Begin at the Cupid’s bow and carefully work your way around the edge, taking the line just outside the natural line of your lips for a 90s style full pout. Finally, fill your lips in with a warm nude lipstick like Guerlain KissKiss Shaping Cream Lip Colour in Beige Booster, applied straight from the bullet.

It’s a pretty look with a tough edge, perfect for a first date or a night out. Don’t forget to keep sending in your hair and make-up ideas and requests, and I’ll try to help all your beauty dreams come true.

Until next week, stay gorgeous,
Love Binky xxx