The makeup trends that defined every decade, from the '20s to the 2010s

Beauty trends have a funny way of coming back into fashion, but not every look deserves a comeback. From the pencil-thin brows of the 1920s and the dramatic bottom lashes of the '60s to frosted lips in the Y2K era and contouring that took over our Instagram feeds in the 2010s, every decade had a signature makeup look that we couldn't get enough of. Some have found their way back into our beauty routines, while others are best left in the archives. Here's a look at the makeup trends that defined the decades, and a little question to go with them: would you wear them today?

1920s: Downturned brows

The 1920s was popularly defined by the flapper aesthetic, and a beauty look that was a staple for women in the era was the downturned brow. Living in a time where looking snatched is the goal and eyebrow lifts are the norm, it’s hard to imagine wanting to “drag down” the brows—but it was this very downward arch that made sense in the era of the silent film. The trend would trickle down to the common woman, who would eventually learn to shape the brows to replace them with a drooping, pencil-thin pair.

'30s: Defined cupid’s bow 

Following the 1920s, the 1930s beauty was characterised by the sharp cupid’s bow. Women of this era would use deep reds and burgundies to outline and define the cupid’s bow to highlight the shape of their lips. This trend would eventually meet its demise as popular culture would steer one towards a more natural-looking finished lip. 

'40s: Lips to tips match

Following a tumultuous period of war, women who had been starved of a proper beauty regime were clamouring to bring back glamour into their lives. As Hollywood entered its golden age, beauty rules were pushed towards strict symmetry. Among the dominant trends was that the colour of the nails would match the colour of the lips—often a vibrant red.

'50s pick one: An eye or a lip

The '50s was marked by the resurgence of uber-femininity after an age of practicality, translating to softer looks that favoured restraint. A creative eye or a bold lip—you had to pick one. The two could not coexist on the same face for fear of looking garish. Icons like Audrey Hepburn embodied the eye camp with a sharp cat eye paired with a natural lip, while Marilyn Monroe put her stamp on the lip, with her signature red along with softly contoured eyes.

'60s: Painted bottom lashes

The 1960s aesthetic can be hugely attributed to one person: Twiggy. The quintessential representation of the '60s Mod movement, the model's signature beauty look inspired a generation. Thick black eyeliner, doll-like eyes, pale lips, and dramatically oversized lashes defined the era, alongside a feature that stood out the most: drawing on thick bottom lashes with a pencil or a liner to further enhance the porcelain appearance.

'70s: The tanning obsession

If the previous decades favoured glamour and refinement, the '70s stepped into the sun. Old Hollywood had started to become exactly that—old. With soft, earthy tones and warm, bronzed skin becoming the standard, the tanning craze had found its way into the average beauty routine. Women seeking their go-to tanning beds to achieve the perfect golden complexion became common in the '70s. The long-term consequences of tanning, however, were ignored in favour of the immediate aesthetic reward.

'80s: Colour carousel

1980s was defined by a riot of colours. The only rule? To bend all of them. The sun-soaked look was 'elevated' with a pop music-imbued aesthetic that meant that it was okay to be the loudest in the room. This decade was defined by shades of electric blue, acid green, and fuchsia eyeshadow paired with bright coral or violet blush pulled to the temple, prioritising drama over dimension.

'90s: Skinny brow

1990s could not be more different. The look followed a stripped-back ideology, and the skinny eyebrows came first. Thinly shaped brows were plucked and tweezed to a point of severity—sharp, angular, and meticulously maintained. This was a look that required commitment, and Hollywood stars were totally invested.

2000s: Frosted lip

Following the stark contrast between the 1980s and the 1990s, the new century kept some of the muted looks while incorporating a sprinkle of colour. Nowhere was this shift more visible than the frosted lip. During the 2000s, every Disney star could be seen sporting a pale, iridescent gloss on its own or with a nude liner, at most. This was the look that would become synonymous with the Y2K aesthetic.

2010s: Contour blindness

If there was one makeup technique that had everybody in a chokehold during this decade, it was contouring. What was previously reserved for makeup artists had now been democratised by YouTube tutorials and the mere existence of the Kardashians. Using a technical combination of dark and light products to chisel out and essentially contour the face, it was all about being camera-ready as Instagram and the ubiquitous selfie started to take over.

All images: Wikimedia Commons and Getty Images

This article originally appeared in Cosmopolitan India's September-October 2026 print issue.

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