London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jan 07, 2026

Top Beauty Trends of Each Decade of the Past Century

Top Beauty Trends of Each Decade of the Past Century

Have you ever felt like you were born in the wrong decade? Well, here's a beauty blast from the past that might fuel your nostalgia as L'OFFICIEL recaps the top beauty trend of each decade.

Much like fashion fads, beauty trends go in and out of style. The last 100 years has seen its fair share of fails when it comes to funky makeup looks and wild hairdos. From over-plucked brows to brown lipstick, it is clear that trendsetters of the past were willing to try anything once. However, among the many strange trends, there are countless iconic ones. We know that style is cyclical, so who knows? In a year we might be embracing Twiggy-inspired eyelashes all over again. Moreover, nostalgic looks have been wholly embraced by the mainstream-everyone wants to channel their inner personal '90s off-duty model. In celebration of the vast array of trends that have emerged out of the past century, join L'OFFICIEL in looking back on the most notable beauty trends of each decade.

1920s: Finger Wave Hair




Finger waves were developed in the 1920s as the go-to hairstyle for the Flapper, a young liberated women who moved against the grain of society. The wavy style intended to soften the appearance of bobbed hairstyles. It was achieved by using a wet comb and, of course, one's fingers. At this point in history, curling irons were not yet invented, causing the process of creating fingerwaves to be very complex.

1930s: Thin Eyebrows




This is one beauty trend we just can't seem to shake. However, the women of the 1930s can take credit for its inception. During this decade, eyebrows were styled with a rounded upward bend. The trend was inspired by the women who appeared in silent films. Their eyebrows were made thin to help emphasize their facial expressions.

1940s: Victory Rolls




Victory rolls were especially popular during World War II. Some say that the circular curls were meant to imitate the aerobatic maneuvers of planes that would spin horizontally in the sky as a sign of victory or celebration.

1950s: Red Lips


By the 1950s, people began to embrace color, so red lips naturally became in vogue. At first, red lips were closely linked with women who embraced sensuality and beauty. Stars such as Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe were some of the first to wear red lipstick, making the bold trend synonymous with Hollywood and glamour.



1960s: Twiggy Lashes




Infamous supermodel, Twiggy, is recognized for her many contributions to makeup. From bold eyeshadow to dramatic eyelashes, the trendsetter was the face of every fashion and beauty trend that graced the '60s. Her intense eyelashes were especially imitated by everyone, everywhere.

1970s: Pastel Eyeshadow




The 1970s brought about the birth of retro. Funky colors and crazy shapes came together to create an evocative and youthful way of dressing that enegrized young people all around the world. Consequently, pastel eyeshadow became an essential component of daily style.

1980s: Neon Lips




Madonna has set countless trends throughout her career, but neon lips may have been her first. The singer's affinity towards a bold lip was admired and reproduced by many. The neon trend, however, was not just limited to lips—people incorporated bright colors into their daily wardrobes as well.

1990s: Crimped Hair




Christina Aguilera, Tyra Banks, and Beyoncé are just a few style icons that rocked crimped locks during the '90s. This unexpected trend was the perfect precursor to Y2K fashion.

2000s: Thin Brows (Again)




And...they're back! In the 2000s, thin eyebrows were popularized once again by celebrites like Gwen Stefani, Angelina Jolie, and Kate Moss.

2010s: Bold Brows




The 2010s had enough with over-plucked brows, so bold and bushy eyebrows emerged as the newest fad. When the British supermodel Cara Delevingne took to the runway with her intense stare and thick brows the world went crazy. People began to embrace their natural shape and let their brows remain unwaxed and untouched.

2020s: Glowy Skin




The 2020s have decide that matte is out and shiny is in. If your makeup doesn't resemble a glazed donut, you're doing it wrong. With an emphasis on skincare and a collective movement towards serum-based products and highlighters, glowy skin is evidently this decade's main priority.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Béla Tarr, Visionary Hungarian Filmmaker, Dies at Seventy After Long Illness
UK and France Pledge Military Hubs Across Ukraine in Post-Ceasefire Security Plan
Prince Harry Poised to Regain UK Security Cover, Clearing Way for Family Visits
UK Junk Food Advertising Ban Faces Major Loophole Allowing Brand-Only Promotions
Maduro’s Arrest Without The Hague Tests International Law—and Trump’s Willingness to Break It
German Intelligence Secretly Intercepted Obama’s Air Force One Communications
The U.S. State Department’s account in Persian: “President Trump is a man of action. If you didn’t know it until now, now you do—do not play games with President Trump.”
Fake Mainstream Media Double Standard: Elon Musk Versus Mamdani
HSBC Leads 2026 Mortgage Rate Cuts as UK Lending Costs Ease
US Joint Chiefs Chairman Outlines How Operation Absolute Resolve Was Carried Out in Venezuela
Starmer Welcomes End of Maduro Era While Stressing International Law and UK Non-Involvement
Korean Beauty Turns Viral Skincare Into a Global Export Engine
UK Confirms Non-Involvement in U.S. Military Action Against Venezuela
UK Terror Watchdog Calls for Australian-Style Social Media Ban to Protect Teenagers
Iranian Protests Intensify as Another Revolutionary Guard Member Is Killed and Khamenei Blames the West
Delta Force Identified as Unit Behind U.S. Operation That Captured Venezuela’s President
Europe’s Luxury Sanctions Punish Russian Consumers While a Sanctions-Circumvention Industry Thrives
Berkshire’s Buffett-to-Abel Transition Tests Whether a One-Man Trust Model Can Survive as a System
Fraud in European Central Bank: Lagarde’s Hidden Pay Premium Exposes a Transparency Crisis at the European Central Bank
Trump Announces U.S. Large-Scale Strike on Venezuela, Declares President Maduro and Wife Captured
Tesla Loses EV Crown to China’s BYD After Annual Deliveries Decline in 2025
UK Manufacturing Growth Reaches 15-Month Peak as Output and Orders Improve in December
Beijing Threatened to Scrap UK–China Trade Talks After British Minister’s Taiwan Visit
Newly Released Files Reveal Tony Blair Pressured Officials Over Iraq Death Case Involving UK Soldiers
Top Stocks and Themes to Watch in 2026 as Markets Enter New Year with Fresh Momentum
No UK Curfew Ordered as Deepfake TikTok Falsely Attributes Decree to Prime Minister Starmer
Europe’s Largest Defence Groups Set to Return Nearly Five Billion Dollars to Shareholders in Twenty Twenty-Five
Abu Dhabi ‘Capital of Capital’: How Abu Dhabi Rose as a Sovereign Wealth Power
Diamonds Are Powering a New Quantum Revolution
Trump Threatens Strikes Against Iran if Nuclear Programme Is Restarted
Apple Escalates Legal Fight by Appealing £1.5 Billion UK Ruling Over App Store Fees
UK Debt Levels Sit Mid-Range Among Advanced Economies Despite Rising Pressures
UK Plans Royal Diplomacy with King Charles and Prince William to Reinvigorate Trade Talks with US
King Charles and Prince William Poised for Separate 2026 US Visits to Reinforce UK-US Trade and Diplomatic Ties
Apple Moves to Appeal UK Ruling Ordering £1.5 Billion in Customer Overcharge Damages
King Charles’s 2025 Christmas Message Tops UK Television Ratings on Christmas Day
The Battle Over the Internet Explodes: The United States Bars European Officials and Ignites a Diplomatic Crisis
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Join Royal Family at Sandringham Christmas Service
Fine Wine Investors Find Little Cheer in Third Year of Falls
UK Mortgage Rates Edge Lower as Bank of England Base Rate Cut Filters Through Lending Market
U.S. Supermarket Gives Customers Free Groceries for Christmas After Computer Glitch
Air India ‘Finds’ a Plane That Vanished 13 Years Ago
Caviar and Foie Gras? China Is Becoming a Luxury Food Powerhouse
Hong Kong Climbs to Second Globally in 2025 Tourism Rankings Behind Bangkok
From Sunniest Year on Record to Terror Plots and Sports Triumphs: The UK’s Defining Stories of 2025
Greta Thunberg Released on Bail After Arrest at London Pro-Palestinian Demonstration
Banksy Unveils New Winter Mural in London Amid Festive Season Excitement
UK Households Face Rising Financial Strain as Tax Increases Bite and Growth Loses Momentum
UK Government Approves Universal Studios Theme Park in Bedford Poised to Rival Disneyland Paris
UK Gambling Shares Slide as Traders Respond to Steep Tax Rises and Sector Uncertainty
×