What's Old Is New Again—The Beauty Trends Staging A Return

In unsettling times, we naturally reach for things that bring us comfort. From rewatching your favourite TV show for the 36th time, to cosying up in an old sweatshirt that has aged with you—each wear softer, more enveloping than the last. There's a reassurance with the familiar. Nostalgia, then, becomes the most direct route to feeling grounded.

It's perhaps no surprise that this instinct has found its way into our beauty routines. In an industry that thrives on innovation and the thrill of the new, a growing number of consumers are looking back and rediscovering beauty heroes from the past.

What we're seeing now is more than a fleeting trend. The 90s and 00s aesthetic is re-emerging with a contemporary twist—heritage brands are reissuing cult favourites, and younger generations are rediscovering icons.

"Different generations approach nostalgia differently, for Gen X and millennials who experienced the 90s, seeing the return of hero products feels a comforting blast from the past and a chance to connect to younger versions of themselves—those who might just have started getting into beauty products and fragrances," says Lisa Payne, Head of Beauty at Stylus. "For Gen Z, however, nostalgia is a huge driver for beauty, and we have analysed this as a response to digital/AI overwhelm and a craving for a much simpler, pre-internet time."

This resurgence of nostalgia reflects our collective desire to anchor ourselves in the familiar, when everything around us feels unpredictable. Alongside industry experts and trend forecasters, we have identified seven classic beauty products that are back in a big way—from lip gloss and cool-toned eyeshadow, to body mists and hair straighteners.

Below are the most notable products that we thought we'd said goodbye to, but have made a big comeback and seem set to dominate all the way through 2026.

High Shine Lip Gloss

"Gloss has come back in a much more refined way," says Abrahamovitch. "It’s less about high shine and more about a hydrated, almost balmy finish." The desire for healthy, hydrated lips is evident in today's society—the popularity, bordering on mania, of Rhode's Peptide Lip Tints and Summer Friday's Lip Butter Balms was an early indicator.

Lip care has never been more popular—each time we make a trip to our beauty cupboard, you can guarantee to open a package containing a lip gloss, a lip oil or glossy lip plumpers. Then just last year, Lancôme celebrated 25 years of its famous Juicy Tube Lip Gloss with a relaunch—the brand invited customers to 'Revive the 90s'.

All Over Body Mists

Body mists were once the calling card of the ’90s. Impulse, So...? and Revlon Charlie defined a certain kind of fragrance ritual—light, accessible, and designed to be worn generously.

For a time, they fell out of favour, eclipsed by the rise of more concentrated, prestige formats. Now, they’ve returned—reframed for a new generation, and with far greater intent.

Much of that shift can be traced to Sol de Janeiro, whose perfume mists have reshaped how fragrance is worn. At launch, the category was relatively quiet; their success quickly changed that. Now, even the big fragrance houses are getting in on the act.

Why have body mists been such a success story? Sol de Janeiro Perfume Mists tapped into one of the biggest fragrance trends of the moment: full-body scenting. "There's a really interesting new way of scenting ourselves—from the very top to the very bottom," says Fragrance Journalist and Expert Alice Du Parq. "Driven by Gen-Z, but now embraced by all ages. We're always on the move, and we want to move our bodies to project fragrance throughout the day. Historically, it used to be just the wrist, then perhaps the neck; now it's the entire body. You might then top that with an EDT or an EDP, and it's all about layering to create your own sort of bespoke blend."

Naturally, this would cost a fortune if done with an expensive Eau de Parfum, which is why the much less expensive body mists are ideal. Their price is incredibly appealing, especially when you think that you can now get a taste of Tom Ford Ombré Leather or a Chanel Chance at a fraction of the price.

Soft Matte Skin

For the past couple of years, maybe longer, the quest has been for ultra-dewy glass skin. The K-Beauty trend sparked several successful complexion launches—notably skin tints and dewy moisturisers.

However, in 2025 and this year, there's been a shift away from the glowy finish toward a softer, more diffused complexion. Rather than an overt glow, the focus is now on a more cloud-like soft matte effect: velvety, breathable, and never flat. Earlier this year, Estée Lauder relaunched its iconic Double Wear Longwear Foundation—a beloved matte formula given a new lease of life with more hydrating ingredients and a healthy finish for today's customer.

In terms of wear, Abrahamovitch recommends pairing it with other textures: "When working with matte skin, it’s important to reintroduce dimension through other textures. I like to keep some softness in the complexion, maybe a touch of sheen on the cheekbones or a satin finish on the eyes or lips. Too much matte everywhere can feel flat, so it’s about balancing finishes to keep the skin looking fresh and modern."

The return of straighteners

In the early 90s, it was not uncommon to see girls having their hair ironed—with a clothes iron on an ironing board—to achieve the style of the decade: poker straight hair. Then, in the 00s, straighteners came onto the scene, and this heated hair tool defined a generation.

But then we were all encouraged to embrace our natural texture, and straighteners lost their power. However, it looks like the tides have turned once again, because if the catwalks and red carpets—the forerunners of trends—are to be believed, super straight hair is back. "It is coming back, but in a more refined way," says Hair Stylist Adam Reed. "For 2026, it’s less about flat, lifeless straightness and more about fluid, glass-like movement. We’re seeing a return to precision again, sharp cuts, clean lines, and straight hair complements that perfectly. It feels intentional and elevated."

Dust off those straighteners, but approach hair styling in a very different way, suggests Reed. "It’s less about aggressively flattening the hair and more about refining it. The modern approach is controlled, but still allows for movement and softness through the ends.”

Cool-toned eye makeup

Grunge-inspired makeup has been quietly making its way back into our makeup bags for the past couple of years, with eyeshadow at the forefront. In place of golden bronzes and soft pinks that we favour for a sunkissed glow, 90s-inspired shades—taupes, smoky greys and muted clays—have been making a splash over the past year.

And if that brings to mind frosty blues and shimmery greys, don't panic—today's take is more wearable and flattering than you'd think. "I like soft taupes, and cool browns paired with clean skin to softly sculpt, define and enhance the eye," says Abrahamovitch. "More of a diffused look rather than anything too structured. Keeping the rest of the makeup quite pared back makes it feel modern and effortless."

Powdery fragrances

Make no mistake, the biggest fragrance obsession of the past couple of years has been gourmands. However, likely in response to this, there is the return of quite the opposite: powdery scents. And Du Parq thinks this is down to how those particular notes make you feel: "Sometimes a powdery fragrance can bring your feet back to the ground and make you feel like you have got two hands on your shoulders looking after you. They are particularly good scents for those who feel isolated or who are going through a tricky time."

At the beginning of this year, Hermès launched Musc Pallida, an Eau de Parfum that Du Parq says is "a masterclass in how to do a modern powdery fragrance—light, airy and sensual. It's taken something comforting and nostalgic and made it really cool and elegant and chic, but not intimidating."

The notes often found in powdery fragrances—white musks, rose, iris—often have a talcum powder feeling to them. However, today's powdery scents are light and fluffy, like a fresh cloud of powder, rather than anything heavy. "A powder that whispers and caresses, rather than weighs you down," adds Du Parq.

In terms of timing and relevance, Du Parq agrees that these scents appeal to those who don't want to "smell like a pudding trolley, but still want to and the intention of one today, I think it's for people who really don't want to smell like pudding trolleys, who aren't interested in sweet and sickly headache-inducing gourmands. But they still want that feeling of being enveloped and comforted. It isn't necessarily about feeling warmth; it's about having a texture around you. Like a protective shawl."

Nude lips

One trend we thought we had well and truly waved an encouraging goodbye to is concealer lips. In the early 2000s, a pale nude lip paired with a dramatic eye was the defining look of that era. To try to get the lips to match the rest of the face, often concealer was the best route, hence the moniker.

Thankfully, using actual concealer is a thing of the past, but nude lips have returned in a really big way. Some say that it started with The Kardashians, Lip Kits and the rise of the full lip—pale colours help lips look wider. And whilst that might be true, the fascination with Y2K trends at the moment cannot be ignored.

Victoria Beckham's Spice Girls days can be defined by many things—the pointed finger pose, the sharp bob, the little black dress—but it's her signature pinky nude lip that has stood the test of time. Just this month, the brand founder launched the No2 Posh Lipstick, which perfectly matches her lip tone.

Abrahamovitch, who works closely with Beckham, says that nude lips are universal and work on everyone. And where concealer lips would wash you out, the correct nude lip should enhance your natural lip colour. "It’s about finding the right tone for your complexion. I almost always use a lip liner to add structure and depth, then layer a nude lipstick over the top. That combination keeps the lip defined while still feeling soft and effortless."