If there's one thing that defined the 90s, it wasn't just slip dresses, thin eyebrows, oval glasses, or perfectly structured minimalist coats: it was also lips. More specifically, the liner slightly darker than the lipstick, the brown that looked natural but was carefully chosen, the gloss placed only in the center... While the 80s went for excess, the 90s did the opposite: it's the minimalist era par excellence, and lately, we can't stop thinking about it (thanks in part to the new Carolyn Bessette Kennedy series). Between street style archives, supermodels, the polished minimalism of brands like Calvin Klein, and our general obsession with 90s energy, what always comes back is the same: defined, clean, and perfectly balanced lips.

And if you want to recreate the true 90s lip in 2026, the key is to understand how to line properly. Here are our five favorite lip liner looks.

1. The Minimalist Brown Nude

The most iconic of the decade. Medium brown lip liner slightly darker than the lipstick, a beige or pink nude in the center, softly blended inwards. It's the perfect balance between natural and structured. We saw this type of lip on supermodels like Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell: clean, defined, and without excess.

How to recreate it well:

Line in short strokes following your natural contour: first mark the Cupid's bow and blend slightly using a brush or your fingertip before applying lipstick. The contrast should be subtle. If the line looks too obvious, you've gone too far, but don't worry... you can always lighten the color with a soft brush or sponge.

2. The Deep Berry

The 90s were also about plum, wine, and intense berry. This lip adds depth and sophistication without losing the clean structure that defined the decade. Think of the looks worn by Tyra Banks or Christina Ricci at the time: defined and powerful, both in matte and slightly shiner finishes. It was very common on red carpets and in editorials.

To recreate it, use a liner of the same shade or a half-shade darker and lightly fill in the corners to add dimension, "stretching" the color inward a bit, but leaving the center lighter. Avoid gloss if you want to keep it true to the 90s spirit.

3. Gloss Over Lined Lips

In the late 90s, shine returned, but lip liner didn't disappear. The contrast between a defined outline and a luminous center creates volume without needing to overline. Very much in the vein of early Jennifer Lopez looks or many of Britney Spears', where gloss added light without erasing the lip's structure.

The technique is simple: medium brown lip liner, soft nude lipstick (even a bit pale, remember that in the 90s the trend was to use undereye concealer to achieve this look) and a touch of clear gloss applied only to the center of the upper and lower lip. The shine should not cover everything; the shape remains the star.

4. The All-Over Chocolate Brown

Bolder, but completely 90s. Here, brown is the absolute star, in a matte or slightly satin finish. It's a pretty powerful look that looked incredible, whether the rest of the look was simple (t-shirt and jeans) or if you added a smoky eye. This color makes us think of Drew Barrymore and her 90s eyebrows, or Aaliyah's clean and confident attitude: nothing overdone, everything balanced.

To wear it today, keep the skin natural and the rest of the makeup neutral, choosing a chocolate, grey-brown, or dark terracotta lip color. The idea is for the lip to take center stage, lining and completely filling in with the same color for a uniform and defined finish.

5. The Crimson Red

If you thought we're obsessed with the 90s because of the new series about the romance between JFK Junior and Carolyn Bessette, you caught us. Although we usually associate the 90s with browns and nudes, there was a red that marked the decade: a cool, deep, and perfectly lined crimson. It's the type of red that Winona Ryder often wore with her fair skin and dark hair, or Carolyn (although she was also known for her matte nude lip). It was like terracotta, sometimes raspberry, with a blue undertone and a matte or very soft satin finish. In some photos, it might look more like terracotta. Defined, but without exaggeration.

The key is cleanliness: an exact contour to the natural lip, full fill, and practically bare skin. The red is the focal point.

How to recreate it:

Line your natural shape exactly, fill in with a carefully sharpened pencil before lipstick, and choose a red that suits your skin undertone. Generally, cool skin tones tend to opt for reds with blue undertones, and warmer skin tones look more natural with warm-undertone reds, although the most important thing is that your favorite red represents you. Avoid intense gloss to maintain minimalist sophistication.

How we feel every time we do this look:

How to choose your 90s-style lip liner

This is where the look is really built.

• If your undertone is cool, look for pink-based browns or raspberry reds.
• If it's warm, opt for caramel, brick, or chocolate.
• If it's neutral, you have more freedom, but avoid extreme contrasts.

Don't know your undertone? We can help you with this quiz, where you can also find out your foundation shade.

The 90s rule is simple: the lip liner should be slightly darker than the lipstick, never much lighter or dramatically darker. The goal is not to change the shape of your lip, but to define it.