Y2K Makeup Looks Part 2: 15 More Iconic 2000s Beauty Tips and Trends
If you thought we were finished reminiscing about the 2000s, think again.
We've already covered frosted blue eyeshadow, pencil-thin eyebrows, sticky lip gloss, and plenty of glitter in Y2K Makeup: 15 Iconic 2000s Beauty Trends to Recreate Today (Part 1).
Chillax homie, we barely scratched the surface.
The 2000s weren't just about makeup: they were about the perfume you wore to school, the lip balm you carried everywhere, and the hairstyles that required approximately 45 minutes with a flat iron.
Also, can we talk about how different we all looked from each other?
One girl was wearing a spiky updo and frosted lipstick. Another had smoky gray eyeshadow, a band tee, and enough eyeliner to last until graduation.
Style was individual, no iPhone face, no viral trends, no influencers/Kardashians telling us what to wear and look like and no such thing as "clean girl makeup".
Meanwhile, someone else was trying to achieve Regina George's perfectly polished school makeup.
Editor's note: Don't worry if you can't afford the expensive versions of some of these trends. I didn't have any money when I was younger, so I never got to try many of the more prestigious trends back then, but I improvised by checking my local dollar store and drugstores for dupes! It's actually fun to hunt some down. And bonus: you have so many more innovative and affordable brands than we did in the 2000s!
There wasn't just one look that turned heads.
So, grab your old CD collection, put on some TRL, and prepare for another trip down memory lane.
Here are 15 more iconic Y2K beauty looks and trends worth remembering, and a few you might actually want to recreate.
15 More Y2K Makeup Looks and Beauty Trends
16. Roll-On Lip Gloss
Remember those cute little glass bottles of roll-on lip gloss?
They came in fruity flavors, smelled ridiculously good, and somehow always ended up at the bottom of your school bag. Mine were usually covered in tobacco from my cigarettes.
The rollerball applicator was half the appeal. You could swipe it across your lips without a mirror, and the result was a shiny, almost wet-looking finish.
Some formulas were basically flavored oil, but that didn't stop us from applying them approximately every 12 minutes.
To recreate the look: Choose a clear or lightly tinted lip oil with a glossy finish like e.l.f. Glow Reviver Lip Oil Glimmer. If you want the authentic experience, look for a rollerball applicator, if you can find it.
And yes, the fruity scent is pretty much mandatory.
17. Smoky Gray Eyeshadow
Before every smoky eye involved five shades of brown, gray eyeshadow was having a serious moment.
Think late-'90s Cameron Diaz (that makeup look still lives rent-free in my head), but with a little more metallic silver thrown into the mix.
Cool grays, charcoal, pewter, and silver shimmer created a sultry look without relying on warm bronze or copper.
And unlike today's perfectly blended smoky eyes, some of the original looks were a little messier.
I think that made them more interesting.
To recreate the look: Apply a medium gray shadow across your eyelid, deepen the outer corner with charcoal, and add silver shimmer to the center.
Blend just enough to soften the edges while keeping the gray noticeable.
The Natasha Denona Mini Xenon Palette would be perfect for this look. I've reviewed it for you guys, if you want to see how those cool gray shades perform.
Cool-toned beauty tip: Blue-based grays, pewter, and silver can be especially flattering on cool undertones.
18. Overly Bronzed Skin (But Absolutely No Contour)
If you remember the 2000s, you remember the bronzer, and Jersey Shore took it to a whole new level in 2009.
We weren't carefully sculpting our cheekbones with contour sticks, we were taking a big fluffy brush, dipping it into bronzer, and applying it pretty much everywhere.
Forehead? Bronzer.
Cheeks? Bronzer.
Nose? Obviously bronzer.
And the goal wasn't necessarily to create dimension. We wanted to look TAN.
Sometimes the bronzer was orange, sometimes it was sparkly, sometimes it was both.
The original 2000s bronzed look was also heavily influenced by celebrity culture and the popularity of tanning.
To recreate the look: Apply a soft bronzer around the perimeter of your face and lightly across your cheeks.
Skip the heavy contouring and keep the application diffused.
For cool undertones, choose a neutral or rosy bronzer rather than a strongly orange formula.
A little beauty history: Bronzer and contouring aren't the same thing. Bronzer adds warmth and a sun-kissed effect, while contour is cool-toned and intended to mimic shadows and create definition.
19. Lancôme Juicy Tubes
If there were a beauty product worthy of its own early-2000s documentary, Lancôme Juicy Tubes would be a serious contender.
Launched in 2000, these shiny squeeze-tube lip glosses became one of the defining beauty products of the decade.
The packaging was simple, the shades were deliciously glossy, and the formulas often had fruity scents.
They also had a reputation for being sticky, but honestly, what lip gloss wasn't?
Juicy Tubes became closely associated with the glossy-lipped characters of early-2000s teen entertainment.
Think Mean Girls, The O.C., One Tree Hill, and Lizzie McGuire. The product's connection to that era of television and movies was strong enough that Lancôme later built a nostalgia campaign around it. And of course, the queen Mischa Barton was involved!
Like a boss, Juicy Tubes returned in 2020 after being discontinued in 2018.
To recreate the look: Choose a sheer pink, peach, or nude Juicy Tube and apply it generously.
You can wear it alone or over lip liner for a more defined look. The shine is the entire point.
20. Spiky Updos
Oh, the spiky updo: you remember it well, Jennifer Garner in 13 Going on 30 inspired us!
This hairstyle was absolutely everywhere in the early 2000s.
Hair was twisted into a bun or French twist, but instead of hiding the ends, we deliberately left them sticking out.
Sometimes the ends were straightened into sharp little spikes. Sometimes they were coated in enough hairspray to survive a hurricane. Ah, I can still smell that Herbal Essence hair spray!
Face-framing pieces were also popular, especially when they were perfectly straight.
Think red carpets, school dances, and every girl who owned approximately 400 bobby pins.
To recreate the look: Gather your hair into a high twist or bun, leaving several inches of the ends loose.
Secure the style with pins, then straighten the exposed ends so they stick out.
Finish with a flexible-hold hairspray.
For a more authentic Y2K finish, leave two thin sections of hair loose around your face.
21. Baby Blue Eyeliner
Baby blue wasn't limited to eyeshadow.
Pastel blue eyeliner was another fun way to bring color into your makeup routine.
Some people applied it along the upper lash line, while others used it underneath their eyes for a brighter, more playful look.
The color worked particularly well with glossy pink lips and frosted makeup.
And because the blue was meant to be visible, there was no need to blend it into oblivion.
To recreate the look: Apply a pastel blue eyeliner along your upper lash line or just beneath your lower lashes.
Keep the rest of your eye makeup simple so the blue stands out.
You can also use a baby blue eyeshadow with a damp liner brush, provided the product is approved for use around the eyes.
Heads up: I reviewed COVERGIRL Sterling Blue Eyeshadow, which is worth checking out if you love icy blue makeup.
22. Concealer Lips
We need to talk about concealer lips.
And yes, people now jokingly call them butthole lips.
The idea was simple: make your lips approximately the same color as your foundation.
Sometimes people used an actual concealer. Other times they chose a very pale nude lipstick.
The result was a nearly invisible lip, often paired with dramatic black eyeliner, bronzed skin, and straightened hair.
Was it flattering on everyone? Absolutely not.
Did that stop us? Also absolutely not.
EDITOR'S NOTE: I would not want to recreate this one personally, it was hideous. But I do find the new versions of this look more wearable.
To recreate the look: Instead of putting concealer directly on your lips, try a pale nude lipstick with a creamy finish.
Choose a shade that works with your complexion, and add a slightly deeper lip liner if you want more definition.
Or go full 2006 and embrace the washed-out look.
Just remember that the original trend wasn't exactly subtle.
23. Celebrity Fragrances
Before everyone had a beauty brand, celebrities had perfumes.
And some of those fragrances were practically as famous as the people selling them.
Jennifer Lopez released Glow in 2002, while Britney Spears launched Curious in 2004.
Soon, celebrity fragrances were everywhere.
The bottles were pretty, the advertising campaigns were glamorous, and owning your favorite celebrity's perfume felt like having a tiny piece of their world.
And let's be serious, half the appeal was displaying the bottle on your dresser.
I couldn't afford to buy perfume when I was younger, so I never got to participate in this trend (or many of the others). But as soon as I had "big girl" money, I bought Still by JLO. It is such a gorgeous fragrance. It's "still" one of my favourite perfumes in my collection.
To revisit the trend: Look for a fragrance that reminds you of the era, whether that's a sweet fruity scent, a soft floral, or one of the original celebrity perfumes.
You don't have to smell like your high school locker room to enjoy a little nostalgia.
24. Bonne Bell Lip Smackers and Food-Flavored Makeup
If you didn't have at least one Lip Smacker floating around in your bag, were you even participating in the 2000s?
Bonne Bell Lip Smackers came in an almost ridiculous variety of flavors.
Dr Pepper was especially iconic, with its recognizable soda-inspired scent and subtle tint.
And then there were the candy-inspired flavors, including collaborations with brands like Starburst and Skittles.
The obsession with food-flavored beauty products wasn't limited to lip balm, either. Fruity glosses, candy-scented lotions, and dessert-inspired makeup were everywhere.
Fun fact: Lip Smacker actually debuted in 1973, and the Dr Pepper partnership began in 1975. So while these products were huge in the 2000s, their history goes back much further.
To recreate the experience: Pick a flavored lip balm or glossy lip product with a nostalgic scent.
Bonus points if the packaging looks like something you would have bought at Claire's.
25. Self-Tanner
Self-tanner was a big deal in the 2000s.
And the formulas weren't always particularly forgiving. We also weren't as careful about choosing the right tone, and sometimes, it was borderline but unintentional blackface.
Streaky legs, orange palms, patchy ankles, and that unmistakable self-tanner smell were practically part of the experience.
The desire for bronzed skin was also tied to the popularity of tanning beds and the heavily tanned celebrity aesthetic of the era.
Thankfully, modern self-tanners offer more shade options and application formats.
To recreate the look safely: Choose a sunless tanning product rather than using a tanning bed.
Exfoliate dry areas beforehand, apply a light moisturizer to elbows, knees, and ankles, and use a tanning mitt for a more even finish.
And remember, self-tanner doesn't replace sunscreen.
I used to use self-tanner back in the day and it was always extremely orange on me, since I am cool-toned. I couldn't understand why some girls looked so effortless and like they got back from Bermuda. Meanwhile, I looked like I rolled around in a vat of Cheeto dust. It was because the tanner on the market was warm-toned and I am cool-toned. DUH!
26. Stick-Straight Hair
If your hair had even the slightest wave in the 2000s, there was a good chance you were trying to straighten it.
And I mean STRAIGHTEN it.
We wanted hair so flat and sleek that not a single strand dared to bend.
Flat irons were practically essential, and some people even used actual clothing irons before modern straighteners became widely accessible.
Heat protectant wasn't always part of the conversation, either.
The goal was glossy, poker-straight hair, sometimes paired with chunky highlights, side bangs, or a zigzag part.
I have curly, frizzy, hard-to-manage hair. I know how to care for it now, and I do a blowout once a week. But then...omg. So my friend Dwayne and I were sitting around one day, and he said, "My mom used to flat iron her hair with a clothes iron... want to try it?" So we did, and it was GORGEOUS. I never saw my hair so straight and shiny; I felt like a new girl. But afterwards, I felt the damage from it, and it was bad. The things we do for beauty!
To recreate pin-straight hair: Apply heat protectant (repeat after me: heat protectant), work in small sections, and use a flat iron at a temperature appropriate for your hair type. DO NOT GO OVER IT EVERY DAY. Use a bonnet to preserve your hair instead.
Finish with a lightweight smoothing serum.
And unlike some of our original attempts, try not to fry your hair in the process.
27. Natural Makeup, Regina George Style
Not every 2000s beauty look involved glitter, frosted lipstick, or heavy eyeliner. With the turn of century came a polished, natural-looking makeup popular in teen movies.
Think Regina George walking through North Shore High School in Mean Girls.
Soft pink lips, subtle blush, defined lashes, and a complexion that looked fresh without being completely bare.
This was the kind of makeup that appeared effortless, even though it still required a few products.
And while today's clean girl aesthetic shares some similarities, the original 2000s version often featured more powder, pink gloss, and traditional mascara.
To recreate the look: Start with a light or medium-coverage base, apply a soft pink blush, and add mascara. Basically, go to TikTok and type in "clean girl makeup".
Finish with a rosy lip gloss or pink lipstick.
Keep the eyeshadow subtle, using a light beige, taupe, or soft pink shade.
28. Cornrows With Butterfly Clips
Butterfly clips were one of the most recognizable hair accessories of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
They came in practically every color imaginable, and wearing several at once was completely normal.
One popular styling combination involved small braids or twists along the front of the hair, decorated with colorful butterfly clips.
But there's an important piece of beauty history here that I need to make known:
Cornrows are a traditional Black hairstyle with a history stretching back centuries. Their cultural significance goes far beyond the 2000s. The mainstream popularity of braided styles during the Y2K era was heavily influenced by Black artists and beauty culture, even though that influence wasn't properly acknowledged.
To recreate the look respectfully: Add a few small front braids and decorate them with butterfly clips.
If you're incorporating cornrows, it's worth understanding their cultural history, ties to the slave trade, and appreciating the communities that have worn and maintained these styles for generations.
You can also achieve a similar playful accessory look with twisted front sections and clips.
29. Space Buns
Space buns were another hairstyle that fit perfectly into the playful side of Y2K fashion. Emma Bunton "Baby Spice" made this look memorable in the 90s.
Basically, two buns positioned on either side of the head created a cool, slightly futuristic look. You knew a girl was fun if she was wearing space buns!
Some versions were sleek and polished, while others were messy, spiky, or decorated with glitter and colorful clips.
The style also worked with face-framing strands and zigzag parts.
And because the 2000s loved an accessory, butterfly clips and tiny barrettes were always welcome.
To recreate the look: Part your hair down the center and create two high ponytails.
Then, twist each ponytail into a bun and secure it with pins or elastics.
Leave a few pieces loose for a more relaxed finish and add colorful clips if you want to lean into the nostalgia.
30. Looking Like Yourself
This is the beauty trend I miss the most: I think of the America's Next Top Model reality show as an example. All of the women had their own style in that time. Not one of them looked like the other.
The 2000s weren't perfect. We had unrealistic beauty standards, questionable products, and plenty of pressure to look a certain way (horrible fat-phobia and racism).
But there was also something refreshing about how different everyone's personal style could be.
Some girls wore dark eyeliner and band tees. Others loved pink gloss, bronzer, and velour tracksuits.
There were goth girls, skaters, pop princesses, preppy girls, and countless other styles and subcultures.
And those differences often extended to hair and makeup.
Today, social media can make beauty trends feel much more uniform. Similar brow shapes, lip techniques, contour placement, and cosmetic procedures can sometimes create what people call Instagram Face.
Of course, individuality hasn't disappeared, but it's limited IMO. Now we have clean girl, full beat, or alt. It's kind of boring, TBH.
But looking back at the 2000s is a reminder that beauty doesn't have to follow one formula.
You can wear frosted blue eyeshadow one day, smoky gray eyeliner the next, and absolutely nothing on your face the day after.
Your makeup should reflect your personality, not erase it.
And maybe that's the best Y2K beauty trend worth bringing back.
How to Recreate a Y2K Beauty Look Today
You don't need to combine every 2000s trend into one look.
In fact, part of the fun is choosing the elements that actually appeal to you.
Start with a signature makeup trend that brings out your natural beauty. That could be smoky gray eyeshadow, baby blue eyeliner, glossy lips, or bronzed cheeks.
Next, choose a hairstyle that complements the look. Spiky updos, space buns, and sleek straight hair are all recognizable options.
Finish with a nostalgic detail, like butterfly clips, hoop earrings, a bitchin' nose ring, a statement necklace, or your favorite fruity lip gloss.
And don't worry about making everything look perfectly modern.
A little obvious shimmer, visible color, or intentionally messy styling can make the look feel more authentic.
Best Products for Y2K Makeup Looks and Beauty
Beauty Category | What to Look For |
Eyeshadow | Smoky gray, silver, charcoal, and cool metallics like the Natasha Denona Xenon Palette. |
Eyeliner | Baby blue, black, and silver like the Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Waterline Eyeliner Pencil |
Lip gloss | Clear, fruity, sheer pink, and high-shine formulas, try the reformulated Juicy Tubes |
Lipstick | Pale nude, pink, and creamy finishes. Mac actually just released a frosty lipstick collection! |
Bronzer | Neutral, golden, or rosy tones like Benefit Hoola Bronzer |
Self-tanner | Gradual tanning lotions or mousse. If you're cool-toned like me, try the Bondi Sands Sapphire Tanner |
Hair accessories | Butterfly clips, colorful barrettes, and decorative pins (Amazon has tons of these) |
Hair styling | Heat protectant, smoothing serum, and flexible-hold hairspray (drugstore works!) |
Fragrance | Fruity florals, sweet perfumes, and nostalgic celebrity scents. Fragrantica is a great source for vintage scents! |
You don't need to hunt down discontinued products to recreate these looks.
Modern formulas can often deliver a similar effect with better wear, more shade options, and easier application.
Y2K Beauty for Cool, Warm, and Neutral Undertones
The original Y2K beauty trends weren't always particularly concerned with undertones.
And honestly, sometimes that was part of the fun.
But if you want to adapt the colors to your complexion, here are a few ideas.
Cool-Toned Y2K Makeup Looks
Try smoky gray eyeshadow, silver shimmer, baby blue eyeliner, cool pink lip gloss, and rosy bronzer.
A pale pink nude lipstick can also work beautifully, especially when paired with a slightly deeper liner.
Warm-Toned Y2K Makeup
Try golden bronzer, champagne shimmer, peachy nude lips, and soft aqua eyeliner.
Warm browns and bronze metallics can create a similar smoky effect to the cool gray looks of the era.
Neutral-Toned Y2K Makeup Looks
Neutral undertones can experiment with both warm and cool versions of these trends.
Try gray eyeshadow with a peachy lip, or baby blue eyeliner with a neutral pink gloss.
And remember, these are suggestions, not rules.
If you love a color, wear it. Screw the "rules".
The 2000s Called. We're Still Not Hanging Up
From roll-on lip gloss and smoky gray eyeshadow to spiky updos and butterfly clips, the 2000s gave us some unforgettable beauty moments.
Were all of them flattering? Maybe not.
Did we have fun? Totally!
And that's what makes revisiting these trends so much fun. This article was a blast to write!
You don't have to recreate every questionable beauty decision to appreciate the era.
Sometimes it's enough to bring back a favorite lip gloss, experiment with a nostalgic hairstyle, or finally give baby blue eyeliner another chance.
If you missed the first half of our series, check out Y2K Makeup: 15 Iconic 2000s Beauty Trends to Recreate Today (Part 1).
And if you're unsure which makeup colors complement your complexion, try the Cool Glow Collective Color Season Quiz and explore our seasonal color palettes.
Spill the Tea! 💋
What was your signature beauty look in the 2000s?
Were you a Juicy Tubes girl, a bronzer enthusiast, or someone who refused to leave the house without straightening every single strand of hair?
Tell us your most memorable Y2K beauty trend in the comments. Bonus points for the products you still wish they'd bring back.
Frequently Asked Questions About Y2K Makeup Looks
What Were the Most Popular Y2K Makeup Looks?
Some of the biggest Y2K makeup looks included frosty blue eyeshadow, smoky gray eyes, glossy lips, heavy bronzer, and pale concealer lips. Lancôme Juicy Tubes, Bonne Bell Lip Smackers, and glittery makeup were practically everywhere. Hairstyles were just as memorable, with spiky updos, butterfly clips, and stick-straight hair completing the look.
What Makeup Did Girls Wear in the Early 2000s?
Early-2000s makeup depended on your personal style, but lip gloss was almost universal. Baby blue eyeshadow, black eyeliner, shimmery blush, and bronzer were popular choices. Some girls went for the barely-there makeup seen on characters like Regina George in Mean Girls, while others embraced glitter, metallic eyeshadow, and dramatic smoky eyes.
Why Were Concealer Lips So Popular in the 2000s?
Pale nude lips were a huge beauty trend, especially when paired with smoky eyes and heavily bronzed skin. Before nude lipsticks came in the variety of shades available today, plenty of girls simply used their actual face concealer to get the look. Unfortunately, the results could be a little crusty, especially after a few hours.
Are Y2K Makeup Looks Coming Back in Style?
Absolutely! Frosted eyeshadow, glossy lips, cool-toned makeup, and playful hair accessories have all made their way back into beauty trends. Today's versions tend to be a little more wearable, with better formulas and more flattering shade options. And thankfully, nobody has to sacrifice their eyebrows to participate.
How Can I Recreate Y2K Makeup Without Looking Dated?
Start with one or two recognizable trends rather than wearing everything at once. Try frosty blue eyeshadow with a sheer pink gloss, or a smoky gray eye with a nude lip. You can also bring back butterfly clips, space buns, or a spiky updo. Choosing colors that flatter your skin undertone can help make these nostalgic looks work with your everyday makeup.
What's the Difference Between Y2K Makeup and 90s Makeup?
There's quite a bit of overlap, especially with brown lip liner, smoky eyes, and glossy lips. However, Y2K makeup leaned more heavily into frosty finishes, pastel eyeshadow, glitter, metallic colors, and super-shiny lips. The late 1990s favored darker, moodier makeup, while the early 2000s brought plenty of sparkle, playful colors, and celebrity-inspired beauty trends.
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