Frosted Lipstick: The '90s Comeback Trend Giving Us A Glitter Girl Summer

From claw clips to scrunchie hairstyles, your up-dos may already be living in the '90s. Now, the return of an iconic look is allowing your whole face to get in on the throwback trends. Just in time for the hot days of summer, lips are getting frosty! This makeup style is experiencing a serious revival — gracing everything from red carpets to everyday grocery store runs. 

The look, which first garnered widespread popularity in the '90s, gives wearers' lips a pearlescent effect — perfect to complement your pearlescent nails. In contrast to gloss, which emphasizes a dewy or even wet look, frosted lips make it seem as though your mouth itself is sparkling. Frosted lips' return to mainstream makeup bags was foreshadowed by the topic's rise on TikTok. "Frosted lip" has received over 72 million views on the platform, between tutorials, trend-watchers, and product recommendations. (Although, in signature TikTok fashion, some users have given the look a twist — with one creator rebranding the classic style as "cold girl makeup.")

Whether you're attempting to recreate the cold girl aesthetic or wanting to spice up your hot girl summer, frosted lips are easy to achieve and ready to dazzle. 

In the '90s, fans of the frosted lip often opted for tan and pink shades. These natural, lip-colored tones helped to emphasize the illusion that the lips themselves were glimmering. Trying out subtler shades also gives you room to let a different area of your makeup look shine, such as pairing a frosted lip with a smoky eye. 

Of course, what's a trend without a little evolution? If you want to leave the pretty pinks of a '90s Barbie behind for the bold bronze of a 2000s Bratz doll, we won't stop you. This latest era of frosted lips has quickly proven that any shade can shine, such as the purple color seen in the photo above. Fortunately, there are many easy ways to get the look you desire. 

Never ones to miss out on a trend, makeup brands such as MAC Cosmetics have emerged with products that offer a one-step frosted lip solution. These lipsticks are specially formulated to create the shimmering look, focusing on a finish that is "high pearl" and "semi-lustrous." Of course, if you're not looking to invest in a new product, you can create a frosty look with what you already have on hand.

You can shimmer up any shade with your favorite eyeshadow or glimmery blush. The emerging trend helps to make the most out of your existing products. Just be sure to prime your lips with a moisturizing product and clean your applicators when switching between your mouth and eyes. 

If you want to ease yourself back into the '90s, subtle layers can help create a more subdued look. We're talking about the kind of frost that coats your windshield and makes you late for work — not the kind that shuts down cities. To achieve this look, cover your lips with your shimmering blush or eyeshadow before your gloss or lipstick — the ultimate beauty product in your collection. The shimmer will slightly shine through, without overpowering your look.