90s Supermodel Makeup, Yasmeen Ghauri
How to get the 90s Supermodel Look
(Originally published on Mar 13, 2023, on Medium)
Hi, welcome to my first post!
So I decided to start a newsletter to practice my writing, and honestly, just for fun. I do not know what EXACTLY I will write about, but I think talking about my recent makeup videos would be a fun start.
The other day I was sitting in my room thinking about what to do, and I was fighting the idea of whether or not to film a makeup video. I currently film on my phone and storage is always an issue for me (as it is for everyone). iPhones increase storage every generation but it seems I always run out… I wonder what is up with that?
Anyways, I was going through Pinterest and I felt a nudge to do a supermodel makeup look. I was going to do this blue look on Bella Hadid, but I did not have the right shade of blue. Then I was like I will do a 90s supermodel look and of course, my muse will be Yasmeen Ghauri.
My sister bought up Yasmeen the other day and I was like “Oh yeah, I was planning to do a 90s supermodel look anyways.” But alas, the only thing standing in my way was my iPhone storage TT
Back to the other day, I decided to ATTEMPT the look without prior practice because at least it will allow me to rehearse what I would do in the final video. However, to my shock, the look and video came out really nice!
The Muse
Unless you are into fashion history, you might know who Yasmeen Ghauri is.
Yasmeen is considered one of the most iconic supermodels of the 90s - alongside Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell. She retired in the late 90s and chooses to live a completely private life, hence why there is not much talk about her these days. However, she still has devout fans and is remembered for her legacy.
The supermodel was born in Québec, Montreal, to a Pakistani father and German mother. She has a strict religious upbringing making her choice to model not a favorite with her parents. However, she dgaf and decided to do it anyways. Her parents ended up supporting her because she was passionate about modeling.
Now when it comes to how she was discovered, I thought she was discovered by Edward Zaccharia, the artistic director of Platine Coiffure, while working at McDonalds at 17. However, in this interview, the narrator says she was recommended to meet with a modeling agent by her hairdresser.
Growing up, Yasmeen faced discrimination - namely colorism and racism. She grew up as one of the only brown-skinned people in her school and felt as if modeling in Quebec would be a bust because people weren’t looking for people who looked like her. However, little did she know she would make history HERSTORY.
I could sit here and list every major catwalk, campaign, and catalogue she shot for but then section would be tooooo looonng.
Here are some recommended readings and videos to learn more about her:
Yasmeen Ghauri’s Models.com page
Yasmeen Ghauri Interview, 1993 (video)
The Look
So when I think of that 90s supermodel makeup look: I think matte skin, flashback from powder (lol), and neutral colors.
One thing that is very important regarding this look was that Yasmeen was known for doing her own makeup backstage at fashion shows because many of the artists did not know how to do makeup on dark skintones.
There were three key points to this makeup look:
Matte, powdery skin
A deep maroon lip
Cool-toned smokey eyes
Achieving Matte Skin
I have oily skin so the foundation look was a bit more forgiving for me. However, if you have dry skin, I would suggest exfoliating, doing your skincare routine (focused on hydration), and then going in with a moisturizing primer. I like the MAC Radiance Gel Primer in the yellow color. The Milk Hydro Grip (have tried) and Elf Power Grip (have not tried) are good options too.
Now, if your skin is sensitive, I would exfoliate the day before or opt for an exfoliant that your skin can handle. The exfoliation is just to remove those patches of dry skin that makeup clings onto. The last thing you want is your skin to be irritated and red when you start applying makeup.
Something really cool about this makeup look is that you can really get creative with contouring and highlighting with powder. I feel like contour powders are more forgiving in this instance than creams/liquids.
Another pro-tip, once you set your powder down to bake, finish up the rest of your makeup, remove the powder, and let your makeup sit for like 30 minutes. Your natural face heat will begin to meld the products to give you a better indication of how the makeup will look. If it looks too dry, spray with setting spray like MAC Fix+, or if it is oily, I would use a blotting sheet and then do a a layer of setting spray.
Now another pro-tip I learned from Hung Vanngo - alternate between setting powder and blotting sheets throughout the night when touching up your makeup.
I aim to touch up my face every two hours. If I wait longer than that, the oil will seep through and start breaking down my makeup and it is best to touch up before that happens.
The deep maroon lip
To be very honest I do not think I look good with a bold lip 😭
However, I tried on Charlotte Tilbury Matte Lipstick in So 90s and was like this is it. This is the best brownish-red lipstick I have tried, but definitely look for something that suites your skintone and vibe.
I tend to stick to more warmer colors or something mauve/taupe. I would definitely suggest going to Sephora and trying it on before purchasing it. I find that CT has best wearable and comfortable options for lipstick.
If you are looking for options, I would suggest checking out the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams or the NARS Velvet Lip Pencils.
For lip liners, I like NYX and the Half Magic one I used. Also, I lined my lips strangely and I did not notice until I saw the pics for the thumbnail.
I kind of regret doing the lipgloss because the lip duo was already too good but it looks good in pictures so I cannot complain.
Cool-toned smokey eyes
Sadly, a lot of products used are discontinued :( However, I can give some recommendations of products you already have or can get.
Like I said in the video, the crease color is a cool-toned, deep brown that is similar to eyebrow pencils/powders. That is a good start but be weary that a lot of eyebrow products are very waxy making them very hard to blend.
If you are looking for a drugstore option: I like the Maybelline City-Mini palettes and there is one called Matte About Town. It has a good color palette and is matte, but the colors lean a little more brown-warm (but just a tad!) Contour powders are a great option too.
Final Thoughts
Welp, that is all I have to say really. Please let me know you have any questions or need anymore product recommendations.
Please look forward to my next makeup video and in-depth post. I am not going to spoil the video because I am trying to keep expectations LOW.
Till we meet again <3
Love,
Laila