When times get tough, we tend to lean back on nostalgia to remind us of simpler, happier times. So it’s fitting that many products that I held near and dear to me back in the 1990s and 2000s are back in fashion again. There are a few products from my past that have wiggled their way back into my regular rotation. Firstly because they were good then and they’re still amazing now. Secondly, using them gives me that sweet, sweet dopamine hit from when life was trouble free. Here are some of the older products that are brand new again.
Britney Spears Fantasy Sheer Eau de Toilette
When this beauty landed on my desk, it inspired the idea for this whole story. One sniff of this iconic scent, ever so slightly reformulated for modern times, swept me back to the days when I used to copy Britney choreo from Video Hits on a Saturday morning. The scent has of course, evolved and matured into something softer and more alluring than the original Fantasy, so it’s well and truly acceptable to be back having pride of place on the vanity. But that famous pink bottle, sparkling with accent diamantes just makes me happy and the scent is a fresh yet nostalgic dream.
Alpha-H Liquid Gold Exfoliating Treatment
By the early 2000s we were starting to learn to put down the Apres Apricot Scrub and move to more gentle but effective exfoliants. Pioneering this movement was the Alpha-H Liquid Gold Exfoliating Treatment. Now I KNOW this is in an article about products being “back” but Liquid Gold never really went away. One sells every three minutes because it’s that good. What the company has done is given the iconic treatment a modern makeover. The same incredible formula is now housed in packaging that looks sleek and chic, while also keeping the product a little more secure from spills.
Liquid Gold is so beloved because of its formula, that has a much lower pH than other brands. The lower the pH, the more active the Glycolic Acid and the more effectively it can penetrate the skin.
You can feel it working in three seconds. Notice skin glow in three nights. See visible results in just three weeks.
Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick
Barely there makeup is back in vogue and nothing says “your lips but better” more than the OG tinted lip balm: Clinique’s Black Honey. It’s referred to as an “almost lipstick”, and the shade looks slightly different on everyone but it’s pretty universally flattering. Plus, in an age where we now care more about taking care of our skin and nourishing ingredients, it feels right that a balm is on this list. The “magic wand” people enjoyed back in the day found its way onto TikTok in the hands of a new generation and is now flying off shelves once more thanks to its “no makeup makeup” look. So much so, that Clinique has leaned in and released other products as part of a Black Honey range. The OG Black Honey lipstick is still the pinnacle—ideal for a quick day-to-night look or when you just want to look a little more polished.
M.A.C Silky Matte Lipstick in Velvet Teddy
That brownish lip that Rachel Greene from Friends made so famous is back, and as such, Velvet Teddy has moved back into my rotation. The new formula is a silky matte, pinky brown that gives the perfect 90s lips and goes oh-so-well with my refreshed 90s long layer hair blowout.
Will I pair it with a plaid skirt and knee high boots? Yes. Will I feel too old to be dressing like this? Probably yes, but hey, we millennials wore it all first Gen Z, so we do what we want. Plus we can’t afford to be real adults anyway so nostalgia like Mac Velvet Teddy is all that’s getting us through.
Benefit Cosmetics Benetint Cheek and Lip Stain
This one is riding the wave of the no makeup look, because it gives a barely-there-but-packing-a-punch flush to the cheeks and lips. Think a light flush from a short frolick in the countryside, or pinky glow from running between appointments. It’s rosy, it’s cute and it’s back on our desks in 2024. It’s an all-in-one stain that keeps going viral again and again. It was originally developed in the 70s but achieved cult status in the 90s and is now back wowing beauty mavens to this very day.
In her spare time, she likes long walks down the makeup aisle and performing in Brisbane theatre. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and TikTok @thebeautypalate.
