3 Makeup Mistakes Only Gen X Will Remember Making

Somewhere between boomers and millennials is a group called Gen X, and what a time they grew up in! This generation is classified as being born from 1965 to 1980, and these folks got to experience disco and the lost art of grunge music, which inspired a lot of makeup looks. However, while we're hoping some '90s makeup trends will make a comeback, some mistakes Gen X has made should firmly stay in the past.

Back then, makeup was not as high-tech as it is now. There was no such thing as high-definition foundation and tubing mascara until at least the Y2K era. Plus, Gen X-ers didn't have YouTube and TikTok tutorials to help them learn the latest beauty tricks. Instead, they had to rely on good old-fashioned magazines, and trial and error. The youngest of this age group are in their 40s, with the oldest being 60 by now, and it's safe to say that they remember all too well their makeup mistakes.

Decades before the concept of glass skin was invented, full coverage foundation was all the rage, particularly in the '80s and '90s. Makeup users at the time preferred a flat matte finish in a shade lighter than their natural skin tone, creating a chalky visage. Perhaps it's because they grew up with their moms saying, "I have to powder my nose," but Gen X-ers were really against any shine. Even if they had perfect skin, the need to pile on heavy foundation was strong, and there was no pore to be seen.

Powder foundations were huge in the '90s, leaving folks with super airbrushed-looking matte skin. Many of them included titanium dioxide, so if you happen to look at photos of Gen X-ers and their faces appear ghostly, it's because of the camera's flashback (and we're talking about the ones with actual film). Hopefully, they've since learned that foundation matching is all about the neck, according to TikTok.

The 1980s was a decade of color explosions, and there was neon everywhere, including on people's faces. "More is more" was the motto then, with makeup lovers applying bright eyeshadow, blush, and lipstick — all in contrasting shades. Blue shadow was trendy, and many Gen-X ladies applied the product all the way up to their eyebrows while brushing on bright-pink blush in streaks. Frosted-pink lipstick was on everyone's lips, adding to the already bold palette.

'80s makeup trends have made a major comeback, and this time, we're easing up on the intensity. While there's nothing wrong with a pop of color, it's best to focus on one or two features instead of the whole face. For example, a swipe of purple mascara would stand out more against bare lids and a pretty nude lip. We love the '80s, but even Gen X-ers have to admit that the makeup was a bit much.

If you're Gen X, chances are you once had pencil-thin eyebrows and are still paying for tweezing them to death. During the '90s, celebs like Kate Moss and Drew Barrymore began the trend of barely there brows by plucking out most of the hairs into a super-skinny line. They either left them bare or penciled them in with a dark-brown color, resulting in a '20s flapper look. Thin brows started making their way around more celebrity faces, which led to us regular folks emulating them. Sadly, Gen X learned that the more you pluck your hair, the less likely it is to grow back to its former glory.

It turns out that thin brows were the handiwork of Kevyn Aucoin, the late makeup artist to the stars. "There was a time that we decided together that everyone needed to look like Carole Lombard and have really skinny eyebrows," designer Isaac Mizrahi said in the documentary, "Larger Than Life: The Kevyn Aucoin Story" (via Vogue). He added, "And the next thing I knew, [Aucoin] was plucking everybody's eyebrows." To all the Gen Z and millennials copying this look, please put the tweezers down before you regret it in 20 years.