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The beauty lessons from the 1980s worth revisiting
As Rivals returns to our screens, we look at the decade’s make-up trends that have stood the test of time… and those that are best forgotten
The much-anticipated second series of Rivals hits our screens this week and with it a nostalgic trip down memory lane to the decade that gave us bold blusher, bushy brows and bouffant hair. Although the look has been much ridiculed since, in today’s turbulent times, a bit of playful Eighties excess might be just what our beauty routines need. Here are the best of the decade’s make-up trends to take with you, and those better left in the past.
Try a bold blusher
While Margot Robbie’s wind-flushed Wuthering Heights blush is beauty’s big talking point, it’s bona fide Eighties icon Kate Bush who we should be thanking for inspiring unapologetically bold blush.
“The modern approach to Eighties blush is all in placement and texture,” says make-up artist Zoë Taylor. Formulas then tended to be uniformly matte, so Taylor advises starting with a cream blush for something fresher and setting with a powder blush if you want it to really pop.
As for placement, think of a softly diffused watercolour wash that Taylor suggests applying on the cusp of your cheekbones, as opposed to an Eighties-style long strip that extends from ear to mouth. Practising restraint with the application does mean that you can be bolder with your colour choices, so if you’ve always fancied a candy pink or a deep berry flush, now’s the time to try it.
Brave some blue
Blue hasn’t been considered the must-have make-up shade since about 1986, but if anyone scoffs at your azure efforts, point them in the direction of Chanel’s latest Denim collection. The limited-edition line-up is as chic as you’d expect and celebrates all shades of blue from soft chambray to cornflower. It also covers everything from baby-blue lip balm to pearlised blue highlighter should they be more your thing.
“Blue eyeshadow is best approached without thinking too much,” advises Taylor. “The Eighties take was to wear it along the lower lashes and into the waterline but I love to see it worn deep into the socket or haloed around the eye. Blending is easy if you use paler shades to create shape and drama, and keeping it blended makes it more wearable.”
Go for a power brow
Bigger and bolder was definitely better when it came to Eighties brows (as Rivals’ Taggie O’Hara demonstrates).
Thankfully, we’re still not over a Brooke Shields-style bushy brow in 2026 either, so now’s the time to whip yours into shape. If it’s just filling in a few gaps, a slimline felt-tip will mimic natural hairs best, whereas a gel with a sturdy spoolie is essential for taming and grooming unruly hairs into a more uniform shape. If it’s a bit of both you need, opt for something like a tinted brow gel that offers both pigment and hold.
And the ones to leave behind…
Banish helmet hair
Forget the kind of stiff, over-hairsprayed bobs that are borderline fire hazards and instead add texture to your short cut with just a few clever spritzes of hairspray rather than several cans. To get the modern version of Eighties volume, choose a styling spray that favours movability and malleability over extra-strong hold. Ditto goes for mousse.
Hairspray formulas today tend to include more water and health-focused ingredients over copious amounts of volatile organic compounds and alcohol, making them gentler but no less effective. “Spray lightly onto hair before straightening, tonging or setting,” instructs Sam McKnight, who has been working his magic on A-listers’ hair since 1977.
“Spritz into the roots for volume and spray through the mid-lengths and ends to add texture. Mist over and finish with a veil of hairspray for lasting style without crunchiness or stickiness.” If it’s last-minute root lift you’re after, look for a root volumiser. “Root volumisers are ideal for those who don’t blow-dry all their hair from wet to dry,” says McKnight. “Use your fingers, a brush or tip your head upside down and dry your roots lifted up for best results.”
Ditch the power pair
Although we firmly believe that rules are meant to be broken when it comes to make-up, it’s worth pointing out that it doesn’t extend to the Eighties trend for embellishing eyes and lips at the same time. While over-egging both features generally looks heavy, choosing to highlight one with a playful pop of colour or an interesting texture is a more modern move; think a smudgy lip tint paired with just mascara or a flick of emerald liner with nothing but a layer of lip balm. If that feels too pared back, a tonal look using the same colour on lids, lips and even cheeks is the less shouty equivalent of Eighties excess.
Not so pretty in pink
Although the show’s Sarah Stratton (played to perfection by Emily Atack) is partial to a bright pink lipstick, it’s a shade that feels a little too sweet and saccharine for right now. If you can’t part from pink, try a stain instead of a creamy, opaque formula, or as Taylor puts it: “The modern way is blurred and kissed off.” Not only will it deliver a fresher, more whimsical finish, it’s inherently low-maintenance so you don’t need to touch it up every time you eat, drink or engage in any Rivals-style smooching.
