The Biggest Eyeliner Trends in Every Decade

For most of us, eyeliner is a staple in our makeup bag and our daily makeup look. But it’s likely the eyeliner look you’re rocking now won’t be your go-to in ten years. Why? Beauty trends tend to change throughout the years—a fact that’s proven when you revisit all the different eyeliner looks that have been the top trend in different decades. Let’s take a journey back in time and take a look at the biggest eyeliner trends through the decades. Who knows, you might just find inspiration for your next eye makeup look!

‘20S EYELINER TREND: SMOKY AND SMUDGED

The 1920s were the first decade that eyeliner graced the beauty scene. During the twenties, eye makeup was centered around black smoky eyes and smudged liner.

Get the look: Apply the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Never Fail™ Eyeliner in Carbon Black to your waterline and along your lower lash line. Use the built-in smudger to gently smudge your liner and complete this smoky look.

‘30S EYELINER TREND: BARELY THERE

While the ‘20s were all about intense black eyeliner, the 1930s reverted to very simple, barely there eyeliner used solely to create the appearance of thicker lashes.

Get the look: Apply the L’Oréal Paris Infallible The Super Slim Liquid Eyeliner in Black to your upper lash line, using it to fill in gaps between your lashes rather than to draw a defined line.

‘40S EYELINER TREND: KEEP IT SIMPLE

Similar to the trending look of the ‘30s, women in the 1940s kept their eyeliner to a minimum. A thin line was used on the upper lash line to define lashes.

Get the look: The L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Liner Noir in Blackest Black is perfect for this look with its 0.1 mm ultra-fine tip. Line your upper lash line, staying as close to your lashes as possible.

‘50S EYELINER TREND: WING IT

Who doesn’t love the winged eyeliner look? The ‘50s are responsible for this iconic eyeliner trend.

Get the look: Use the L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise™ Liquid Eyeliner in Black to draw a precise line starting from the inner corner of your eye and going to the outer corner, creating a wing at the end.

‘60S EYELINER TREND: CUT CREASE

The cut crease eye makeup look was huge in the ‘60s. Cut creases are most often created with eye shadow, not eyeliner, but the look was typically paired with eyeliner worn on both the upper and lower lash lines.

Editor’s tip: Not sure how to create a cut crease eye shadow look? Read our article, How to Create a Cut Crease.

Get the look: After you’ve completed your eye shadow, use a liquid eyeliner pen to line your upper lash line, starting at the inner corner of your eye and stopping at the outer corner. Then, use the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Last Waterproof Pencil Eyeliner in Black to line your lower lash line.

‘70S EYELINER TREND: NATURAL BEAUTY

To continue the trend of going back and forth between natural and bold eyeliner looks, the ‘70s revolved around using eyeliner to enhance your natural beauty. Shades of brown, which look more natural, were very popular.

Get the look: Use the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Last Waterproof Pencil Eyeliner in Brown to line your upper and lower lash lines.

‘80S EYELINER TREND: BOLD COLOR

Hello bright, vibrant shades! Not only was black eyeliner back in style, bold colors were also huge during this decade.

Get the look: Line your waterline with a statement color like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Last Waterproof Pencil Eyeliner in Purple, Cobalt Blue, or True Teal.

‘90S EYELINER TREND: SUBTLE EMPHASIS

Back to natural glam, the ‘90s used eyeliner to highlight the eye rather than create a statement eye makeup look.

Get the look: Apply the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Never Fail Eyeliner in Brown to your waterline for natural definition.

‘00S EYELINER TREND: SOFT CAT EYE

The wing has made its return! While there’s no denying a wing created with liquid liner is a statement eye makeup look, this eyeliner trend focuses on achieving a softer version of the look.

Get the look: Use a pencil liner to line your upper lash line, creating a wing at the end. Use the built-in smudger to slightly smudge your liner and soften the look.

‘10S EYELINER TREND: NUDE EYELINER

While using white eyeliner to line your waterline was big starting in the ‘00s, in more recent years, many makeup lovers have switched over to using nude eyeliner. Nude eyeliner offers a similar brightening effect but it looks a bit more natural.

Get the look: Apply the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Last Waterproof Pencil Eyeliner in Nude to your waterline to leave your eyes looking more awake and open.

Want more decade-inspired makeup ideas? Check out our article, 5 Makeup Looks That Span the Ages.