13 of the Worst Beauty Trends

Sure, in retrospect, not every beauty trend is spot-on sexy. Some make us laugh about our silly decisions, but others…well, let’s just say they’re not among our prouder moments. Behold, 13 of the craziest beauty trends we can’t wait to forget.
Mega-Pastel Eyeshadow




Time machines may not be real, but one look at seriously pastel eyeshadow, and we feel like we’ve been transported to an 80s prom. Did this look totally wash out our faces? Yep. Did it sorta make us look like we were wearing cupcake frosting on our lids? You betcha.

How to wear trendsetting eyeshadow
Perms

Miss Bradshaw, we’ll forgive you: Even some of the chicest stars make some beauty mistakes. Not only were perms were kinda funny looking, as evidenced here, but does anyone remember how completely gross they smelled? We’re glad this trend took a nosedive (get it?!).

Sarah Jessica Parker's style
Teased Bangs

Teased bangs, how did we ever think you were a good idea—especially with a straight hairstyle? Oh, the horror of having a creampuff sprouting from the hairline! We can barely recall this look without needing to sit down.
Million Mile-Long Nails

Loooooong nails were something we never quite understood—how does one press the elevator button? Brush her teeth? Use chopsticks? In the name of all things functional, we declare this one of the most insane beauty trends e-v-e-r.

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Nail polish for pretty hands 
Super-Bleached Out Hair

Not only do we have the mega-nail situation going on here, but this is a double DON’T! Those poor, poor bleached-out tresses: No look is worth totally destroying your hair. Trust us.
 
Women transformed by color and cuts
Tanning with Baby Oil

Who can resist a way to get a good tan? Um, we can when it comes to baby oil: Hel-lo, skin cancer. Just say, “No, thank you” and reach for the SPF instead.

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Beehive Hair

While the ’50s and ’60s were a serious revolution in style, some trends are better left in the past. Case in point: the beehive, ‘cause it’s really no fun to hit your hair on the doorframe.

Amy Winehouse's hairstyles
Drawn-On Eyebrows

True story: Some hair just wasn’t meant to be shaved off. We’re relieved au natural is back on-trend, because this “It’s three o’clock and my eyebrows have melted off” thing just wasn’t cutting it.
Skunk-Inspired Highlights

One terrible trend we’re still seeing too much of? Skunk-y highlights. Why not opt for other ways to celebrate the animal kingdom besides turning your pretty locks into a streaky mess?
Colored Tips

If you’re Katy Perry or Rihanna, color can be a bold way to make a look-at-me statement. But for those of us who dunked our tips into a jar of Manic Panic? Well, let’s just take a sec to celebrate the ability to untag photos, shall we?
Cupid’s Bow Lips & Goth Makeup

Here’s a beauty double-whammy. Cupid’s bow lips might have been ultra-romantic in the olden days, but they’re not quite fit for the 21st century—especially when they’re in a color that should never land on your pucker.
All-Over Crimped Hair

If only we could take a bullet train back to the ’90s and snatch those crimping irons straight from vanities across the country while yelling, “Control yourselves, ladies!” A little touch of texture here and there can work, but we’re all for ditching the waffle fry takeover look.

Alanis Morisette's current style
The ’60s Flip

If this doesn’t channel our mothers’ old yearbooks, then nothing does. We just can’t understand the idea behind this one, since we’re having a hard time remembering the last time we needed handlebars on our ‘do.

Jessica Simpson's sexy hairstyles