Over three decades of fame, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s impact on style has been so pervasive that it’s nearly impossible to measure its full scope—never mind that even their decades-old looks inspire new trends every day. To that end, over the past few weeks, TikTok creators have been harkening back to a crystalized-in-our-minds era of the early aughts: When the Olsens transitioned from tweens to bonafide fashion icons, putting Boho-chic on the map with their oversized coats, diaphanous dresses, and Balenciaga moto bags. More specifically, a new generation is honing in on the moment-defining hair and makeup looks they wore—smoky eyes, fresh skin, and artfully rumpled hair—above their expertly crafted looks.
The timing of this Olsen aughts revival feels especially right considering that many tenets of their 2000s beauty supply ample inspiration for the holiday season ahead. “Over the past few years, we’ve gotten back to more natural beauty–and Ashely and Mary-Kate are the poster children for effortless chic,” says their longtime hairstylist, Mark Townsend. “They were the first ones to go to the Met Gala with just simple waves; they started the whole air-dry trend. They’ve shown people everywhere that chicness is a level of confidence; it’s not so much about making sure you have the perfect blowout.”
According to their makeup artist Pati Dubroff, their laissez-faire sensibilities were in line with the overarching attitude of the 2000s, too. “In that time, there was more of an ease to how people presented themselves; it wasn’t so micromanaged, overthought, or overwrought,” she explains. “So it’s just remembering the spirit of ease–before we all felt like we needed to do 500 steps and contour the fuck out of our face!” And yes, this frame of mind can and should be applied to approaching holiday festivities. “It’s nice that we’re starting to strip back the layers and realize that we can do festive or going out event makeup without it being so heavy and packed on. It can still look really special. The makeup [the Olsens] did then, and they do now, is forever timeless and chic.”
So keep scrolling and let the Olsen beauty redux guide you for an impossibly cool approach to the festive season and beyond. And remember, there’s beauty to be found in a lack of polish. As Townsend puts it, “It was never about perfection; it’s about coolness.”
Ethereal Eyeshadow
From the early 2000s through today, the Olsens have embraced earthy shadows with an ethereal sheen. And it’s all about a soft, sheer wash. “It’s just a smudge–never five shadows layered on top of each other,” says Dubroff. One beauty moment TikTok can’t get enough of in this spirit is the Olsens at a screening of New York Minute back in 2004. Their respective shades–Ashley wearing a tawny bronze, while Mary-Kate sported a plummy purple–were about leaning into their personalities and tones they naturally lean toward. “Ashley liked things softer, cooler–even her hair tone was a cooler, almost platinum blonde. Mary-Kate had more warmth in her hair color, so it was leaning into that. The plum tone is also excellent for bringing out the brightness of a blue or a green eye.”
Messy-Chic Hair
“Mary-Kate always wants to experiment with texture,” says Townsend. “The first time was back in the early 2000s, I did two loose braids on her and then ran a flat iron over the braid to create uneven bends instead of a perfect wave or curl.” In addition to crafting the perfect bend, the right product was and is equally important. “I can’t even think of how many bottles of Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray we have gone through over the decades,” says Townsend. “That and dry shampoo, which I discovered back then is actually a styling product, is how I created 99% of the looks that they’ve worn.”
Fresh, Strobed Skin
The Olsens favor a more natural, less-is-more look when it comes to concealer or foundation. “You don’t have to put a ton of product on our skin for it to look finished,” says Dubroff. “If you take good care of your skin, you want that to shine through.” What makes their complexions shine is a soft, all-over luminosity achieved by strobing the high points of the face, such as the cheekbones and Cupid’s bow. “Back then, we didn’t have the highlighter category,” explains Dubroff. “I distinctly remember using the Ben Nye Fireworks Wheel palettes with icy and bronzed shades. I would use that to add dashes of light to mimic skin like a baby. It all looks more alive when you add those touches of light.”
Smudged Liner
As the 2000s wore on, so did the Olsens’s (particularly Mary-Kate’s) love for grungy, lived-in eyeliner. The inspiration? The ultimate kohl-rimmed gaze of the aughts, of course. “Kate Moss was on everyone’s mood board,” says Dubroff. “It’s that cool-girl-who-woke-up-and-did’t-quite-take-off-all-her-mascara-and-this-what’s-left-in-the-morning vibe that was on everyone’s mood board. It was leaning into that for sure.”
Tucked Hair
By now, you’re probably familiar with the “Olsen tuck,” the hair-styling trick that finds Mary-Kate and Ashley’s long, imperfect bends tucked into the collar of a jacket or at the nape of a trompe l’oeil hairstyle to blithely cool effect. “It came about one year literally for Met Gala,” says Townsend. “Ashley threw on her jacket, and I was like, ‘I love how the hair looks tucked in like that.’ She’s like, ‘Me too, but how do we keep it?’” Townsend says the trick is weaving a tiny low braid to keep the hair neat and concealed. “It gathers it all in and keeps it from separating and getting super messy,” he says. “When it looks too unkempt, it’s not chic anymore,” he laughs.
Glass Lips
Lip gloss was a hallmark of early 2000s beauty. Yes, even for the Olsens. While many stars of the time embraced bright colors and glittery finishes in this spirit, Mary-Kate and Ashley preferred a more minimalist feel with sheer clear or nude glosses that subtly enhanced the shape and color of the lips. “There was a transparency to it,” says Dubroff. “Unlike today, there wasn’t overdrawing or layers of pencil.” The glass-like sheen supplied a fresh, youthful feel and a touch of sophistication.
Chic Accessorizing
With their exceptional eye for detail, the Olsens effortlessly combine minimalism and timeless glamour in everything they do. This is especially true on the accessorizing front, and trust they wouldn’t reach for just any gilded hair bauble. Here, Ashley decorates her crown with a sculpted silver headband that imbues her top knot with a subtle elegance. Another key ingredient to this look? Face-framing wisps. “They always taught me it’s okay to have a few flyways,” says Townsend. “In fact, let’s make them on purpose.”
Source: [INSTYLE], [https://www.instyle.com/olsen-twin-beauty-trends-8755040]
