On the occasion of the return of The Bewitchers 2Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock dive back into their beauty memories from the 90s. What do they have in common? Two lipsticks that have become true markers of the era, but in radically different styles. Enough to give some ideas to those who want to bring the 90s mouth up to date.
Two 90s lipsticks for Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock
In an interview with the American media Who What Wear, published on Wednesday September 2, 2026, Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock revealed the lipsticks that they never took off at the time of the release of the first film, in 1998.
For Nicole Kidman, the favorite shade was a cherry red, applied very lightly to give that characteristic bitten lip effect. No perfectly defined contour or sophisticated finish: the color simply seemed to settle on the mouth, like after biting into a fruit.
Sandra Bullock had a completely different obsession. The actress swore by a brown lipstick from MAC Cosmetics. A shade now discontinued, the exact reference of which remains a little mystery.
In the comments of the interview, Internet users quickly tried to solve the riddle. Some evoke “O”, others “Twig”, one of the brand’s emblematic brown lipsticks, or even “Cherish”, a nude brown with a satin finish. Difficult, however, to confirm which of these shades was actually worn by the actress at the time.
Sandra Bullock’s brown lipstick, a true beauty code of the 90s
Brown on the lips remains one of the most recognizable markers of 90s makeup. Sandra Bullock was one of its fans, like many celebrities of the time.
Victoria Beckham, in particular, made it one of her beauty signatures when she was a member of the Spice Girls. At that time, brown lips were easily associated with minimalist makeup and refined looks. At MAC Cosmetics, the “Spice” lip pencil has become over the years one of the great classics of this aesthetic.
Today, there is no need to reproduce the look down to the millimeter. To modernize this brown mouth, it is better to focus on a lighter application. The lipstick can be applied in a thin layer, then blended with your finger for a less marked result.
The good reflex is also to choose a shade close to your skin tone. A latte or cocoa brown can warm up the complexion while retaining that little 90s touch, without giving a result that is too dark.
Nicole Kidman’s bitten lips effect, still so easy to adopt
With her cherry red, Nicole Kidman focused on a much fresher and more natural mouth. The color was applied transparently, so as to reveal the natural relief of the lips and to create this “bitten lips” effect.
A trend that ultimately hasn’t aged a bit. To reproduce it today, tinted balms and lip inks are particularly easy to use. Simply place a little color in the center of the mouth, then blend it towards the contours.
The result? A lightly colored, fresh and imperfect mouthfeel just right. A simple way to embrace the 90s aesthetic without feeling like it came straight out of a 1998 film.