A soft blush on her cheeks, a barely-there lip, and a tortoiseshell rim holding back contrasting sun-kissed locks from a season at the beach: these are the eternally alluring features of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's '90s glam, a look that remains wildly desirable even 26 years after her death.
With the release of the first episodes of the series “American Love Story”, we are once again reminded of the timeless romantic appeal of America's most famous It-girl. For all fans of the 90s and vintage lovers, it has become a kind of ritual to browse the Internet in search of inspiration from the late New York It-girl, but in recent years, beauty enthusiasts and supporters of the concept of “no makeup” or the model off-duty aesthetic have once again turned to Bessette Kennedy's images on the streets of New York, not only because of her style.
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90s Glam in 2026: How to Recreate Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's Beauty Look
Like Grace Kelly or Princess Diana, Bessette-Kennedy has achieved an almost mythical, royal status in the collective consciousness, even though she was only 33 years old at the time of her death and was not officially a queen (although the Kennedys are the closest thing to American royalty). Beautiful, tragic, and romantic, the story of Carolyn Bessette and her husband, John F. Kennedy Jr., is an almost Shakespearean saga of what could have been. And it’s only a matter of time before it’s canonized in a miniseries. It’s actually a wonder it hasn’t happened sooner.
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Central to her look was that she was a true Calvin Klein girl in the brand's heyday, having started out as a saleswoman and later becoming the brand's chief PR officer. Her natural beauty was the CK supermodel's calling card and is reminiscent of the iconic shots of Kate Moss without makeup and with perfectly tousled locks on a billboard with Mark Wahlberg. “I think everyone is just obsessed with the glam supermodel era from the 1990s,” says makeup industry legend Bobbi Brown.
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So how do you recreate Caroline's iconic '90s glam in 2026? Bobbi Brown advises: “Nude matte lips with contour and fill, very clear skin, no blush, and neutral eyes—whether it's brown eyeshadow or just mascara. There wasn't a lot of color on the face; it was all about the nude. The '90s look was sporty, relaxed, and cool, with a new kind of glamour.”
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Nude, blush and brown eyeshadow: Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's beauty secrets in 2026
Clean skin
Contrary to popular belief, going “no makeup” doesn't mean you have to completely ditch foundation. “If you choose a shade that matches your skin tone exactly, it can look like you're not wearing foundation at all,” says Brown. “It creates a healthy, athletic look that stars like Cindy Crawford used to have and that's still relevant today.”
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Nude lips
According to Brown, “Brown lipstick is a modern way to wear a neutral with power, if you choose the right shade of brown. It's important to consider your skin tone and natural lip color.” The makeup guru advises finding balance: you should choose a shade not only because you like it, but also because it harmoniously blends with your facial features. “It's important that it's not too gray or orange; a pinkish brown is more suitable. Jones Road and Classic Lips lip pencils in Nudist and Tawny Nude are perfect wearable brown tones.”
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Neutral eyes
A light layer of brown eyeshadow perfectly emphasizes the eyelids in the style of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and does not overload the image. A classic makeup artist's technique is draping, which involves using the same shade on the eyes and cheeks. Using bronzer for both areas is a classic 90s trick.
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“Try the new Jones Road Eyeshadow Pencils for the perfect brown shade,” says Brown. “They're neutral colors that work well with a variety of skin tones. They're versatile and can be used to create a variety of looks, from soft natural to bold. Some shades, like Toffee, are a little warmer and bring out the amber undertones in brown eyes. It all depends on the look you're going for, but they're designed to work with any eye color.”
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Based on material from: Vogue.co.uk