Just 22 Glorious Throwback Photos of Our Ultimate Beauty Icons

Updated:

01 Feb 2023

Amy Clark is Adore Beauty's former Senior Editor and co-host of Skincare School the podcast (and self-appointed beauty road-tester!). Amy's worked as a journalist, beauty editor and podcaster for several years, previously writing and talking about all things beauty at Mamamia and You Beauty. When she's not writing honest, no BS product reviews and taking selfies 'for work', you'll find Amy eating halloumi in a hair towel turban and... taking more selfies.

For many of us, some of our earliest beauty memories are of watching a woman in our life slicking on a red lip in the bathroom or getting her hair done.

Mine is trawling through my mum's makeup drawers and pouring over her hundreds of lipsticks that were all slight variations of exactly the same colour. Mum wasn't 'Mum' without a punchy lippie - all her lipstick bullets were slanted to one side like mine are now.

Or when I'd visit my grandparents interstate, I'd sneak into Nan's bathroom and rub her many lotions and creams all over my body. When I emerged with shimmery brown eyeshadow across my face and smelling of baby powder, she never let on she could tell I'd been through her things.

Through 90s tadpole brows and perms and Kardashian contouring and under-eye baking, it's little moments and memories like these that stick with us. Because self care (even before we called it self care) never goes out of style.

So, keep scrolling for a bunch of throwback photos of the Adore Beauty mother figures who will always be our timeless beauty icons.

"My late nanny Winnie looking like an Italian movie star. She never left the house without checking her hair and swiping on some lippie. She also carried a comb and several hand creams and lip balms wherever she went." - Amy, Senior Editor.

"My mum always rocked a lip and long nails! For as long as I can remember, my mum's nails have always been manicured and painted a fun colour. I would say my love of beauty came from her, for sure." - Marie, Customer Experience.

"Dear Mother, you are simply amazing. Your smile lights up the room!" - Shanthi, Head of Campaign & Strategy.

"I learnt so many beauty (and life) lessons from Mum. Always take your makeup off at night. Pat your face dry, don't rub. Red lipstick is an instant pick-me-up. Never have chipped nail polish and dirty bra straps. And you can always tell a man by his shoes!!!" - Gin, People & Culture.

"Me with my mum at Christmas in 1997, she's always loved a statement lip! And then bonus, how's my granny Freda's hair in this pic from when she was about 21?" - Harriet, Merchandise.

"Here's Daph at her 21st party. I loved her glam look, I even wore a white pantsuit to my 21st to copy her. The blue eyeshadow and red lips are everything." - Megan, Social & Content team.

"Mum's blonde hair has always been iconic, and how good is the 90s lip?!" - Brooklyn, Customer Experience.

"My beautiful mother-in-law to be in the 80s, the flat top hair was the height of fierce glamour!" - Katie, People & Culture.

"My Mamma getting down to business in her overalls." - Karin, Copywriter.

"Here’s my mum (and dad) cruising on the actual Amazon sporting some 70s style." - Dan, Chief Marketing Officer.

"My mum in her 20s with this hair and those lashes is the kind of energy we all need to channel right now." - Amy, Senior Editor.

"This is the best photo of my mum from the late 80s, soooo iconic. The teased hair. The perm and side swept style. The purple taffeta dress. Mum was a Mary Kay party-planning beauty consultant at the time - I used to think it was the best job in the world and wanted to be just like her." - Gina, Finance.

"Mum's hair was so bomb!" - Shenae, Email Marketing.

"Here's me and Mum in 1987, she's rocking the beatnik cool vibe... not so sure about how she's going with my haircut though!" - Emmy, Designer.

"My grandma in the 60s rocking an a iconic Jackie Kennedy style look. The Felton family genes run strong... all my cousins and nieces could be sisters!" - Maddie, SEO team.