Beauty

15 Teen Movies To Stream If You’re Nostalgic For Early ‘00s Beauty

An extremely powerful decade.

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The early 2000s are known for a lot of things, but the iconic beauty trends and cult-favorite teen films they left us with are at the top of the list. Whether they were about navigating high school or coming of age lessons, the best movies of the era serve as a time capsule for '00s beauty — from butterfly clips and blue eyeshadow to colorful chunky highlights and tons of bronzer.

Ahead, click through for a look back at some of the best teen movies that defined a generation — and the beauty it bought into.

Fox 2000 Pictures
Drumline (2002), YouTube/Prime Video

Yes, this movie is about a college drumline — but the dance team that follows alongside it is equally as captivating. With Zoe Saldana as the female lead and captain of the team, there’s tons of high performance beats and natural school day glam.

Walt Disney Productions
Gotta Kick It Up (2002), Disney+

Potentially the first (!) fictional high school cheer squad to not include a white blonde, this Disney Channel original was about a group of young Latina girls, filled with lots of piecey bangs, tinsel scrunchies, and half-up pony tail looks.

Working Title Films
Thirteen (2003), Prime Video

A cult favorite for a reason, this film shows a more gritty, rebellious side of teen life, following a girl balancing a tough home life and new friendships. Lots of eyeliner, questionable cornrows, and tongue piercings included.

Walt Disney Productions
The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003), Disney+

Lizzie showed off her typical early aughts style for her feature length debut in 2003 — aka lots of hair accessories that match her outfits.

Zoe Guastella/Shutterstock
Freaky Friday (2003), Disney+

Lindsay Lohan and her bandmates in Freaky Friday deserved their own movie, to be honest. Throughout the film, the trio play up every beauty trend you'd expect from a teenage girl who loves Avril Lavigne: chunky highlights, lots of eyeliner, and purple box dye.

The Cheetah Girls (2003), Disney+

When four teens in New York City suddenly become pop stars in 2003, icy eyeshadow, barrel curls, and matching hair accessories ensue.

What A Girl Wants (2004), Netflix

Amanda Bynes’ character goes from a free-spirited American teen with chunky bleached highlights to a British socialite that wears updos and tiaras while on a mission to get to know her father.

Michael Gibson/Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock
Mean Girls (2004), Hulu

Arguably one of the most influential high school movies to exist, it's like an '00s time capsule — complete with frosty highlights, square French manicures, and aggressive side bangs.

Walt Disney Productions
Confessions Of A Teenage Drama Queen (2004), Disney+

After moving from New York City to New Jersey in the middle of high school, Lindsay Lohan's boho character finds herself stacked against true suburban teens in all of their teeny eyebrow, glassy lip gloss, and wispy bang glory.

Landscape Entertainment
Sleepover (2004), Netflix

As the name suggests, this movie follows a group of middle school graduates through one big sleepover night — lots of hijinks, piecey bangs, and butterfly clips included.

Alcon Productions
Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants (2005), Prime Video

This film is a refreshing depiction of a high school friend group with each girl representing a unique aesthetic — from the popular blonde with layered highlights to the Hot Topic regular with chunky blue streaks, and the more subtle takes in between.

 ‎Storefront Pictures
Aquamarine (2006), YouTube/Prime Video

Come for the stacked '06 lineup — JoJo, Emma Roberts, Sara Paxton — and stay for the blue highlights, OTT bronzer, side ponytails, and...the fact that one of them is a mermaid.

ATL (2006), Prime Video

This cult favorite movie follows a group of teens in Atlanta where hip-hop and the local rollerskating rink are their common threads. With Lauren London as the female lead — and Kardashian family friends Malika and Khadijah Haqq as her sidekicks — there are tons of nostalgic looks, full of lip gloss, thin brows, honey highlights, and coordinating headscarves.

‎Touchstone Pictures
Stick It (2006), Prime Video

A fun movie about extremely athletic teen gymnasts that is full of competition, rebellion, and dramatic updos.

John Tucker Must Die (2006), Hulu

After four high school girls — Brittany Snow, Sophia Bush, Ashanti, and Arielle Kebbel — realize they’re dating the same guy (at the same school!), they band together to get revenge. And because each girl comes from a different clique, there’s four times the ‘00s style.

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