Makeup Tips: How to Get a Retro Look

Some women are retro and they don’t even know it. While caking on blue eyeshadow and pink blush can easily make you look like an extra in a 1980s music video, it will hardly make you look stylish. When attempting a retro look, it is important to look chic and stylish at the same time.

The best way to accomplish this is by using products that have been around for ages. When it comes to clothing, for instance, the best way to pull off a vintage style is to wear actual vintage clothing rather than modern clothing that has been designed to look vintage. Likewise, if you want a retro makeup look, you should use makeup brands and products that have been around for decades.

This means that rule number one is to put away the fancy mineral makeup and go back to the good old-fashioned makeup that your mother used to purchase from the local Avon lady. Mineral makeup just doesn’t provide the kind of coverage needed to replicate many retro looks, especially the makeup looks from the late 60s to the mid-80s, when the fashion world was ruled by the mantra “more is better”. Here are a few of my favorite retro makeup looks:

1960s eyes. The eye makeup of thid decade was characterized by full but arched brows, fully-painted lids, and heavy eyeliner and mascara on the upper lashes. The look was over-the-top, and evokes images of go-go dancers and the mod fashion movement popular in London in the early 60s. Think Julie Newmar as Catwoman, or Twiggy strutting on the catwalk. In order to replicate this look, use only one color on the lid, preferable green or blue-green, and apply it heavily so that it covers the entire lid and the area right below the brows. Eyebrows should be heavy, but gracefully arched, and the brows should be enhanced with a brown pencil or brow powder. Use black liquid eyeliner and Maybelline mascara to complete the look.

Silent-Era Siren. I have always been fascinated by the fashions and looks of the 20s and 30s. This era was characterized by very thin and dramatically arched brows. Crazy as it sounds, the only way this can be done correctly is if you have a permanently surprised expression on your face when you are through! If you don’t look surprised, you have not arched your brows enough. This era was also characterized by “rosebud” lips, where the lipcolor was applied to create a puckered look. Popular colors of this time period include rose, mauve, and pink. The foundation and powder should be very light in color. Keep in mind that this look was popular before tans became fashionable. Pale was all the rage in this era.

Casablanca. The 1940s were characterized by actresses like Ingrid Bergman and Lauren Bacall. By the end of the 30s, brows had become fuller (yet gracefully arched), foundation and powder had become darker, and lips were painted fuller. To re-create this look, use only matte finish products with medium to heavy coverage. Use earthy tones around the eyes (browns look great for re-creating this time period). Before applying lipcolor, make sure to apply a neutral tone foundation to the lips. This will not only help provide an opaque matte finish, but it will also make your lipcolor look more true to the color of the lipstick as it appears in the tube. Color the entire lip, and don’t be afraid to use darker colors like crimson, merlot, and burgundy.