Back to the Future: Going through the Eras of Makeup

LATE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY: VICTORIAN DELICACY

 

Back in this time period women were thought to be delicate, thought themselves as delicate as flowers so the look was to have very pale skin.  Ladies would achieve that by drinking vinegar and avoiding fresh air.  Some ladies used a little blush on their cheeks but makeup was a big no no for the late 18th century.  Pale skin reflected on their social status.  It meant you could afford not to work outdoors, and not get tanned which was considered vulgar.  However, entertainers  such as actresses were allowed to use makeup.  Remember, makeup wasn't a big selection as we have now, back than makeup was mostly found in your kitchen such as beetroots, food coloring, and berries.  

1920's

In the 1920's makeup came back into fashion and so did suntanning after Coco Channel started the trend.  Creme and ivory colored faced powered was mostly used by some women, later in the 20's natural colored face powdered was coming in to play.  For the lips colors such as raspberry, rose, and even orange in later years was the fashion.  And as you can see in the photo to the left, the lips had a very specific shape to them, almost heart shaped.  In the middle of the 20's the lips were colored in deep reds, deep red browns, plum, and orange.  The eyes were kept a little dark with a lot of shading on the lid and lower lid.  Usually the whole eye would be lined with black liner and then smudged; often the lid was colored grey and the lashes were painted on with black mascara with something called a "spit block".  Yes it is what it sounds like.  The eyebrows were very thin and in a downward sloping shape.

1930's: IMPORTANT LIPS

Lipstick keep getting redder, a new shade of red every year and was applied very thick.  Through some research of this era, I found that a news paper comment said that kissing went out of fashion do to high cost of lipstick.  On the cheeks and earlobes, rouge was worn, and the eyebrows were plucked to even thinner lines than the 20's or shaved and drawn on, and false lashes were in fashion.  On the lids, many shades were the fashion, such as blues, bright violets, greens, browns.  A darker shade was used in the crease to create a deep set eyes.  Back to the lips, shown above:  the lips were full and an extended bow and flared at the corners.  

1940's: WORK WITH WHAT YOU GOT

During this time war broke out so there was shortages in the makeup department.  On the face, powder was still used to give a natural look or glow.  Oh, and foundation with a warm color undertone was used, and then powder with a slight lighter color was applied.  For the lips, lipstick was still in use with all shades of reds, cherry reds, pinkish reds, orange reds were very popular.  The shape of the lip was kept soft and a little exaggeration on the bow of the lip.  On the eyes, was usually kept to a natural shade on the lid.  Black mascara was used, and black liner on the upper lash line.  And eyebrows was mostly kept natural, shaded in with grays and blacks.  

1950's: GLAMOUR 

Motion pictures played a big role in makeup and it became a thing of glamour and oh so Hollywood.  Max Factor came out with a foundation similar to the big screen starlets called "Pan Cake" was all the rage.  It was used to cover up imperfections to achieve a movie start flawless look.  Bright red lipstick was being used and liquid eyeliner was used to flare out the outer corners of the upper lash line.  On the eyelids, more of a matte vanilla color was used and a darker shade was used in the crease.  The eyebrows were highlighted, and the brows kept sort of natural.  

1960's 

This is were the red lips were frowned upon by parents, so the nude, pale pink lips came into fashion.  The eyes were the main focus.  Hollow cheeks was in fashion by taking blusher and applying it in the hollows of the cheeks,  The eyes were extremely exaggerated with winged out black eyeliner on the upper lash line, the lower outer lash line was lined with black also and white eyeliner applied on the water line to make the eyes appear larger.  Fake lashes were really popular and assisted in making the eye look wider.  And I can't forget the black line in the eye socket.  Very 60's.

1970's:NATURAL

This period in time was more about looking natural.  Bright lips and eyeliner where the thing of the past.  Earth tones eye shadow colors was used in the place of black eyeliner, and the eyebrow was highlighted white.  Powder went out of fashion and foundation was mostly use to give a sheer affect.  Also lip liner was all the rage, but used in more muted tones like nudes and flesh tones.

1980's

Makeup came back, with bold colors.  Do I need to say more?? It was color color everywhere.  On the cheeks, on the lips, on the eyes.........I HOPE THIS NEVER COMES BACK INTO STYLE =(


1990's: THE GRUNGE LOOK
FOR SOME REASON I CAN NOT FIND A PICTURE OF THIS LOOK
but lipsticks were used in earthy tones, browns, metallic browns...and eyes with smudged blacker liner on the water line...that was about it.....