Oldies But Goodies: Top Makeup Looks From 20th Century Hollywood Glamour

Oldies But Goodies: Top Makeup Looks From 20th Century Hollywood Glamour
The average American woman spends a whopping $300,000 on makeup over the course of her lifetime. And with so many luxurious, beautiful and even exotic glamour options on offer at high-end stores, it’s no surprise! If you’re wondering where to look for more makeup looks, though, why not jump back in time to the world of retro Hollywood?
Sophia Loren. Image via Gioia.it
As CNN reports, the twentieth-century film was a world of amazing looks and top glamour. From the heavy eyebrows of silent movie actresses to the amazing contours of many later stars, there’s a world of choice if you’re looking to emulate the luxury vibe of a bygone Hollywood movie set. Here are some top tips for making it work.
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Get Those Contours Right
Marilyn Monroe. Image via Biography
When you look at the list of the world’s oldest celebrities, you’ll quickly find that some of the most beautiful famous people of the last few decades are on there. Something that many celebrities of this era whether still living or not had in common is that their faces were beautifully contoured, like the always glamorous Marilyn Monroe.
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By placing a relatively dark colored concealer or foundation just beneath your cheekbones and then doing the same on the tip and edges of your nose as well as near your jawline, you too can enjoy this gorgeous and luxuriant look.
Accentuate Your Eyes
Clara Bow in Call Her Savagae 1932. Photo via MovieMadens.com
When it comes to makeup, one of the key aspects to consider first is your eye area. Hollywood icons from across the decades knew this, and old school actresses used to make their eyes the focal points of their looks. This is especially true for those who appeared in silent films where the main mode of communication was through eye rolls and piercing stares. For example, superstar Clara Bow used to ensure that her eyebrows were substantially penciled. Not only did this draw attention to her eyes for dramatic purposes, it also gave her a timeless and well-framed look.
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Consider Your Complexion
Portrait of Dorothy Dandridge in Tarzan’s Peril directed by Phil Brandon , 1951. Image via TheRedList.com
While once upon a time the rich and famous ladies of Hollywood would opt for lots of makeup, the fashion began to change as time went on. By the time the century was halfway through, actresses like “Carmen Jones” star Dorothy Dandridge were leading the way when it came to creating a softer facial complexion. To emulate that “less is more” look, a makeup brush with fine bristles is a great way to create a polished yet still natural look.
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The world of old-fashioned Hollywood glamour is one that is full of great ideas for makeup looks. Stylish yet timeless, the actresses of the twentieth century definitely knew how they could look great both under the lights and on those plush and luxurious red carpets. So if you’re searching for new makeup looks that bring with them a true dash of retro, look no further than the film starlets of decades gone by.
Article by Jackie Edwards
Like Jackie’s writing and ideas? Check out her article on Three Stylish Luxury Vacations for Summer!