The 1950’s was a time of super-glamorous Hollywood sirens, from Grace Kelly to Audrey Hepburn. The glamour of Hollywood was reflected in the makeup of the time; winged cat eyes, lashings of mascara and heavily-made up faces were all the rage during this period. Discover more details about the classic 1950’s beauty look below.
1950’s lipstick
The popular 1940’s shade of red lipstick was replaced in the 1950’s with softer peaches and pinks, red oranges and mauves. Lipstick became a mainstay in every woman and teeanger’s everyday makeup bag. Sales of lipstick exploded during this time.
1950’s eye Makeup
The eye makeup of the period was subtle, yet alluring. Mascara took centre stage and women traded in colourful eyeshadows for neutral, shimmery bases. Vintage Makeup Guide shares more on the eye makeup used during the decade:
“The eye look of the 1950s was essentially minimal, with little eye-shadow applied. Mascara on the other hand was everyone’s favourite little accessory. Generous dabs of the stuff added a flushing femininity to a woman. A soft but definite liner was then applied along the upper lash and softly swept out in an arch, opening up the eyes. many women used their blush for an ever so light touch-up over the brows, in the evening time.”
Women finished their eye makeup with a classic winged cat-eye, using a dark liner to draw a flick on the outer corner of the eye. This eyeliner look has carried through the decades and many women still wear it today. It’s a great makeup look for a wedding day, as it suits almost everyone.
Base makeup
In the 1940’s women could barely afford base makeup and finishing powder, due to the rations of makeup during the war. Base products such foundation and powder were becoming more and more popular, however. The popular look was that of a made-up finish and a variety of new foundations came onto the market. By the 1950’s, makeup for the face was very heavy as women tried to achieve a flawless finish. New creams and liquids offered a variety of base products that had not been seen on the beauty market in previous generations.
Pastel hues became the go-to shades of the decade, reflected in cheek, lip and eyeshadow colours. Women finished their base makeup with these sugary pastel hues on their eyelids, lips and cheeks.
1950’s curls
In the 1950s, curls were all the rage. Women styled their own curls by setting their hair with rollers before they went to sleep at night; in the morning, they would wake up with neat, bouncy curls. As women of the time often favoured a shorter cut, curls would take on a wispy look – think Marilyn Monroe.
To recreate this look for your wedding day, embrace the sultry cat eye, choose a full-coverage foundation and break out the curling iron for some evanescent waves.
