Greetings from Beauty Editor Sabrina! A lot of people I come across lately have been asking me how to achieve that “Old Hollywood Glam” makeup look. And to be honest…there isn’t an exact answer. Styles of makeup change from decade to decade and there are BIG differences between silver screen makeup from the 1920’s, 1930’s, 1940’s and 1950’s. When I get asked that question, I assume that the person means they want to know how to get the Marilyn Monroe look… and I’m usually correct. In this DIY article I’ll guide you through it, and it’s a lot simpler than you would imagine.
First things first: it’s all about the arch… the eyebrow arch, that is. In the 1950’s strong but soft brows were the thing to do. Fill in the eyebrows where needed, and create a soft angle at the top of the brow. By soft angle. I mean not too sharp (the angle shouldn’t look pointy). If the eyebrows hairs are light then when filling them in, also make them slightly darker than their natural color. If the brows are already dark, keep the color dark but don’t go too much darker. We don’t want to look like vampires.
Second….MATTE. MATTE, MATTE! Dewy glows come later on in years. When applying the face makeup, make sure you have a matte foundation, and oil free if your skin isn’t on the dry side. Rosy it up! If you notice, Maryiln Monroe had a little flush to her cheeks. Depending on the skin tone/color, grab a natural flush looking blush and sweep a little on the apples of the cheekbones. Just a little will create that natural rosy appearance. PRO TIP: Use a sponge applicator instead of a foundation brush when applying the foundation, and stipple the product on the face. It’ll create that flawless, matte surface.
Next, take a deeper shade of a powder (usually 3 shades darker than the skin color/foundation) and use it as a contour under the check bones back to the jawline. Depth to the face was not frowned upon in the 1950s! Adding a contour adds depth and creates nice shadows to the face if photos are being taken.
Got red? For those supple lips that the 1950’s raves about, grab a deep rich red lipstick. Again, matte is the way to go, but if the lipstick you find has a little sheen to it, that’s quite alright.
You know that little dip that most of us have in the middle of our upper lip? Its called the cupid’s bow. To resemble the lip shape during the 1950’s, the lines of the cupid’s bow should be soft again, not angled. Use a lip brush to create soft lines when applying your hot red lip color. Multiple layers of lip product may be needed if the lipstick goes on sheer.
Last but never least: how about those eyes? One major thing to remember when achieving this look is lashes. Long, full, dark lashes complete this look. False lashes are pretty much necessary for this one! Find a pair of falsies that have drama to them, but don’t look so Halloween-ish. Black lashes that have lots of length and curl should do the trick.
As far as eye shadow, less is more. Use an ivory matte shadow under the brow bone all the way down to the lash line, and cover the whole lid with a thin layer. Take a fluffy blending brush and apply a matte brown in the crease of the lid. Then blend, blend blend so that is seems like a gradual hint of color and depth.
You can coat your own lashes with a couple layers of black mascara and slap on those false lashes (just on the top lash line). Then apply a thin line of black gel eyeliner over the line where the false lashes lay on your own lash line. Sorry to burst your bubble, but a wing liner look isn’t needed this time!
Now… step back and blow yourself a kiss with your perfect Hollywood 1950s glam look for today’s modern times.
Makeup & article: Sabrina DiGiovanni
Photo: Jim Jurica
