1920's Makeup Tutorial

See also The History of Makeup
How to apply 1920's Makeup

1.
Step 1

Find and apply a foundation in your skin tone that will give your complexion a creamy, perfect look. You may have to use an older variety, such as pancake, or a cream meant more for theater than for everyday use. To allow your skin to breathe, thin down cream foundation by moistening your sponge before dipping in the base. If your skin is naturally porcelain or alabaster-toned, play it up.


2.
Step 2

Darken and turn your eyebrows slightly downwards with an eyebrow pencil or even eyeliner that is darker than your actual brow color. Thin eyebrows were fashionable in the 20s, so this step works most accurately if your brows are already on the thin side. If not, you don't have to start tweezing away--you can cover your brows with a 1920s-style hat or with bangs chopped straight across as part of a bob cut.

3.
Step 3

Smooth on your usual eye makeup primer before applying a dark eyeshadow from lash line to crease. Pick a gray-based shadow to keep your eyes on the sooty side, which is what you're aiming for. Use a black kohl eyeliner on both top and bottom lash lines. Don't scrimp--you want all the dark tones to meld together. Color top and bottom lashes with blackest black mascara. You want them dark so as to appear like you used paint to blacken them. You may want to use a waterproof formulation for all of your eye makeup to avoid unwanted smudging as much as possible.
4.
Step 4

Find a cheek stain or cream blush with touches of red in it. You are going for a rouged look; if red is too strong for your coloring, raspberry or rose are alternatives. Rub blush into apples of cheeks. Blend away hard edges, but make sure the color is still evident, as though you just walked in from the cold.


5.

Step 5


Apply pale pancake foundation over clean and exfoliated lips. With a waxy dark red lip liner, create a 1920s mouth by exaggerating the cupid's bow on your top lip. Draw your lower lip as slightly plumper than it really is by extending slightly on the bottom. Draw both upper and bottom lips as shorter on the sides. Fill new lip shape in with pencil before layering matching lipstick over it. Copyright Lea WhiteFeather
A great resource for learning the looks of the 1920's is Daniela Turudichs excellent book Vintage Face.