The latest trends, techniques, and insider secrets—revealed.

Past Perfect
Today’s glamour girls need look no further than their own family photo albums for beauty inspiration.
By Nissa Botthoff

When stylemakers like Sienna Miller, Scarlett Johansson, and Eva Longoria hit the red carpet, they often rely on retro hair and makeup for a dose of old-Hollywood glamour. And they’re not the only ones: Gwen Stefani, Vanessa Paradis, and Milla Jovovich are hardly ever spotted sans vintage-style coiffure and cosmetics, and at the fall fashion shows, retro beauty of all decades lit up the runways. Those of us who don’t frequent the press line or the catwalk can use the same approach to inject instant allure into our everyday appearance. Just grab your makeup kit, dig out a few old family photos, and follow our tips to looking retro-fabulous.

1920s
Along with an explosion of changes in culture, politics, and technology, the Roaring Twenties brought us two new beauty icons: the flapper and the vamp. The focus was on large, defined eyes and a small bee-stung mouth. The eyelash curler was invented in the ’20s to make big peepers look even wider, and mascara made its debut, often in cake or cream form that doubled as eyeliner. To achieve the sooty-eyed vamp look, apply a silver or charcoal shadow to lids, rim eyes all around in a black kohl liner, and pile on the mascara. Brows should be thin (in the ’20s, they were often worn perfectly straight across). For a curvy, flirty mouth, flappers lined their lips just inside their natural shape, emphasizing the cupid’s bow. Makeup artist Nicole Bryl updates the look by using a stain instead: “I like to do red lips but very light—as a tint, rather than that whole lip-penciled made-up look.” During the same decade, of course, women everywhere were liberated by the bob. If you don’t have short hair, try faking it. Loosely twist and loop sections of your hair up and under, securing at the nape of your neck with bobby pins—a trick that works especially well with wavy, layered hair.   

1930s
The key to Hollywood’s Golden Age glamour was “gleaming textures,” according to hairstylist and makeup artist Liam O’Rourke, who specializes in period makeup. Max Factor’s Pan Cake base made any face look as satiny as a silver-screen idol’s—and still does today. Lips glistened, thanks to the invention of lip gloss in 1928. Even eyelids were shiny, since women applied Vaseline to their lids to achieve the starry-eyed ingenue look. To get a similar effect without the occlusive mess, use a shimmery cream eye shadow, such as M.A.C. Cream Colour Base. Thin, dramatically shaped brows (a la Greta Garbo) finished off the look. The only way to wear your hair in the ’30s was in the Marcel Wave—a style you can re-create by making finger waves in wet hair. O’Rourke suggests spraying hair with a setting lotion, parting it on the side, and combing through. Begin at the top, and form an S-shape wave with your fingers, about three inches wide. Continue to base of scalp, then loop the remaining hair into a pin curl, and secure with a clip. Repeat all over your head, then let it air-dry.

1940s
During World War II, all-American pin-up girls gave the boys on the front something to fight for. And as cosmetics became more and more scarce, women became more resourceful. Strong brows and lips were the easiest ways to achieve a finished face. After shaping your brows, be sure to fill them in with a brow pencil, such as Anastasia Perfect Brow. Follow with a creamy red lipstick, being sure to dot and blend a little on the apples of cheeks for a wholesome glow. Neutral eye shadow and black mascara will keep them look authentic. Most salons were forced to shut down during wartime, causing women to grow their hair longer. Rita Hayworth and Veronica Lake made the deep side part a popular option for a sexy evening look. To replicate their sleek wavy styles, set your hair with medium to large Velcro or hot rollers, then brush it out smooth.

1950s
A booming economy coupled with repressive postwar values set the stage for the ultimate '50s bombshell. Revlon introduced its Fire and Ice line, and siren red became the official color for lips and nails. For a less Technicolor version, try layering Fire and Ice with your favorite neutral lipstick. Meanwhile, newly developed liquid liner was used to create flirty cat’s eyes. Use a black version to trace your upper lash line, extending it just beyond the outer corners, then frame it with thick lashes and a strong, arched brow. “This is the classic no-fail combination for good old-fashioned glamour,” reveals celebrity makeup artist Malika Borghese. “It’s very red carpet.” A strategically placed beauty mark (also known as a dot of brown eyeliner!) adds the perfect Marilyn Monroe touch. Many fashionable women were sporting a short, set cut, with the curls left intact, while the French twist also came into vogue. The blossoming of teen culture offered the bobbysoxer’s high ponytail as a younger and more DIY-friendly alternative.

1960s
When it comes to mod makeup, “forget about the rest of the face—it’s all eyes,” advises Borghese. Use a soft, blendable eyeliner and charcoal shadow to create a modern version of the signature ’60s eye. In those days, women often wore two or even three sets of pairs eyelashes at a time—today, one set should get the point across. Lips faded away with the help of newly available frosted lipsticks; for a less extreme effect, apply a simple nude lip gloss. Bronzy highlighter on the skin recalls the era’s tan goddesses. Hairstyles literally reached new heights as aerosol hair spray hit drugstores everywhere. Don’t be afraid of backcombing to add a little height to your own ’do—just don’t brush the top layer perfectly over, or you’ll run the risk of creating a helmet head.

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