How to Apply 20s Makeup

Before World War I there were strict standards of behavior expected of ladies. But the 1920s woman, the flapper as she was called, seemed liberated of the restraints of the past. She drank, and smoked, kissed in cars, listened to jazz music, danced wild dances until dawn, and she looked entirely different from pre-war women as well. She wore trousers and skirts that showed off her legs paired with flesh-colored stockings and she cut her hair short. Her makeup also changed: she wore rouge and lip color. The 1920s makeup styles can be created easily today.

Things You'll Need

• Set of makeup brushes
• Makeup sponges
• Light foundation (1/2 to 1 shade lighter than your natural skin tone)
• Translucent powder
• Pancake makeup
• Soap or nose putty
• Bowl of water
• Towel
• Camouflage makeup in your skin tone
• Black eyeliner
• Black or gray eye shadow
• Taupe eye shadow
• Peach eye shadow
• Black mascara
• Red lipstick/paint/stain
• Red or dark pink blush
• Concealer
• Back or dark brown eyebrow powder
• Black or dark brown eyebrow pencil

Instructions

Preparation

1. Research styles of the 1920s and make a makeup plan. Do you want to go more natural, like a photo from a magazine, or perhaps more dramatic like a photo of a stage actor or movie clip? Make color copies of photos showing the makeup you like best and aim to achieve.

2. Clean and dry your tools and work area.

3. Lay out the makeup and tools you will be using within easy reach.

4. Clean and dry your face. Follow your normal skin care routine with your usual products.

A Dramatic Look

1. Apply a fair colored pancake makeup cover the entire face, including the lips. Solidify the look with a translucent powder.

2. Cover the eyebrows using a bar of soap or nose putty. Completely cover the entire brow area so none of your natural eyebrows show.

3. Use camouflage makeup to color over the soap or putty and create skin color tones. You should look like you don't have eyebrows.

4. Create a thin very rounded arched eyebrow using a black eyeliner pencil.

5. Apply a deep black eye shadow over the entire eyelid to the crease.

6. Line the eyes with black liner from corner to corner of the eyelids and apply black mascara on the lashes.

7. Create a very pronounced cupid bow shaped mouth by applying deep red lip color to your lips. Do not cover the entire lips, as the cupid bow look created the illusion of small lips. Use camouflage makeup to block out the rest of the natural lip shape.

8. Apply translucent powder over the makeup to set the entire look.

A Natural Look

1. Create an even complexion. Apply foundation with a sponge. Use concealer if necessary to even out your skin tone.

2. Apply translucent powder over the entire face to set the foundation.

3. Darken the eyebrows with black or brown eyebrow powder or pencil. Remember 1920s style eyebrows have a very high rounded arch.

4. Apply taupe or peach eye shadow over the entire eyelid from lash line to crease. Blend the color up from the crease to the brow bone with an eyeshadow brush. The color should be very light, almost translucent.

5. Lightly brush peach eye shadow just under the brow, from the arch to the outer end. Again this should be very light and almost translucent. Blend the colors with a brush.

6. Darken the entire lid from lashes to crease with black or gray eye shadow. Very lightly blend the color from the crease a bit farther up so it is visible, and lighter, just slightly above the crease.

7. Use the black eye liner pencil to line the eyes. Get as close to the lash line as possible and line the entire eye. Use a brush or sponge to blend.

8. Lightly sweep the blush across the apples of the cheeks and back towards the hairline.
   Remember the 1920s look was about pale skin with dark eyes and bright lips. So keep the blush almost translucent.

9. Use a lip brush and the red lip color to line the lips then color the lips in. Emphasize the cupid's bow (the center part of the upper and lower lips) slightly. Do not take the color all the way to the ends of your mouth, stop just short of the ends. Gently blend the color out a little further so it is a bit lighter and softer looking the the main part of the lips.

10. Apply translucent powder over the face to set the look.

Tips & Warnings

• When coloring the lips for a natural look, use a pencil or brush handle lined up vertically over the lips to the outer flair of your nostrils to determine where to stop the color. Use a wig or style your natural hair into a 1920s hairstyle to complete the look.

References

• "Makeup"; PJ Hughes;1992.
• "Stage makeup"; R Corson; 1990.
• "200,000 Years of Fashion: The History of Costume and Personal Adornment"; François Boucher; 1983

Resources

• Lots of Great Pictures of 1920s Women.
• Information About the 1920 and '30s