In Part 1 of this article, we learned about the skincare regimes of the screen sirens of yesteryear – from using petroleum jelly to prevent eye puffiness, to splashing ice-cold water on the face to keep the skin nice and taut! In the second part of this article, we discover these vintage beauties’ make-up secrets!

Contour

Contrary to popular belief, contouring is not a new make-up trick nor was it invented by Kim Kardashian! It was actually used way back in the day by Grace Kelly – the original queen of contouring. The Princess of Monaco used two different shades of blush to create her beautiful high cheekbones: a darker blush just underneath her cheekbone and a lighter blush dusted on the apples of her cheeks.

Simple Eyes

Far from a complex multi-toned smokey eye you’re likely to see on a modern-day runway, women back in the day simply applied a darker colour, such as a soft brown, in the crease to define the eye. A neutral skin-toned colour was then applied all the way up to the brow bone to give lift. A simple trick with fabulous results.

Fake Lashes

The secret to Audrey Hepburn’s long Bambi lashes? After applying mascara, she’s famous for spending a ridiculous amount of time separating her lashes with a pin to create the full lashed effect! Thankfully, we don’t have to resort to such painstaking measures, as we now have access to lengthening and volumising mascaras, such as Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils Baby Doll. Plus, false lashes can be found everywhere.

Pout Your Red Lips

Wearing red lipstick can be daunting, but if you truly want to recreate the retro-glamour look then ditch the fear! Be it raspberry, cherry or wine, there’s a red lipstick to suit everyone, so find your shade and simply blot it to make it velvety matte!

To make it even more poutalicious, use a lip liner to define your lips and accentuate your cupid’s bow with a little gloss, such as M.A.C Lipglass, to the centre and smudge. Marilyn Monroe used to have her makeup artist apply five different shades of lipstick and gloss to create dimensions. Darker reds on the outer corners and lighter shades were blended from the middle of her lips.

Vivien Leigh, on the other hand, used to accentuate her thin bottom lip by using a liner to draw outside her natural lip, giving the illusion of a larger pout.

Matching Nails And Lips

Did you know that something as simple as matching your nails to your lipstick screams vintage? Revlon introduced the notion and began selling lipstick and matching nail polish sets in the ’40s, and some of the colours can still be bought to this day!

Half Moon Manicure

The unpainted half moon nail trend is very fashionable, but this trend was first seen back in the ’30s. That’s right, women like Marlene Dietrich used to leave the half moon of their nails bare, because it meant the re-growth didn’t show as fast and the manicure lasted longer. Practical and stylish!

Luscious Curls

You don’t get much more vintage than pairing beautiful tumbling curls with your red lipstick! No electric gadgets are needed for this, girls, so put away your Babyliss crimping iron and use good old-fashioned rollers to achieve optimum bounce instead.

Rita Hayworth used to apply oil to her hair after every wash, wrap it up in a towel and leave it on for 15 minutes. She’d then wash it out with hot water and some lemon juice to remove any leftover residue.

Defined Brows

Be it 1920 or 2016, eyebrows are a big deal. The brows of the ’20s and ’30s were thin and straight, while the ’40s saw the birth of the fashionably thick and gently arched brow. So tweeze, comb, and treat your eyebrow pencil as your best friend to get dark and defined vintage brows. I definitely suggest going over your brows with a damp angle brush to soften them up at the end.

Soft Hands

Vintage beauties didn’t just stop at their faces. Oh no! They were so meticulous about looking after their skin that hand cream was also an integral part of the daily beauty routine. So, to ensure all the skin looks flawless, use Jo Malone Vitamin E Hand Treatment.

Accessorise

Nothing says timeless beauty and femininity more than a good ol’ vintage accessory, so accessorise your look with an elegant vintage headband or a simple string of lustrous pearls to instantly brighten your complexion.

Spray Away

Scent was (and still is) a major part of a woman’s beauty and elegance, so choose a vintage fragrance, such as the classic Chanel Mademoiselle to feel truly glamorous.

Beauty routines may have come a long way, but I think we’ll always look back and want to recreate a little of the old Hollywood glamour from time to time. Luckily, with a little historical know-how and a few modern cosmetics, we can look and feel like the beauties of yesteryear in 2016, and years to come!

Did you enjoy this post? Please comment, like and share!