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1920s makeup: the flapper look, step by step

By Lookslate · Updated

The 1920s flapper look pairs pale, powdered skin with dark, smudged eyes in a round shape, thin brows that slope down at the tails and a small, dark lip drawn into a sharp cupid's bow. It was made for black-and-white film and dim jazz clubs, so everything is about contrast.

Jump to the steps
Before1920s makeup on an AI-generated modelAfter
An AI-generated example of 1920s makeup. The Lookslate preview cannot apply this look to your photo yet.
  • Lid
  • Crease
  • Cheek
  • Lip

The signature details

  • Round, smudged dark eyes rather than a wing
  • Thin brows that drop slightly at the ends
  • A small, deep berry or wine lip with a pointed bow
  • Matte, pale-looking skin with rouge on the apples

What you need

  • Matte foundation or skin tint and translucent powder
  • Soft black or charcoal kohl pencil
  • Charcoal or plum matte eyeshadow
  • Brow pencil and concealer
  • Cream blush in rose
  • Deep berry or wine lip pencil and lipstick

Any brand works; match the shades to your coloring.

Why flapper makeup looks the way it does

Cosmetics became openly fashionable for young women in the 1920s, and silent film stars set the trends. Early film stock rendered reds as near black and washed out pale colors, so screen makeup leaned on very light skin, heavy eye shadow ringed all the way around the eye, and lips that read as dark, small shapes. Off screen, flappers copied that drama for evenings out.

Two details separate an authentic 1920s look from a modern smoky eye. First, the shape is round: color circles the eye and is smudged under the lower lashes instead of pulling outward into a wing. Second, the brows are thin and long, with tails that point slightly down, which gives the period's wistful, almost sad expression.

Making it wearable today

You do not need to shave or bleach your brows. Brush them flat, cover the inner fronts with a thin layer of concealer, and draw a slimmer line along the lower edge. For daytime, keep the round smoky shape but switch charcoal for brown, and wear a sheer berry stain instead of a full deep lip. Our skin tone guide helps you choose a berry that shows on your coloring.

How to do 1920s makeup, step by step

  1. Even out and mattify. Apply a thin, matte base and set the whole face with translucent powder. The period look has no glow, so skip highlighter entirely.
  2. Slim the brows. Brush brows down and flat, conceal the thickest part at the front, then draw a fine line that extends slightly past your natural tail and angles a touch downward.
  3. Ring the eyes with kohl. Run a soft black pencil along the upper and lower lash lines and connect them at the inner and outer corners so the line wraps the whole eye.
  4. Smoke it into a circle. Pat charcoal or plum shadow over the kohl and blend it up over the lid in a rounded shape. Keep the outer edge rounded rather than flicked out.
  5. Mascara on top and bottom. Coat upper and lower lashes. Clumpy is closer to the period than feathery, so two coats are fine.
  6. Round the rouge. Tap rose cream blush in a circle on the apples of the cheeks and soften the edge with a fingertip.
  7. Draw a small, sharp lip. Line a pointed cupid's bow, bring the outer corners in slightly so the mouth looks smaller, then fill with a deep berry or wine lipstick and blot.

Common mistakes

  • Winging the liner out, which reads as 1950s or 60s instead of 1920s.
  • Thick, straight brows, which fight the delicate period silhouette.
  • Shimmer or glow on the skin; flapper skin is flat and powdered.
  • Filling the lip to the corners. The small mouth is part of the look.

Frequently asked questions

What lipstick color did women wear in the 1920s?

Deep reds, berries and wine shades were the fashion. In black-and-white photos they look almost black, which is why many people think 1920s lips were black.

How do I get thin 1920s brows without plucking?

Brush your brows flat, press a thin layer of concealer over the inner front and lower edge, set it with powder and draw a fine, slightly downturned line where you want the new brow.

Is 1920s makeup the same as a smoky eye?

Both use dark, blended shadow, but the 1920s version is rounder and circles the whole eye, while a modern smoky eye usually lifts outward toward the brow tail.

More decade looks

1960s makeup

1960s mod makeup puts all the attention on graphic eyes: a dark line drawn in or above the crease, thick upper lashes, painted or false lower lashes and a pale lid, balanced by a pale nude or soft pink lip.

How to do 1960s makeup

All faces shown are AI-generated fictional models, not real people.

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