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 makeup1950s makeup: winged liner and a red lip
1950s makeup is the pin-up look: a smooth matte complexion, a short upswept liner flick, full and neatly arched brows, rosy cheeks and a crisp red lip. It looks polished and deliberate rather than smoky, and the red lip is the centerpiece.
Jump to the steps
Before
After- Lid
- Crease
- Cheek
- Lip
The signature details
- A short liner flick at the outer corner
- Defined, arched brows with a soft front
- A true red lip with a sharp outline
- Velvety, even skin with soft rosy blush
What you need
- Medium-coverage foundation and powder
- Neutral cream or beige eyeshadow
- Black liquid or gel liner
- Brow pencil or powder
- Rose or pink powder blush
- Red lip liner and matte or satin red lipstick
Any brand works; match the shades to your coloring.
The pin-up silhouette
After the war, makeup turned glamorous and groomed. Advertising of the early 1950s made the red lip and matching red nails the symbol of the decade, and film stars wore a short black flick that lifted the outer eye into a doe shape. Brows were fuller than in the 1920s and 30s, shaped into a clear arch.
Keep the eye shadow simple: a neutral wash across the lid lets the liner and lip carry the look. The finished face should look smooth and finished, so this decade suits fuller coverage than most modern looks.
Finding your red
Every skin tone can wear red; the trick is the undertone. Blue-based reds (cherry, crimson) brighten teeth and suit cool undertones, while orange-based reds (tomato, brick) warm up olive and golden skin. On deep skin, rich reds with a hint of blue or wine read most vivid. See the skin tone guide to check your undertone first.
How to do 1950s makeup, step by step
- Build a smooth base. Apply foundation evenly, conceal under the eyes and around the nose, and press powder over the whole face for a velvety finish.
- Shape the brows. Fill the brows with short strokes, keep the front soft and build a clear arch about two thirds of the way along, finishing with a tapered tail.
- Wash the lid. Sweep a cream or beige matte shadow from lash line to crease. A touch of soft brown in the crease adds depth without smoke.
- Draw the flick. Line the upper lashes from the middle outward, then extend a short flick up toward the end of the brow. Keep it short and fine; the 1950s wing is subtler than the 1960s one.
- Lashes. Curl the lashes and apply mascara mostly to the outer lashes to lift the eye. Skip heavy mascara on the lower lashes.
- Rosy cheeks. Smile and sweep pink or rose blush on the apples, blending slightly up toward the cheekbones.
- Paint the red lip. Outline the lips with red liner, slightly rounding the bow, fill in with red lipstick, blot with tissue and apply a second coat for staying power.
Common mistakes
- A long, thick wing that turns the look into 1960s graphic liner.
- Dark, smoky shadow that competes with the red lip.
- Skipping lip liner, so the red bleeds and loses its crisp edge.
- Choosing a red with the wrong undertone, which can make teeth look yellow.
Frequently asked questions
What eyeliner style did women wear in the 1950s?
A short, upswept flick at the outer corner of the upper lash line. It lifts the eye without the long, graphic wing that became fashionable in the 1960s.
Which red lipstick suits me for a 50s look?
Cool undertones usually suit blue-based reds such as cherry or crimson, warm undertones suit orange-based reds such as tomato or brick, and neutral undertones can wear a classic true red.
How do I keep a red lip from bleeding?
Line and fill the lip with liner first, apply lipstick, blot, then apply a second thin coat. A little concealer traced around the outline sharpens the edge.
More decade looks
1920s makeup
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.
How to do 1920s makeupAll faces shown are AI-generated fictional models, not real people.
Related guides
- Makeup shades for your skin toneBlush, lip and eyeshadow shade families for fair, light, medium, tan, dark and deep skin, plus how to check your undertone and match foundation.
- Which makeup look fits the occasion?Choose a makeup look by occasion: business for work, soft glam for daytime events, evening glam and smokey eyes for nights out, and bronze goddess for summer.