Gorgeous 1930s Makeup Tutorial

How does this compare to your morning routine?

The 1930s in America was one filled with poverty and going without. The Great Depression impacted every American, as most could barely afford the necessities of life, let alone anything frivolous like makeup. In Britan, however, things were different. That’s not to say it wasn’t also a tumultuous time in their history, but they were still able to pave the way for fashion and makeup trends.

Let’s see how makeup trends and styles have changed and evolved over time in the tutorial below!

First things first. Most makeup trends started out with some sort of cleaner. In this case, they used Ponds cold cream cleanser. You can actually still find this product in stores! In the video below, the makeup artist walks us through the three-step cleansing process. That’s right – three steps just for getting your face ready for makeup! Now, this is partially due to marketing – companies figured out in the 30s that if they sold you a routine with multiple steps and products, they could sell more.

Once the cleansing and foundation are set, it’s time to move to the eyes. The look of the day was to have thin eyebrows and subtle, shimmering eyes. To achieve this look, start with a subtle blend from dark to light eye shadow. Don’t forget to put vaseline on your eyelids first! This helps the eyeshadow to stick and set on your eyes. Fake eyelashes became increasingly popular in the 1930s as well.

Next, time for the rouge. Now, the popular look of the day was to have a carefree blush about the face. Outdoor activities and exercise became popular in the 30s, so the goal was to have a healthy flush – as if you had been outside, working out for a bit. A healthy glow, so to speak. This also means that bronzer was more and more popular, to give the effect of a light tan from being outside.

Finally, finishing off the look is a bold red lip color. This is one of the more significant changes from the look of the 20s. In the 1920s, it was more fashionable to have a pouty, heart-shaped lip. In the 30s, it became all about the full, bold lips.

Go ahead and watch the video below for a more in-depth tutorial and learn a thing or two about 1930s history!

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