The 1960s had some of the most trendy and stylish makeup looks that even today, we don’t live up to the aesthetic. Many women went for a colorful eyeshadow look that would pop and combined it with a pale lip and lots of powder to create a soft look. Refined eye makeup, paler hues, and powder was the go-to for many women. The girly look was in. The 1960s was a decade dedicated to the youth. The London look was a major influence, which drove the popularity of the youthful, modern look. The modern, or mod look favored geometric patterns and contrasting colors, like black and white. Twiggy, a British model, pioneered the mod look with her eccentric eyes and her unfledged style. Of course, not all women hopped on the makeup bandwagon. As the feminist movement gained momentum, some women began to view makeup as objectifying women and leading men to further believe and perceive women as sex objects, only for their desire. Others had pride in their makeup and wore it because they enjoyed it, felt stylish, or deemed it as powerful and helpful to their confidence and essence as a woman. If you’re a make-up lover like me and looking for inspiration, I recommend referencing Mad Men (2007–2015), characters Megan Draper and Joan Harris, as they embodied the beauty of 1960s makeup and elegance. 60s makeup was colorful, playful, and soft. So, with that said, let’s bring some trends back!
Deep-Set Eye Look
Eyes were the focal point of any 60s makeup look, natural or modern and vividly colored. There are a multitude of eye looks to choose from, but the deep-set eye look is the most trendy. To create this tutorial, you want to “accentuate the good points’’. Start with a light, creamy base color on the lid. To add depth and contour, adding a lighter brown on the crease will create that emphasis. Then, add a shiny white color to the brow bone for accentuation. Incorporating eyeliner is important to complete the look but without it being too harsh. Adding mascara is the last step and essential for a fuller and emphasized eye look. The rest of the face should be more muted to bring attention to the eyes.
Peachy and Pink Lip Color
Pale, light, pastel pinks, and peachy, coral-colored lips were another modish trend. Even a nude lip was popular. The natural look was prevalent. Even if the eye makeup was on the brighter side, blush, lips, and other aspects of the look were naturally subdued. While the decade started with matte lips, the sheen look became more widespread. In the 60s, the ability to express individuality and originality became a part of the culture and therefore the makeup industry and the expression of one’s beauty had more choices and more exciting trends to follow as there were many lip matte choices, but the lighter pink and coral lip looks remained popular.
False Lashes
In the 1960s, using bottom and top mascara was a universal cosmetic style. The eyes were made more visible and bigger by layering artificial lashes on top. False lashes give the face, especially the eyes, a more dramatic appearance. False lashes formed the ideal look of big, wide, and youthful eyes. Even if you didn’t want to wear false lashes, a generous application of mascara would brighten the eyes. False lashes are, in general, a truly authentic vestige of the 1960s makeup technique.
The more daring and modern makeup look was gaining popularity. Bold eye styles with liner, fake lashes, and crease eyeshadow ushered in a new era in the cosmetic industry. Fads come and go, so why not bring back these classic looks? Even if it’s merely for the sake of pleasure. Makeup doesn’t have to be practical all the time; it can be merely for fun and moments of creativity and exploration.
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