1950's Makeup

History 101: 1950’s Makeup

The advent of color motion pictures is what led to an explosion of 1950’s makeup. After years of light glamour, stars on the big screen suddenly appeared with perfect faces. In addition, women everywhere wanted the same thing.

Because of this, Max Factor invented “Pan Cake”, a foundation used to mimic what was being seen on the big screen, and new lines of brightly colored eye shadows and lipsticks. Similar to today’s products, Pan Cake was applied to skin to cover up any imperfections in a quest to achieve a movie star-like standard of beauty.

All of a sudden, women’s magazines featured guides to makeup application and women everywhere started to experiment with cosmetics. Pan Cake would be applied to neutralize the face. Then, the mixing of colors would begin and a bold, colorful canvas would emerge in the form of cherry lips, rosy cheeks and neutral-toned eyelids. It was later in the decade when companies began adding titanium to their products to tone down the bright color of many products, resulting in a more natural look.

This was the decade of the fashionable, glamorous homemaker. Women began baking apple pies and vacuuming the house in heels, dress and fully made up faces. Cosmetic companies capitalized on this emerging trend and targeted ads towards married women who had to look good for their husbands.

Hot Products of the ‘50s

There were certain 1950’s makeup products that defined the trends of the time. They included:

• Bright Red Lipstick/Nail Polish: Everywhere you went; 1950's women were donning scarlet lips and matching fingernails.
• Pan Cake Foundation: A much-thicker version of today’s foundation, it covered blemishes and imperfections with a thick coating.
• Liquid Eyeliner: It was a stylish 1950’s makeup trend to wear a thick, bold line across the top eyelid, accompanied by two coats of black mascara.
• Rosy Blush: Two circles on the apples of the cheeks, the blush added back some of the color taken away with the foundation.

Trendy Twists on Old Cosmetic Trends

Today, there are so many cosmetic products available for any look; you can re-create 1950’s makeup glamour for any occasion. Here are some riffs on 1950’s makeup trends for the new millennium:

• Glossy Red: Matte red lips were the hot trend of the ‘50s. However, you can re-create that look and bring out your inner vamp with fabulous gloss. Check out Sephora’s Ultra-Shine Lip Gloss in cherry red, for a shiny, sexy, retro style.
• Color Your Eyes: Blues and greens were big in 1950’s makeup, so riff on blue with the brightest turquoise eye shadow. Save it for nighttime and keep it neutral on your lips and cheeks.
• Cover Up: Instead of laying on the foundation and powder for a flawless finish, try barely there products that cover up blemishes without a “caked on” look. Check out Clean Makeup Foundation from Cover Girl! It boasts a water-based formula that makes your face look flawless without looking like you have anything on at all. That is a departure from the 1950’s makeup trends of overdone face makeup. Follow it up with a pressed powder, like TruBlend Pressed Power. This will give your face the perfect finish without the extra shine.

Reemerging Trends

Like many other trends, 1950’s makeup has become fashionable again. In addition to the cosmetics, other ‘50s trends have also come back, including cat-eye glasses, berets and pillbox hats, full-skirted dresses and more. By incorporating some of these retro trends into your wardrobe, you can create an entirely new look that shows off the true flair of your personal style..