Looking at 1920/1930s Makeup Techniques

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Based upon this historical image of Clara Bow from the 1920s, I am going to look into haw to create classic shaping of features.

How to create the eyebrows:

It appeared that in the 20s, eyebrows were drawn on pencil thin and elongated outwards. As my own eyebrows are not this traditional shape, I shall be blocking them out with use of glue, concealer and powder.

Here is how I created this effect:

1. Brush through the eyebrows with a mascara wand.

2. Using the mascara wand, brush through the brows with Pritt stick. The using your fingers, pat down, ensuring all the hairs have been pressed flat. Remove any excess glue around the eyebrows using a cotton bud and cleanser. Then allow glue to dry.

3. Once the glue has dried, heavily apply concealer by dabbing on and blending out. 

4. Apply foundation to the face, and over the concealed brows to help match the tones.

5. Heavily powder.

6. Draw on the brows using and angled brush and an appropriately coloured powder. Be sure to keep the line thin and elongate. 

Eye shaping:

I have noticed that the shaping of eyes is often created to form an almost sad expression. This looks to me as if the powder has been brought into the inner eye. As I am basing this look upon the above image, I am just going to create a subtle brown eye.

Here is how I created this look:

1. I am starting by defining the brow bone with a white eyeshadow, then blending this over the lid.

2. Using a soft blending brush, I am sweeping the lightest shade shade of brown in the eye crease at a slight angle. Then I am bringing this up towards the inner part of the brow. Then bringing the same shade on the lower outer lashes. 

  

3. I am then using a darker brown and exaggerating this same shape with a slightly smaller brush.

4. Mascara is then applied to the top and bottom lashes to open the eye out.

The lips in 1920/30s were often under drawn on the lips to create the impression of smaller defined lips. The preferred colours were darker tones of red.

To create this lip look:

1. Cover the lips in foundation to create a pale base and to block out the original lip shape.

2. Using a lip brush, apply a deeper tone of red to the lips. Focus on the shaping of the cupid's bow and under draw the lips towards the outer lips.

Here is the final look of a classic 1920/30s makeup look, using eyes, lips and brows shaping. I have also added a soft pink blush to the cheeks, working in a circular motion to create a rounded effect: