Awesome makeup is often inspired by the classics. Beauties like Elizabeth Taylor and Brigitte Bardot had very different looks, but they still inspire beauty tips today. You can get these classic looks and more with just a few simple changes to your makeup routine.
1. 60’s Bombshell
Use a large curling iron to add texture to hair and give it a tousled look. The focus is on the eyes here, so go heavy on the eyeliner and mascara. Use a Q-tip to smudge the eyeliner. A hint of peach blush will bring out the color in your cheeks, while a sheer pink lipstick will mimic your natural color.
2. Simple Elegance
Copy Audrey Hepburn’s classic look with a well made up face. Your hair should be pulled up and back in a simple ponytail.
Use matte cherry red lipstick to make your lips pop. A thin line of liquid eyeliner and a little mascara will draw attention to your eyes, but go easy on the eye shadow.
More: 10 Best Ways to Plump Up Thin Lips
3. All-American Girl
This is a truly classic look that women have been pulling off successfully for years. Looking like the girl next door may not be elegant, but it is beautiful. Go for the bed head look, but use a round brush to smooth it slightly.
Stick to a warm pink lip color and a hint of peach blush. Eyes should be left as untouched as possible. If you need it, a little mascara is fine.
4. Sweet Student
Similar to the all-American girl, this look is an easy one to pull off, but it adds a little more color. Keep your hair straight, using a flatiron if needed.
Tint your lips with pink stain or gloss and add plenty of windblown color to your cheeks with a gel. A little mascara and some light eye shadow finishes the look.
5. 1940’s Pinup Girl
The pinup girl look is a little over the top. Get it for yourself by using plenty of foundation to smooth out your skin and hide any blemishes or irregularities. Then add a bit of blush for color.
Use eyeliner to contour your eyes and mascara to get the lashes in the game. A little coffee eye shadow will give you the smoky look that pinup girls loved. Finally, the lips should be bright red. Some face powder completes the look.
6. Sheer Elegance
Use liquid eyeliner to completely outline the eye, even the inner corners. This gives the unique “cat’s eye” look that Elizabeth Taylor used. You will need to curl your lashes before applying mascara, as well. A touch of shimmer on the upper eyelids will complete the eyes.
Lips should be outlined with lip pencil and filled in with a nearly matte red lipstick. A small amount of blush completes the look. You can add some loose curls to your hair if you want to look even more like Liz.
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7. Cleopatra
Use a small amount of foundation to smooth out the skin and a touch of pale pink on the lips and cheeks. You will need liquid eyeliner to outline the entire eye, extending the upper eyelid line at the outer edges of the eye.
Add another centimeter or so of liner and smudge ever so slightly to create a smoky look. Add mascara and gold eye shadow to make your eyes stand out even more.
More: 10 Dos and Don’ts of Wearing Red Lipstick
8. Natural Beauty
Let your own beauty shine through with this popular look. You can skip the foundation unless you have a spot to cove. Just add a tinted lip gloss for a hint of color on your lips. Add just enough blush to make it look like you’ve been running.
Make your eyes stand out with a swipe of beige powder and skip the eyeliner. Powder your entire face with a light shimmer powder to give it a special glow.
9. Pretty Princess
Kate Middleton has this look down. Carefully outline your eyes in a dark brown or black shade. Use a beauty balm to even out the skin without covering it and apply a little gel blush to get that rosy cheeked look.
A sheer lipstick is the best way to make your mouth look glossy without adding too much color. Classic brown eye shadow will keep your eyes fresh.
More: 10 Ways to Look 10 Years Younger in Just 10 Minutes
10. 30’s Beauty
Take a trip back through time to the 1930’s with this look. Lips were really popping in this era, so choose a dusty rose color for a toned down look or go with cherry red for a more exciting one.
Rosebud mouths were popular during this time, so use a lip liner to overdraw the top lip slightly and taper the sides a little. Fill it in with your choice of lipstick.
Eyes can be done with eye shadow in brown and beige, or go with something a bit more exciting like a toned down green. Your lashes should be curled and mascara applied.
There is a good reason these looks are classic. They still work today, even if they were designed decades ago. With just a few tweaks to the makeup, you can turn an ordinary makeup session into one that yields amazing results.
What’s your favorite makeup look?
