Stunning Vintage Makeup Looks To Add Charm To Any Event

If modern makeup styles aren't your thing but you still want to look trend, don't worry! We've gathered together all of the greatest trends from vintage makeup history to inspire your look!

Blush is back in a big way, but it's by no means a 'new' trend. A pop of color on the cheeks has been a reliable cosmetic go-to for centuries - from Ancient Egypt through to Antiquity, it saw the rise and fall of Rome and the French Revolution - so history has proven rogue an amazing touch for pretty much any event you could have in mind.

A gentle glow a-la the 30s and the dawn of Hollywood can bring a subtle burst of life to your face, but with modern icons like Sabrina Carpenter bringing back a heavier, almost doll-like application, it can feel a little lacking in oomph. That's why, as with most areas of life, we should be drawing our inspiration from the extra, extra 80s, where blush was as much a part of a look as the eyeshadow was.

In fact, many styles from the time would incorporate blush into a smoky eye, matching the palate, gradient and blending for an unmistakably glam-rock explosion of intense, eye-catching beauty.

We've seen white eyeliner pop up now and again since the 20s, but nowhere has it been used quite as effectively as it was during the 60s and the good old days of Mod. Style queens like Twiggy, Mary Quant, and Dusty Springfield experimented with hippy-inspired eye looks, incorporating color and contrast in any way they could.

Industry giant Max Factor was among the first to produce white liners and popularize its use as an ocular expander; directing the signature application of the pointed arrow on the tear duct, and the overlining of the lids beyond the waterline to make even the smallest eyes seem enormous and imposing.

Miss Monroe, are you ready for your close up? Beauty marks, moles that sit on the face, only naturally appear in around one out of 100 people, so there's no shame in creating them yourself, as Dita Von Teese, and even possibly Marylin herself did. They've been a stylish and desirable blemish since the 16th century when they were all the rage among the French aristocracy, and from then on many models have been dotting them on for an old-school dash of glam.

There's a clear textural difference between natural ones and drawn-on ones,, but as with the trend of adding fake freckles, when you see them in motion nobody is going to notice, care, or comment... Besides, when has make up ever been concerned with what looks completely natural?

We're not going entirely pale-faced and satanic here, but there are plenty of 90s grunge/gothic touches you can incorporate into your look for a unique twist. Think dark, smoky dramatic eyes, red lips, and a Morticia Addams vibe,, and you're picturing the appropriate level of glam within the goth.

Complimenting and accent colors are your best friend here - they'll stop you looking washed out by the heavier application the style demands.

Goth and grunge aren't entirely interchangeable, each style has their own ideas, but angsty intrigue remains an overlapping point at the centre of the Venn diagram and you can achieve that in a number of ways. Black-lined red lips are a classic touch, and metallic, shimmering browns help add a touch of warmth to the traditionally cold aesthetic.

Dramatic, flashy, and not quite as difficult as it seems, the cut crease has been turning heads since the 1960s. It was the era of eyeshadow, birthing many ideas and sensibilities we still use today and love just as much. The hippies did it, the mods did it, and it fits with the whole geometric look since it keeps a sharp, unblended line as a focal point.

It's a great technique to coordinate an outfit around, as you can load in as many colors as you want providing you find the right balance, but you can also refine it down to a small handful of natural, matte tones for a measured, equally mesmerizing effect. You can find an easy to follow tutorial for a basic version below!

From electric to serene, blue tones first emerged in the 1960s and came to define the rebellious, creatively-askew spirit of the era. It's recently gone through a renaissance of sorts, with fashion designers and TikTok beauty influencers jumping on the blue bandwagon to give this once-retro aesthetic a new flood of popularity.

The mannerisms through which the color is expressed have changed a little with this new wave, but the broad strokes are still the same. The 60s loved a pastel blue and a matched accessory in the form of a hat, earring, or scarf, and the modern approach focuses more on intense and vibrant shades paired with an all-blue ensemble.

The time-tested popularity of a red lip is no surprise. As a color it can go with and compliment any outfit, from a gala worthy gown, to a simple and contemporary blue jeans and white shirt-chic combo, so its versatility is well documented.

The sultry, sex-appeal driven connotations came around the 40s and 50s with the astronomic rise of the modern movie star and the "It Girl", but they were worn for centuries before that.

They have been all over the red carpet lately, so there's plenty of inspiration to draw from, but your event doesn't need anywhere near the same level of stakes to consider a bold red lip look. It can be the only thing you do to your face, and the results can still be staggering!

Pastel tones are perfect for a soft summer look. Taking inspiration from the 50s, these gentle, airy color palettes can bring something a little different to your event. You can incorporate them in a few places, from your lips to your blush, but you'll want to keep the rest of your face soft and dewy to emphasize and capitalize on the delicate nature of the pastel.

You don't need an entire rainbow on your face to capture the style - a few carefully selected colors (paired with your outfit, of course) around the eyes, a peachy blush, and gentle winged liner are all you need to make an impression. It's about creating a dreamy, romantic air to your face, and whatever that means to you, will work.

"Natural" is a loaded term when it comes to cosmetics. A true bare face can't be a makeup trend, because there's no makeup involved!

Instead, different eras have their own light and heavy looks, but influencers and beauty gurus adapt and change elements to fit their beauty sensibilities - and the 50s face is a good example of that. Pale, matte tones were the name of the game, with very light blush and eyeshadow punctuated with sharp winged eyeliner.

It was considered a more "natural" way to look, but to a modern audience, this just doesn't ring true. Thinner plucked eyebrows would be authentic to the period, but fewer women are plucking nowadays and it can look just as good with bushy, brushed-out brows. Trends are more like loose guidelines, especially today when you can mix and match the best elements from across time based on what works best for your face, and your style.