1920s True Daytime & Evening Makeup

Hi everyone, Kate here, and in this video I'll be sharing with you two everyday makeup looks from the 1920s as well as a bit about makeup trends from the time. These are based on what real women actually wore rather than the more complicated art of makeup for the stage or screen, and as such these looks are both quick and simple. Before I start applying the makeup, we should probably talk a bit more about what makeup was like for women in the 1920s. While there had been cosmetics in earlier decades, it's during this time period that makeup really started to gain more social acceptance, likely in part due to the influence of the motion picture industry. Most of the makeup ads that I'm showing today actually have come from movie magazines. However, I do always think of the 1920s still as more of a transitional decade when it comes to makeup. In the early part of the 1920s, makeup was still seen as rather daring and improper, whereas as we move through to the latter half of the decade, we see it slowly becoming more and more normalized. It went from scandalous to perhaps even aspirational in some cases. For most women though, it was still kept quite natural, especially during the daytime, and some products such as mascara and eyeliner weren't even discussed in beauty publications from the time. An example of this is the 1923 publication Dame Curtsy's Book of Beauty Talks, where she writes a bit about powder, rouge, lipstick, and eyebrow pencils, but mascara and eyeshadow are not even mentioned. Even the cosmetics she does mention are suggested to be applied modestly and only if you really need them. To look overly made up was considered to be in decidedly bad taste. Now, just because certain products weren't mentioned doesn't mean they weren't invented or available. My copy of the Ugly Girl Papers, which is from 1874, even it has a recipe for a product meant to give the effect of mascara, although I haven't tried this particular formulation myself, so I can't speak to the results. The Secret of Beauty and Charm, which is also from 1923, does mention mascara in the form of lash beading, but overall the author has a very similar take to Dame Curtsy, suggesting that too much makeup makes one look clownish, less intelligent, and that lipstick merely traps dust and germs and fools no one. Blush and powder were considered all right in moderation, however. While it's beyond the scope of this video to discuss in detail the range and variation of cosmetics that were available, the most commonly referenced ones consist of face powder, which was usually very sheer and perhaps slightly tinted, rouge in a powdered, liquid, or cream form, and in a shade to match your natural flush. Lipstick, typically in rose, red, or an orange shade, with either a plain or tinted lip balm as a more subtle alternative. Cream eyeshadow, typically chosen in a shade to match your eye color. Mascara, which was often in cake form, but not necessarily, there were cream mascaras back then as well. And an eyebrow pencil, obviously to match your brow color. Eyeliner was around as well, but it's not something I've seen much recommended in non-film applications, so we're going to omit it for today. Well, with all that in mind, let's move on to the makeup looks. For this video, I'm going to be using a mix of some of my homemade historical makeup recipes, as well as a few store-bought products. I'll mention everything I'm using down in the description below if you want some more details. Let's begin with a daytime look. To start, apply a thin coat of cool cream or vanishing cream all over the face to help the powder adhere. Let it soak in for a moment and then remove any excess with a tissue. Powder all over with a sheer face powder to match your coloring. Next, apply just a hint of rouge to your cheeks, blending well. Lastly, apply your lipstick in a works well with both your coloring and your outfit. Alternatively, you could apply a tinted or a clear lip balm for an even more natural look. And that's actually it for daytime. Makeup was still quite new and daring at the time, so it was kept very subtle, especially during the day. But for something a bit more jazzy, let's do a nighttime look. As before, apply the face powder over moisturized skin to help it stick. Then apply your blush. This should be in a shade that looks good under artificial light and may be different than your daytime rouge. We want to apply it to the apples of the cheeks, and possibly very lightly to the tip of the nose and the chin if it happens to suit. You can also go a little heavier on the application for evening. Next, apply a cream eyeshadow in a shade to match your eye color to the lids, blending well with your fingers. Yes, okay, I realize it looks like I haven't applied much of anything, but that's mostly due to some weird trick of the light and brightness settings on my camera. The eyeshadow is meant to be subtle, but not quite that subtle. I tried filming this twice and had the same issue, so let's just imagine it looks a bit more like this in terms of pigmentation. Then we do a quick coat of mascara and a touch of eyebrow pencil, only if needed. We finish the look with a swipe of lipstick, accentuating that bow curve on the top lip. And that's it. We're ready to Charleston the night away. Well, that's it for now. As always, thank you for watching, and I will see you guys next time. Bye! This video is made possible through the generous support of my Patreons. Thank you, and special thanks to my bee's knees Patreon, Stone Gassman.