70s Face Makeup Guide: Glam Looks & Tutorials

The 1970s was a decade of bold, glamorous makeup trends, and even today, many of these iconic looks continue to inspire beauty enthusiasts. From the smoky eye to the natural glow, 70s makeup offers a range of styles that cater to different personalities and preferences. This comprehensive guide will delve into the defining elements of 70s face makeup, showcasing popular looks, providing step-by-step tutorials, and offering expert tips to help you recreate these timeless styles.

The Foundation of 70s Makeup: Skin

The 70s saw a shift towards a more natural approach to skincare and makeup. While the emphasis on perfect, flawless skin remained, the focus was on achieving a healthy, radiant glow rather than a completely matte finish.

Achieving the 70s Skin Look

Prep Your Skin: Start with a good skincare routine, focusing on hydration and exfoliation. Choose a lightweight moisturizer that allows the makeup to glide on smoothly.
Choose the Right Foundation: Opt for a foundation that matches your skin tone perfectly and provides light-to-medium coverage. Liquid or cream foundations were popular choices, offering a natural finish.
Highlight & Contour: Contouring was a key aspect of 70s makeup. Use a cream or powder bronzer to contour the cheekbones, jawline, and temples, creating dimension and structure. Highlighting the brow bone, cheekbones, and cupid's bow with a cream highlighter added a touch of radiance.
Blush: A pop of blush was essential to achieve the healthy, flushed look. Choose a shade that complements your skin tone, like peach, pink, or coral, and apply it to the apples of the cheeks.

Eyes: The Signature Look

The 70s were a time of experimentation with eye makeup, featuring bold colours, dramatic lines, and shimmering textures. The iconic smoky eye, winged eyeliner, and heavily lined eyes became staple looks of the era.

70s Eye Makeup Techniques

Smoky Eye: The classic smoky eye was all about creating a soft, diffused look with shades of brown, grey, or black. Apply a light shade to the entire eyelid, blend a medium shade into the crease, and deepen the outer corner with a dark shade.
Winged Eyeliner: Winged eyeliner was a must-have for creating a glamorous cat-eye look. Use a black liquid or gel liner to draw a thin line along the lash line, extending it outwards and upwards to create a wing.
Heavy Eyeliner: Another popular technique was lining the entire upper and lower lash line with a thick black liner, creating a dramatic effect.
Mascara: Mascara was a key component of any 70s makeup look, enhancing the lashes. Use a volumizing mascara to create thick, defined lashes, and curl the lashes beforehand for extra oomph.
Eye Shadow: Eye shadow shades ranged from earthy browns and greens to vibrant blues and purples. Choose a colour palette that complements your eye colour and personality. Apply the shadow with a fluffy brush for a soft, blended look.

Brows: The Power Statement

Eyebrows played a crucial role in framing the face and adding definition to the overall look. The 70s favoured thick, defined brows, often arched and sculpted to create a dramatic effect.

70s Brow Techniques

Tweeze and Shape: Use a sharp pair of tweezers to shape the brows, removing stray hairs and defining the arch. Avoid over-plucking, as natural, thick brows were in style.
Pencil or Powder: Fill in the brows using a pencil or powder that matches your hair colour. Use light, feathery strokes to create a natural look.
Gel: Apply a brow gel to keep the hairs in place and add definition. This helps create a polished, sculpted look.

Lips: The Enchanting Touch

70s lip makeup was all about bold colours, glossy textures, and defined shapes. From classic reds to vibrant oranges and pinks, the lips were the finishing touch to a glamorous 70s look.

70s Lip Makeup Techniques

Red Lips: Red lipstick was a staple of the 70s, adding a touch of glamour and sophistication. Choose a red shade that complements your skin tone and apply it with a lip brush for precision.
Glossy Finish: Lip gloss was a popular choice for adding shine and dimension. Apply a clear or coloured gloss over lipstick for a high-impact finish.
Lip Liner: Lip liner was used to create a defined shape, prevent lipstick from bleeding, and make the lips appear fuller. Choose a liner that matches your lip colour or slightly darker for a bold look.

70s Makeup Tutorials: Replicating Iconic Styles

The Classic Smoky Eye

Prep Your Eyes: Use a primer to create a smooth base for the eyeshadow.
Light Base: Apply a light, neutral shade to the entire eyelid, blending it up to the brow bone.
Crease Shade: Use a medium brown or grey shade to define the crease, blending it outwards and upwards.
Outer Corner: Deepen the outer corner of the eye with a dark brown or black shade. Blend the shade into the crease for a seamless transition.
Liner and Mascara: Use a black liquid or gel liner to line the upper lash line, extending it slightly for a subtle wing. Apply mascara to the top and bottom lashes for a defined look.

The Winged Eyeliner

Start Thin: Use a liquid or gel liner to draw a thin line along the upper lash line, starting from the inner corner.
Create the Wing: Extend the line outwards and upwards, creating a diagonal line that forms the wing. The angle of the wing depends on your preference, but aim for a slight upward curve.
Connect the Lines: Connect the extended wing to the outer corner of the lash line, creating a smooth, defined shape.
Fill in the Gap: Fill in any gaps between the wing and the lash line for a complete look.
Mascara: Apply mascara to both the upper and lower lashes for added volume and definition.

The Natural Glam Look

Prep Your Skin: Use a light moisturizer and a primer to create a smooth base for the makeup.
Foundation and Concealer: Apply a lightweight foundation that matches your skin tone and concealer to cover any blemishes.
Contour and Highlight: Use a cream or powder bronzer to contour the cheekbones, jawline, and nose. Highlight the cheekbones, brow bone, and cupid's bow with a cream highlighter.
Blush: Apply a peach or pink blush to the apples of the cheeks.
Eyeshadow: Choose a neutral eyeshadow palette and apply a light shade to the entire eyelid. Use a medium shade to define the crease and a darker shade to blend into the outer corner.
Liner and Mascara: Use a black liquid or gel liner to define the upper lash line. Apply mascara to both the upper and lower lashes.
Lips: Choose a nude or peach lipstick and apply it with a lip brush for a smooth finish.

FAQ

1. What is a good 70s makeup brand to try?

There are many great brands that offer 70s-inspired makeup. Some recommendations include:

NARS: Offers a wide range of eyeshadow palettes, blushes, and lipsticks in classic 70s colors.
Fenty Beauty: Known for its inclusive shade ranges and high-pigment products, perfect for creating bold 70s looks.
Too Faced: Offers playful and glamorous makeup options, including iconic eyeshadow palettes and lip glosses.

2. What are the best 70s makeup trends for beginners?

For beginners, you can try these simpler 70s looks:

Natural Glam: This look emphasizes a healthy glow and soft eye makeup.
Winged Eyeliner: A classic 70s look that can be achieved with a simple flick of a liquid liner.
Bold Lips: Choose a bold lipstick shade, like red or orange, and apply it evenly.

3. How can I make 70s makeup look modern?

To update a 70s look, consider:

Subtle Smokey Eye: Instead of a harsh, dark smoky eye, use lighter shades and blend them seamlessly for a softer look.
Modern Brow Shape: Instead of thick, arched brows, try a more natural, fluffy brow shape.
Minimal Contouring: Use contouring techniques sparingly to add subtle definition to your face.

Conclusion

70s makeup continues to inspire contemporary beauty trends, offering a timeless fusion of glamour, boldness, and natural radiance. By incorporating the key elements, such as sculpted brows, smoky eyes, and bold lips, you can recreate iconic looks and create your own unique interpretation of this vibrant era. Embrace the spirit of experimentation, and let your creativity shine through!

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