Everyone has their own opinion about beauty. Indeed, 2023 was a year for a wide range of beauty trends. We don’t expect that to change in 2024! But one look that’s always been in style is the Golden Age of Hollywood. This was a time of great actresses who set the scene for the beauty industry for years to come, and all without a hint of modern technology!
It’s no wonder we seek to recreate these looks year after year. Some of the most iconic people in the world all paid into this look, and following in their footsteps can help you elevate your own natural beauty.
So, if you’re someone interested in looking like a Hollywood starlet, whether for a special occasion or because you’d love a dramatic change in style, this is the post for you. Check out the tips below for achieving your own classic look in our current day and age.
Use a ‘Shiny’ Primer
If the primer has a shiny effect to it (sometimes known as being pearly or effervescent), it’s going to help your skin glow from underneath the makeup you put on top. Think of this as backlighting your own cheeks, chin, and forehead. It’s one of the best ways to catch the light, especially if you’re determined to get some good looking selfies out of the look too!
This helped the camera to focus on an actress’ beauty, even when she wasn’t the sole focus on the scene. The shine wasn’t too obvious and off putting, but the resulting subtle and seemingly natural glow was incredible!
Shiny primers can be found at makeup counters and in drug stores up and down the country, so you won’t have a chance to run out of options for the perfect primer here.
Pin Your Hair
If you want to look like a classic Hollywood actress, you’ll need to sit your hair right too! That means treating it like they used to in the 1940s and 50s, without the use of modern styling tools. You can use these, if you’re in a hurry and just want to finish a look, but be sure to try out the old ways to see how they measure up.
Using pins and heatless wraps in the hair are two of the most timeless methods for achieving silver screen worthy curls or a beautifully wavy bob cut. You can find a quick tutorial for the pin method right here, and you should invest in some of these leave-in wraps if you’re interested in more long term curly styles.
Make Your Eyes Dramatically Dark
Dark eyes are the bastion of classic Hollywood glamour. Most older films featuring the kind of actresses we’re talking about were filmed in black and white, meaning natural facial features needed to be outlined and highlighted as much as possible.
We’re not shooting in monochrome these days, but this makeup method has retained much of its attractive quality and will suit any colour of eyes or skin. And with the amount of modern makeup products we have, dramatically darkening the eyes is going to be easier than ever. You can also head to the best salon near you and get your brows and lashes tinted, if you have naturally quite light hair.
Remember, bold is best when you’re trying to emulate this style, so go all out with eyeliner, shadow, and a liquid lining coat on top. Build up in layers until you get the effect you desire.
And Pop on Some Eye Cream
Don’t stop at just the makeup. Make sure you’re taking care of the skin around your eyes too! This skin tends to be quite thin and even translucent at times, meaning your skin’s undertone can shine through, and veins and freckles can be seen quite clearly.
In general, there’s not much you can do about these things, but you can help the skin there to stay supple, soft, and bright. If you use a brightening cream on a regular basis, or you moisturise quite liberally in this area, you’ll soon notice a difference in the appearance.
This will make applying foundation and concealer a lot easier; you’ll rid yourself of a ‘cakey’ look, if that’s something you tend to struggle with! It’s a common problem with makeup, but the smoother the surface and the better you blend, the better the final result will be.
Use Two Tone Blusher
If you want to make your cheeks really pop like the Hollywood actresses of old, use two tones of blusher and apply them both to the cheek along the bone. They should be roughly the same colour, but one tone should be darker than the other.
Use the darker tone on the area under the bone, where you’d like the shadow to really stand out. Then, pop the softer, more rosy tone on top to act as a more natural highlighter. You can then put some actual highlighter on this, but make sure it doesn’t overpower the work you’ve done down below.
Bold Lip Colours Work Best
Just like the use of dark makeup on and around your eyes, go for bold and rich colours when choosing lipstick too. Deep reds are the most classic lip shade known to man, but deep pinks and purples are good for this purpose too. If it looks a little dangerous, go for it.
You can then use a lip pencil around your lips to help plump your natural shape; providing yourself with a close outline means you don’t go too far here! And try to trust the process with these kinds of lip shades. It might take some getting used to, but the bolder the better!
Classic Hollywood beauty has stuck around for a reason. If you’ve always loved the look, you’re perfectly capable of dolling like this if you want to! Use the tips above to achieve the drama and glow you’re looking for and don’t be afraid to experiment with the style either.
