There were three distinct looks in the 1960s: The classic, the mod and the hippie.
The mod, or modernist, look is perhaps the most admired and remembered of the era’s makeup looks, embodying the goal of creating a face that glowed, with dramatic eyes and full lips.
The London scene led the way with the mod look, starting in the late ’50s, with youths in particular exerting a significant influence on fashion, according to the Hair & Makeup Artist Handbook, hair-and-makeup-artist.com, my main source for this month’s column. A growing number of young people had disposable incomes as the ’50s gave way to the ’60s, and that money often was spent on fashion and cosmetics.
The white eyeshadow and black eye crease worn by British supermodel Twiggy were a reflection of the mods’ penchant for bold geometric patterns and black-and-white color schemes. That detail inspired the look on my model this month, Tineall Wagner, of Lewiston. I was going to do the full black crease and white eyeshadow on the eyelid, but when I saw Tineall’s dress I had to put a hippie spin on it by adding pink.
The mod, or modernist, look is perhaps the most admired and remembered of the era’s makeup looks, embodying the goal of creating a face that glowed, with dramatic eyes and full lips.
The London scene led the way with the mod look, starting in the late ’50s, with youths in particular exerting a significant influence on fashion, according to the Hair & Makeup Artist Handbook, hair-and-makeup-artist.com, my main source for this month’s column. A growing number of young people had disposable incomes as the ’50s gave way to the ’60s, and that money often was spent on fashion and cosmetics.
The white eyeshadow and black eye crease worn by British supermodel Twiggy were a reflection of the mods’ penchant for bold geometric patterns and black-and-white color schemes. That detail inspired the look on my model this month, Tineall Wagner, of Lewiston. I was going to do the full black crease and white eyeshadow on the eyelid, but when I saw Tineall’s dress I had to put a hippie spin on it by adding pink.
August Frank/Inland 360
Tineall Wagner, of Lewiston, shows off '60s-inspired makeup applied by Jacey Johnson.
By the late 1960s, foundation products shifted from the heavier matte, powdered look of the ’50s to be more natural, sheer and glowy, letting the skin show through the product.
Blushes were applied sparingly to create a soft glow, adding warmth at the temples, hairline and under the jaw — similar to how we use bronzer today.
Applying darker eyeshadow color in the eyelid crease was a new concept in the ’60s. Likewise, using a lighter shade under the brow was another first-time trend. Other colors also
were being used in the inner and outer corners of the eyes to create different looks.
False eyelashes were the fashion accessory of the decade from about 1964 onward. Some women would even wear two or three sets, one on top of the other.
False eyelashes were the fashion accessory of the decade from about 1964 onward. Some women would even wear two or three sets, one on top of the other.
The ’60s are considered the first decade of “retro-style” makeup. I think the aesthetic was the closest to where we are today, with each person embracing the makeup looks they were comfortable in instead of conforming only to what was trending. Older women often stuck to the powder-base-and-light-eye-makeup look from the late ’50s, while teenagers were in the mod phase. By the late ’60s, more people sported bare faces or wore just a little blush as the hippie era dawned.
You can read more about 1960s-era makeup at hair-and-makeup-artist.com/womens-1960s-makeup and glamourdaze.com/history-of-makeup/1960s. Which of the many looks would you try?
If you are interested in being a model for Makeup by the Eras, contact me on Instagram @blackmagic._beauty or email mstone@inland360.com.
Johnson, of Lewiston, creates makeup looks inspired by different decades in U.S. history, using you, our readers, as her models. She can be found on Etsy at BlackMagicBeautyShop and Instagram @blackmagic._beauty.
