Vintage 1940's Beauty Secrets - Hair and Face Contour.

Original 1940's Hair and Make-up secrets from Vintage Make-up Guides.
All 1940's hairstyles, were generally swept away from the forehead. The correct make-up contour to match this look is imperative.
So let's look at the four female face shapes [ you'll be one of these ! ] and how
to bring out your inner 1940's woman!
The Round face | The Long and Narrow face | The Oval face | The Square face


1940's Hair and Make-up Tips - The Round Face.

• 1940's Rouge for Round face.

Wear your coloring high on your cheekbone, and blend if off toward the temple and hairlines. Keep it away from nose, under eye and jaw.

• 1940's Lips for the Round face.

Accent the cupid's bow, but in drawing the lower lip, " square " the outline with a firm outgoing line from the corners to the center of the lip in a reverse cupid's bow.

• 1940's Hairstyle for the Round face.

Wear the hair high to counteract roundness, using a soft wave, curls, or a pompadour. The back may be worn up in a vertical bun or in a chignon.


1940's Hair and Make-up Tips - The Long, Narrow Face.

• 1940's Rouge for Long faces.

Place the apex of color directly under the cheekbones, and blend it outward toward the ear and hairline. Keep rouge away from nose, eyes and lips.

• 1940's Lips for Long / Narrow faces.

Eliminate any point at the cupid's bow, as this tends to elongate the face. For a more generous and rounder look to the mouth, build up the size of the upper lip slightly, accentuating the corners.

• 1940's Hairstyle for Long faces.

Wear the hair parted, in the center, or with a three-quarter part, keep it flat on top. let it fall in soft waves at the side of the face and in the back.


1940's Hair and Make-up Tips - The Oval face.

• 1940's Rouge for an Oval face.

Place your rouge just below the cheekbones, with the apex of color in the hollow under the cheeks. Blend it upward over the cheek toward the temple, ear and hairline.

• 1940's Lips for Oval faces.

Follow the natural lipline and draw the corners of the mouth clearly to bring out the full, natural curves.

• 1940's Hairstyles for the Oval Face.

As the oval face is the happy medium of all face types [ lucky you ! ] practically all hairstyles are becoming. For the very best vintage hairstyling tips and video tutorials, you cannot beat the amazing Lisa Freemont Street.

1940's Hair and Make-up Tips - The Square Face.

• 1940's Rouge for the Square face.

Place the apex of coloring on, but no lower than the cheekbone, and blend upward to the temple.

• 1940's Lips for the Square face.

Accent the cupid's bow for the upper lip. For the lower lip, make a reverse cupid's bow for center, and draw an in-curving line for the ends. This somewhat wavy lipline will draw attention away from squareness of the jaw. it really works !

• 1940's Hairstyle for the Square Face.

Wear the hair in an upsweeping wave, but with rounded effect.

For more Vintage Beauty tips - try Make-up & Beauty - 1940's Guides.
Now available from Vintage Make-up Guides.
Packed to the brim with beautifully restored and illustrated guides from the 1920's,1930's,1940's,1950's and very soon the 1960's - as actually taught to women in those glamorous eras.
They're a treat to have and read !

Check out Lisa Freemont Street for her truly brilliant and entertaining vintage hairstyling video tutorials.

text - copyright Glamourdaze 2012

Vintage 1940's Make-up Guides - Introduction

Study your face closely ...analyze your every feature deliberately, and then classify it as an asset or a liability. When you have done this, you need only an everyday knowledge of cosmetics, and a basic understanding of face types to achieve the 1940's make-up effect which is most becoming to you.

You cannot actually change the shape of your face, but with careful arched contouring and with rouge areas strategically placed, you can either disguise or emphasise it's shape and structure so that the tout ensemble is both pleasing to the eye and reassuring to the soul.

Begin your make-up with the proper foundation ... a light fluffy cream - if your skin is dry, a lotion - if your skin is oily, and regular face cream if your skin is normal.
There are excellent products on the market today from which to select the best suited to your skin. So go out and have an enjoyable day browsing.
When you buy cosmetics, first satisfy yourself concerning the maker's name [ we recommend Mac or that old reliable Max Factor, for the smooth creamy 1940's style glide of their foundations and powders ].

Face Powder

First select your shade of face powder and be sure that it blends with your natural skin coloring - and that does not mean merely the coloring on your nose [ which is lightest ] but the skin of your face and neck. As a rule, it is best to stick to a light textured powder in order to flatter your skin the most.

1940's Make-up Contouring with Rouge !

In the next tutorial - we'll look at creating that perfect 1940's face shape - to go
with your fabulous up-do hairstyles.

This is an excerpt from Make-up & Beauty - 1940's Guides.
Now available from Vintage Make-up Guides.

Packed to the brim with beautifully restored and illustrated 1920's,1930's,1940's,1950's and soon 1960's make-up guides as actually taught to women in those glamorous eras.
They're a treat to have and read !

Our Glass - Retro 1940's Fashion Film

Beautiful film celebrating 1940's and 1950's iconic fashion styles.



The plot centers round two women trapped in a 1940's time warp, moving about their house, going about their daily routine of applying make-up, dressing, kitchen etc. Well worth a watch.
LILOGI - the folks who created this film, describe themselves as online celebrants of creative fashion. A glamorous era that will always remain with us.

1940's Make-up Guide - How to have lovelier lips

Nine Steps to achieving the Perfect 1940's Pout.

Excerpt from Make-up & Beauty - A 1940's Guide.

1. Never allow the lips to appear painted, irregular or poorly defined.

2. Never moisten the lips before the application of lip rouge, as this causes the rouge to roll and gives it a caked  appearance.

3. Always make the upper lip first. Then gently but firmly close the mouth, rolling the upper lip over the lower thus imprinting correct outline on the lower lip.

4.Apply lip rouge freely and remove excess by pressing and blotting with cleansing tissue. Repeat this until the tissue no longer takes an impresssion.

5.Never affect a small mouth, a tin lip line or a cupid bow. if lips are too full, don't make them up to the fullest extent if your mouth is of normal size and in correct proportion to the rest of the face, let it be clearly defined, carrying lipstick well into the corners and always remembering to keep the corners turned up slightly in order to preserve a smiling cast of countenance.

6.Never apply lip rouge heavily over a skin lesion or cold sore.

7.If you are a blonde with a light skin, never use dark lip rouge although you may do so if you are a light skinned brunette.

8.Don't use lip rouge and cheek rouge interchangeably. The color and texture of the lips and cheeks are different and the use of moist cheek rouge on the lips or lip rouge on the cheeks is bound to result in bad make-up.

9. Finally, to obtain a clear, well defined lip line, it is best to use a sable lipstick brush like the one pictured below.

•  Text transcription - copyright Glamourdaze 2012

For a full set of tutorials on 1940's make-up styles as actually taught to women of that glamorous era, visit Vintage Make-up Guide.

1940's Fashion - The Correct Way to apply your Make-up

A summarised excerpt from Make-up & Beauty - A 1940s Guide.
The full book is available for instant download from Vintage Make-up Guide.

1. Cleansing

First remove all old make-up with cleansing cream which should be applied in an upward and outward circular movement. Remove cleansing cream, first with cleansing tissue and then with soap and water. Failure to remove all trace of cleansing cream will cause the face to look greasy. if skin is oily follow removal of cleansing cream with a skin freshener.

2.Foundation cream or Pan-Cake.

Apply foundation cream or pancake as explained in the chapter 19.

3.Moist Rouge.

See " Do's and Don'ts" following your particular face type chart from pages 51 to 56 in Make-up & Beauty - A 1940's Guide

4.Eye-shadow

For best results, always apply before powdering. See chapter on correct make-up for eyes !

5.Powdering.

Inspect make-up carefully before powdering. be on the lookout for telltale signs of demarcation. Pat powder on  - never rub it on ! Use generously and remove all surplus with a brush. You may use powder that is lighter than your foundation but never one that is darker. Remove all trace of powder from the hairline.

6. Eyebrow pencil.

Make-up the eyebrow delicately as explained in the chapter on correct make-up for the eyes. Use a stiff
bristled brush to remove surplus powder and shape the line of the brow.

7. Mascara.

Apply mascara as indicated in the relevant chapter, drawing the eyelid gently upward while at the same time endeavoring to keep the eye closed. This will enable you to apply mascara to the entire lash and prevent flutter. Follow the same procedure in applying mascara to the lower lashes, putting fingers on the cheek and gently pulling downward. The eye should be kept open.

8. Dry Rouge.

In order to remove any oil which might have been conveyed to the face and which would cause a blotchy make-up, powder again before applying dry rouge. As explained in the chapter on moist and dry rouge, the former is used to create the required contour and illusion, the latter to complete make-up.

9. Lip Make-up.

See your relevant face chart. Also refer to chapter on lip make-up where you will find listed nine rules for the creation of lovely, natural looking 1940's lips.

text transcription - copyright Glamourdaze 2012

Learn 1940's make-up tutorials as actually taught to women of that glamorous era. Instant downloadable guides also for the 1920s, 1930s, 1950s, and soon the 1960's !

The Helena Rubinstein 1940's Makeup Guide

The Helena Rubinstein 1940's Makeup Guide

1940's Makeup for Blonde hair

For blonde hair, Shades of fuschia and gold colors. And for the soft spoken effect. depend upon the discreet muted blue greens

1940's Makeup guide for Medium Brown Hair

Your very own colors with medium brown hair are glorious sunset shades. Your most arresting colors are the glamourous reddish- orchid hues. Your day-in, day out favourites - gentle blues.

1940's Makeup tips for Redheads

Redheads most personal colors are the tints, glints, shades of your hair - from apple blossom pink to warm rose. Your most effective tones are the exciting purplish blues. For the color you just feel is yours - the spirited greenish blues. Your most delicately beautiful hues - the complacent Chinese Greens.

1940's Makeup for Brunettes

For brunettes, your own vibrant coloring makes the enchanting american beauty hues your most harmonious shades. Your electrifying colors are the dramatic life blues. Your easiest tones are the cool tropical greens. For a quiet, reposed effect - burnished gold - the color becomes the the background.You are the exclamation point !

1940's Makeup styles for Silver Grey hair

Your own colors are the natural highlights you see in your lovely silver hair - soft purples and mauves. Create your most dramatic effects in rich Cardinal reds. You'll be wonderfully at home in soft pistaccio greens. Create an interesting effect with the clever use of muted aqua - the soft spoken color is of amazing impact.

For the definitive breakdown on 1940's makeup styles, see the Vintage Makeup Guide

The 1940s Make-up & Beauty Guide - Instant Download

1940s Fashion Guide - Dressing for an occasion

Margaret and Helen prepare for their big night out at the prom.

Back in the 1940's, correctness of dress for any occasion, not only included the gown and shoes, but the hairstyle, accessories, the jewellery and yes - the makeup. Of course women usually received more training than men in the  ettiquette of dress because of its importance to their appearing always to best advantage.Whatever your favourite decade of dress fashion, simplicity is always the safest policy in clothes ornamentation.
Charming little film depicting two young american 1940's women discussing their dress, hairstyle,hair accessories, makeup etc.For charming vintage inspired hair accessories - check out Belles Blossoms.



Check out Helena Rubinsteins Vintage 1940's Makeup Guide

Check out A 1940's Housewifes Daily Routine

Learn the craft of 1940s Make-up Styles.

What Makeup did women really wear in the 1940's ?

What Makeup did women really wear in the 1940's ?
Gabriela Hernandez

Time for a short retrospective. One of the main cosmetic products pushed now is foundation. The obsession for a smooth skin, no matter what your age. Back in the 1940's, very few women wore foundation at all. Just lots of creamy coloured powder for that pale feminine look.

The three fundamental 1940's makeup beauty products to have in the old handbag was redder than red lipstick, and rouge,  which came in tiny little pots. Even eye makeup was not an essential ! But the pinups of the 1940's went  nowhere without standout black eyeliner and long long eyelashes. There was no blusher to speak of. So to be truly authentic, less is more ! Killer lipstick is all a girl really needs.In Cosmetic brands, Max Factor towered over most competition, with only Elisabeth Arden giving them a run for their money.

Like most vintage fashion fans, Besame Cosmetics founder Gabriela Hernandez drew huge inspiration from her own familys past.

"Besame came from my love of Artwork, my love of the history of  makeup,and of course the song Besame Mucho !  I remember when I was little and admiring my aunts, and my  grandmother and my mom.
They really didn't go out without doing their hair or putting on lipstick. Besame was inspired by the kind of products my Grandmother used to have like her lipstick and her rouge. We make reproductions of 1940's style cosmetic products. We have the bullet lipstick that was popular in the  1940's. The line symbolises the woman of that period."

The lipstick bullet got its name from it's resemblence to a bullet cartridge. Cosmetics were so military minded in the 1940's !

The 1940's was a pivotal time in makeup artistry. Starlet looks and femininity.The face was to be glamourous but natural ! Rosy red colours and pink undertones.Eyebrows were kept natural and not plucked out of existence as they had been back in the 1930's. If you are truly interested in learning vintage style makeup,one can't go wrong by looking up the history of makeup.
These early pioneers changed womens lives.
copyright 2010 Glamourdaze