The evolution of makeup over 100 years: how it was?

Makeup has always been a statement of personal identity and a reflection of the times, not just a tool to enhance beauty. The makeup industry has experienced an amazing metamorphosis over the last century, influenced by shifting fashion trends, technological developments, and cultural changes.

Every decade has contributed something new to the fashion world, from the dramatic, bold looks of the 1920s to the natural, minimalist styles of today. Makeup has always changed to reflect the spirit of the times, whether it’s the emergence of the smoky eye, the popularity of red lipstick, or the acceptance of different standards of beauty.

Come along as we take you on a decade-by-decade tour through the history of makeup. You’ll learn how various trends came into being, what factors shaped them, and how they still influence how we express ourselves now.

1900–1910: feminine modesty

During the initial ten years of the 1900s, females aimed for modest appearances. They were based on lips that were slightly pink, a soft blush, and an aristocratic pallor.

Bright makeup was frowned upon, so there was little demand for it. But at that time, beauty products that would later become standard were only starting to make an appearance.

Face

Skin lightening with lemon juice was common in the early 1900s. Additionally, powder was applied to the face to achieve the desired pallor. Upper-class girls felt that this was essential to differentiating themselves from working-class and peasant women’s representatives.

Eyebrows

Fashion was characterized by slightly elongated tails and thin, emphasized eyebrows. This trend will continue to be significant for many years to come.

Eyes

Most often, eye makeup was left undone. Though most of the time they did not use it, girls occasionally used a special gray paste to create a light shadow on their eyelids.

Lips

They could not be painted brightly because that was not fashionable at the time. Lips were either left completely unmade or highlighted with a delicate pink hue that blended in with the skin.

1910–1920: beauty from the movies

The film industry is still actively developing during this time. Girls’ perceptions of their appearance were influenced by the black and white film actresses’ images. Cosmetics are developed with makeup artists’ needs in mind, but they eventually find their way into the boudoirs of ordinary women who are not involved in the film industry.

Face

Girls’ attire for pallor is still dictated by the films of the 1910s.

Now, they apply a blush to porcelain skin, sweeping the color over the entire cheek in one motion.

Brows

They don’t become "threads" just yet; that will come later. They stay thin.

Eyes

Maybelline launches its first brush mascara in the middle of the decade. Though the eyelashes are already applied, girls do not yet have black eye makeup like actor Ted Bar.

Lips

Most often, lip makeup is not worn. Girls are afraid to be anything more than glossy lips covered in petroleum jelly.

1920s: Makeup without prohibitions

The "Jealing 20s" drastically altered the makeup preferences of women. It was a time of bravery and independence, with vivid lip and eye makeup. The 1920s saw the rise of Louise Brooks, Isadora Duncan, and Pola Negri as role models. Finally, makeup stopped being associated with bad taste and started to become trendy.

Face

Soft pink blush in gentle tones, applied in circles to the cheeks’ "apples," is still in style.

Eyebrows

Over ten years ago, they started to become noticeable. In keeping with the era’s fashions, girls frequently shaved off their own eyebrows to create a thin arc line at the top.

Eyes

A distinctive aspect of 1920s makeup is the vague outline of kohl-outlined shadows along the eye’s contour.

Lips

Girls painted their lips in addition to their eyes during the 1920s. Red lipstick rose to popularity as a cosmetic. Like the L’Oréal Paris shade "Burgundy Twist," burgundy was also in style.

They assisted in painting lips in the design of "Cupid’s bow" or a heart.

1930s: femme fatale makeup

The 1930s saw more experiments. Women were encouraged to look at men’s trouser suits by Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich, who brought them into fashion with a great scandal. Some elements from the previous decade persisted in makeup, but it started to lose the provocative brightness that it had gained in the 1920s.

Face

Blush was first applied under the cheekbones in a triangle shape to sculpt facial features.

Eyebrows

The brows were styled in the same thin arched manner. Girls, copying actresses, curved their eyebrows so much that their long tails hung downward.

Eyes

The muted eye makeup took the place of the blur of black shadows. Concurrently, a novelty like colored eyeshadow started to become fashionable. Though not everyone or all the time, mascara really became a necessity by the 1930s.

Lips

Girls in the 1920s were obsessed with "bow" lips. Conversely, in the 1930s, they made the decision to smooth out the lines and increase their contour.

1940s: the fighting spirit of beauty

Despite the tragic events of this decade, women still value beauty. New fashions kept emerging, mostly from the USA, where cosmetics manufacturing carried on throughout the conflict. Beauty icons like Bette Davis, Vivien Leigh, and Ingrid Bergman served as role models.

Face

A fresh, healthy complexion was achieved by generously applying red blush and powder over the cheekbones.

Eyebrows

The trends in eyebrow makeup started to shift. In the 1940s, women wore wider, naturally shaped eyebrows with a subtle curve in place of "threads."

Eyes

During this time, eye makeup was very natural. Mascara was the preferred choice for girls. Eyeliner and shadows were unpopular.

Lips

A defining characteristic of 1940s makeup was glossy, red lips with a defined contour. Lacque Supreme by Shu Uemura, for instance, can now be used to achieve this effect.

1950s: beauty 24/7

The 1950s portrayed the perfect housewife as someone who was meticulous in her hair and cosmetics, elegant in her manicure, and meticulous in every way. In addition, girls aspired to look like the era’s Hollywood icons, such as Sophia Loren, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, and Elizabeth Taylor.

1. 1 Face Even ivory tone is still relevant; girls complement it with a translucent layer of pink blush on the cheekbones.

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1960s: doll look is at the peak of fashion

The most popular makeup styles from the 1960s were assimilated by the iconic Twiggy image. The "wide open" expression on the eyes was the focal point of attention. For a while, Bright Lipstick was out of business.

Face

Girls are always looking for a tone that is even, and powder helps with that. Powder is applied in multiple layers.

Eyebrows

As opposed to the 1950s, they could not be tinted. However, eyebrows still needed to be properly groomed. With the aid of eyebrow mascara, achieving the most natural effect is now simple. For instance, Shu Uemura’s Eyebrow Manicure.

Eyes

In the 1960s, eye makeup was the focus of most experiments. In addition to wearing false eyelashes, girls also actively use colored shadows, draw sweeping arrows, and master the cut crease technique, which highlights the fold of the eyelid. Or use a pencil to sketch them on, just like that Twiggy. In this video, we demonstrated a take on 1960s-inspired makeup.

Lips

They were the last to be considered. Many girls either applied transparent gloss or did not paint them at all.

Makeup has changed dramatically over the last century, reflecting shifts in culture, society, and technology. Over time, makeup has transformed from being a means of expression to an integral aspect of one’s identity. Examples of this include the striking, flapper-inspired looks of the 1920s, the glamorous Hollywood waves of the 1950s, and the effortless, minimalist styles of today. This historical tour demonstrates how makeup has evolved to meet the needs and preferences of every generation while also influencing and being influenced by global beauty standards, fashion, and film.

1970s: in the disco style

The age of freedom is the 1970s. Many subcultures emerged during this time, each with its own conception of beauty—just draw comparisons between punks and hippies, for example! The disco aesthetic has also influenced fashion, giving rise to a number of vibrant trends in apparel and cosmetics.

Face

The ideal of flawless porcelain skin is no longer what everyone strives for. Tan is currently trendy! Girls could apply bronzer to simulate a "sun kiss" on their skin starting in the 1970s.

Eyebrows

Once more, there was a fad to thin eyebrows, but many people chose to leave their eyebrows natural.

Eyes

The 1970s saw the invention of smokey eyes, but bright shadow makeup was also in style at the time. Light blue, blue, and green were the most in-demand hues. These are now easily accessible in NYX Professional Makeup’s Hot Singles collection.

Lips

Girls focused more on what was in their eyes. Additionally, if they applied makeup to their lips, peach-colored lipstick was used. The emphasis on the eyes was not "competed" with by the color of the lips.

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• In the rhythm of disco: how to do makeup in the spirit of the 1970s?

1980s: makeup without rules

This was an era without limitations on makeup. Girls did not feel ashamed to use the most bizarre color combinations when painting their lips and eyes.

Face

Many girls got a foundation that was one or two shades lighter than their skin tone in the 1980s. Their lip and eye makeup looked even more vibrant as a result.

Eyebrows

They weren’t the image’s most important detail. However, occasionally they were highlighted in addition to everything else when observing the image of the Madonna.

Eyes

It’s rare for them to select just one item for eye makeup. It was vivid and dramatic: girls used the most striking eyeshadow hues, ranging from fuchsia to blue neon, to draw arrows and create smoky eyes.

Lips

The most common shade for lip makeup was fuchsia. As long as they were bold and defiant, you could wear other colors as well.

1990s: from naturalness to grunge and glam

The beauty industry saw a number of fashion trends in the 1990s. Following the vibrant color explosion of the 1980s, a lot of girls abandoned makeup entirely in favor of more natural looks. Their goal was to appear innocent, with pale skin, a slight flush, and a "clean" appearance. Glamorous, gothic, and grunge styles were in vogue at the same period.

Face

There were multiple camps for the girls. Some people left foundation out of their cosmetics bag. Others started to use light bases more actively, producing gothic pictures with dark lips and eyes.

Eyebrows

To make them visible on the face, they were thinly picked and colored with an eyeshadow or pencil.

Eyes

Girls had a lot of options in the 90s: grunge, which featured loosely defined eye contours, natural makeup with lightly tinted lashes, and glamorous smoky eyes in vivid hues.

Lilac and blue eyeshadows with a "frosty" effect were particularly well-liked.

Lips

The most prominent 90s trends were glittery lip gloss and lipstick in shades of burgundy and brown.

2000s: makeup of the new millennium

New pop stars like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, J. Lo, Beyoncé, Gwen Stefani, and others set a lot of beauty trends. I remember the early 2000s best for glittery eyeshadow, thick lashes, lip gloss, thread-like eyebrows, and self-tanning. Makeup became more understated as the decade came to an end.

Face

Initially, shimmering blush and bronzer powders were popular. Those who dared not apply self-tanner, which gives the face a golden glow, used them.

This trend ended by the end of the 2000s. When matte tones became popular, the chance of an oily shine was eliminated.

Eyebrows

They were unaware in the 2000s that ten years later, Cara Delevingne would rise to fame and "make" everyone grow sable eyebrows. Thus, they plundered them without fear.

Eyes

Among the most prominent looks from the early 2000s are monochromatic makeup with pearlescent shadows and multicolored smoky eyes.

Lips

Gloss was the primary cosmetic product for lips during this time. Both colored and transparent materials could be used. either shimmering or not. The glossy effect is what matters most.

Decade	Makeup Trends
1920s	Flapper style with dark eyes, thin brows, and bold red lips.
1930s	Softened look with lighter lips and rounded, fuller brows.
1940s	Natural beauty with subtle eyeshadow and classic red lipstick.
1950s	Glamorous look with winged eyeliner and bright red lips.
1960s	Mod style with bold eyes, thick lashes, and pale lips.
1970s	Earthy tones with natural, glowing skin and nude lips.
1980s	Bold colors with vibrant eyeshadow and bright blush.
1990s	Minimalist look with matte skin, brown lips, and grunge influence.
2000s	Glossy lips, bronzed skin, and shimmery eyeshadow.
2010s	Contoured cheeks, bold brows, and liquid lipstick.
2020s	Natural beauty with a focus on skincare and minimal makeup.

The evolution of makeup over the last century is indicative of shifts in fashion, society, and standards of beauty. From the daring and rebellious styles of the 1920s to the organic and simple styles of today, every decade had its own distinct fashion, shaped by changes in society and advances in science.

Looking back, it’s evident that makeup has always served purposes beyond beautifying appearance. It serves as a vehicle for empowerment, a means of self-expression, and a window into contemporary culture. For many people today, what was once saved for important events or the stage has become a daily ritual.

Today’s makeup embraces inclusivity and diversity as it continues to develop. Anyone can express their uniqueness through makeup in a way that suits them, whether it’s a classic red lip or a dewy, fresh face. Makeup appears to have a bright future ahead of it, full of possibilities just waiting to be discovered.

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