A lighter shade on cheeks could make them look plumper. Women were encouraged to shape their face with lighter and darker shades of foundation – a darker shade could be used to ‘fix’ a large nose, big forehead or square jaw. Faces were flawless and fresh looking – the look was all-natural, never ‘painted on.’ Less was always better than more, which was good, since most women were surviving on less and less in the early years.Īlthough this all sounds very simple, a woman’s 1940s makeup routine could take a while – the five minute face did not exist! First, the thick foundation had to be applied and blended. The makeup look of the 1940s is classic and sophisticated, but very simple to recreate. By 1948, between 80 and 90 percent of women wore lipstick, two thirds wore rouge, and a quarter wore eye makeup.

Color films had a big impact on the market, as women could now imitate the shades worn by Hollywood starlets. Women were encouraged to wear makeup all the time to hide sadness and attract men, even while at work. In the United States, cosmetics continued to be manufactured throughout the war and were seen by the government as a morale booster for the busy women on the home front. When makeup ran out, women turned to home remedies to substitute, such as using beetroot juice to stain lips and petroleum jelly to darken lashes and shape eyebrows.

1940s makeup enhanced natural beauty with just a few tools.ĭuring the war, European women dealt with huge cosmetics shortages, since petroleum and alcohol – some of the main ingredients in makeup at the time – were used for the war effort.

There was a push for all things natural, unlike the 1930s and 1950s, which favored reshaping eyebrows and contouring the face. Gene Tierney Wears the 1940s Look with All Natural Easeġ940s makeup is one of the most “vintage” looks, and is rather simple to recreate.

Starlet cocktail lipstick