Thursday, April 19, 2012

The Winged Eye, that 1960s Make up

Make up Trends 2012
Thanks to Mad Men, 1960s style make up, among other things (like full skirts) has been all the rage for several years now. The winged eye is, in itself, a classic. Why? Well, it helps to open up the eye, give definition to eyelashes, and lifts the eye (especially if you need it). It also gives a certain mystery that is flattering for everybody.


1960s Makeup
That's all you need to get a 1960s makeup look!
Styling elements

For the updated 1960s look:

  • Liquid eyeliner along the eye line over the lashes, , curved (winged) at the end. Liquid eyeliner is more durable than powder. I use L'Ôreal's Super Liner Ultra Precision, because the felted tip lets you have lots of control, but there are other good ones out there. You can curl your eyelashes now or after the next step.
  • Nude eyeshadow, applied all over the eye area. Cream eyeshadow is less lasting than powder, but if you want a creamy look and an easy application, go for it.
  • Mascara in two coats, for definition and dramatic (but not too dramatic, for that you have false eyelashes) effect. I get there applying first a coat of Lancôme's Définicils, to define eyelashes from the base to the very tips, so they are at their longest, and combing them carefully before drying. When that first coat has dried, I apply then a second one of a more dramatic mascara like Lancôme's Hypnôse in black and comb again.
  • A third line inside the eye in white, ivory or beige (less contrast). This is optional, but helps to create the look and makes the eyes look bigger. I used to use Chanel Le Crayon Khôl  Clair (n. 69), but I do not recommend it, is dilutes and then leaks through the corner of the eye.
  • Nude lips, both liner and lipstick, matte or glossy, as you prefer, in a nude that suits you (be careful with colour-draining shades of nude).
  • Tools. Here you can have a look at the brushes and tools your would need to make your 1960s look successful.
Updated make up tutorial by Pixie Woo

For the real thing:


If an image of Twiggy or Edie Sedgwick comes to mind, you're right on it.
  • A second eye line along the eye socket (or slightly over it) that mirrors the first one in dark brown or black. This is more of a Swinging Sixties (second half of the 1960's) style, and much more literal. Estéee Lauder's Doublewear pencil in Coffee, which comes with it's own felt tip smudger, is a good choice. My mother has one in green and I really like it, and it does stay on.
  • False eyelashes. MAC has a great selection, but most high-end brands do.
Real 1960s make up tutorials:

MORE 1960 STYLES?

2 comments:

  1. I've just watched the Colin Firth film, A Single Man. It is supposed to be set in November 1962 but Julianne Moore is shown with a socket line over her eyes. I thought 1962 was too early for this and you seem to agree that it wasn't fashionable until later in the decade. Do you have any firm date when socket lines became part of '60s make up?

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  2. Hi there,
    Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you, it's been a really busy month for me.
    I have finally had time to research the issue. I have looked at magazine covers and fashion shots, as well as some short films by Andy Warhol. The earliest images I have been able to find for the socket line are from 1965: Jean Shrimpton for Glamour, Twiggy for Vogue, and Eddie Sedgwick from her Andy Wharhol "phase". Mad Men, which is a really well researched series (I admire them for their strict adherence to what is historically accurate), has not shown that socket line yet either. We have seen makeup evolving all the time in the series from the early 1960s onwards, so I think we are almost there!

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