The Classic Hollywood Glamour Look

Judy Garland

Cyd Charisse

The golden age of Hollywood were filled to the brim with glowing, shimmery movie stars. All so glamorous and exceptionally beautiful. Strangely, all followed the same basic make-up style too. The eye shadow, simple natural tones. But then towering eye lashes and clear black eye liner often with wings. The flawless, soft bright skin with painted lips. Need a classy look without too much effort? Try this out. 

Step 1: Prep Your Face

Grace Kelly

You always want to start by applying some sort of base, most typically a moisturizer of some sort. Today, I used an oil-free sunscreen. It is a Japanese brand so it's soft, smooth and gentle. After, do your normal foundation routine - powder, liquid, mousse. Take a chapter from Grace Kelly (Right), her skin looks soft, gentle, very angel like. Don't bombard your face with a lot of foundation or else your skin will look irritated and unnatural. Less is better. If you have anything you need to cover up use concealer and you fingers to rub it into your skin and foundation. 

This look generally looks the best on bright, lighter skin so don't add the extra bronzer! Instead opt for more of a shimmer. The one of the left is from Elizabeth Arden. Take a good sized brush and swipe easily all over your face and particular around the cheeks. And then, softly softly softly add color to your cheeks with some blush. Either a peach or a light pink. If you can see, blush isn't such a major deal in this look. Just keep thinking simple!

Step 2: The Eyes

Before putting on the first layer of eye shadow, add some concealer or primer on the top. This will make a base so your eye make up will stay for longer without rubbing. Use your finger to dab the concealer to every part of your eye lid. The eye shadow palette that I used this time is the MAC 2011 Vogue Party eye palette. However, I only used the two colors on the left (the white and the beige). So, first use the white and with the sponge applicator that usually comes with the palette or even use your finger, apply the white on your base lid. From the lashes to around your eye brow - this should be a very light layer - it shouldn't look like its snowing on your lid! Once that's done, it time to you the beige, which you'll apply in the same manner but only from the lashes to your crease. Then use your finger to blend in the two colors. 

You don't always need tons of make up you know!

Rita Hayworth

Vera Ellen

Okay, the picture all look the same - I get it! It doesn't even look like I'm wearing eye shadow - I know. But that's what it's suppose to look like. If you look at all these classic movie stars, you really can't see the color of the eye shadow their wearing. Look at Vera Ellen (right) and Rita Hayworth (left), both look like their not wearing eye shadow! 

Step 3 : The Perfect Eye Liner

Audrey Hepburn

The eye liner is actually the key to this look. You may need to take good time on this step because to get it done perfectly it takes patience and a little skill. Today I used gel liner, I often use liquid liner but I didn't want to risk it! Gel Liner is easier to work with because you can do a little at a time. And that's what you should do. Start from the middle and work to the end of the eye. Then go back to the middle and try to the other inside corner of your eye. Try to draw a thin line - that is close to you lashes and isn't so thick that it meets your crease. 

The eye liner should not dominate the eye. However, if you wish to add more drama to your eye, try to thicken the ends of the liner not the inner corner. I really like Audrey Hepburn's eyes in this picture (top right). You know its there but it's hiding underneath those huge lashes! That's what were aiming for here. Eye liner gives the eye drama, but it wants to be that dirty little secret of yours! 

Marilyn Monroe

To get an extra sultry, pin-up girl feel to the look, at wings to your eye liner. If you can see on Marilyn Monroe to the left, her eye liner is right above her lashes but if you follow the liner to the ends of the eyes, it has a little fling up. These are what I like to call "wings" - they're actually quite popular in many new and different looks these days. You basically apply your normal eye liner, but when you get to the end you drag your brush up in a curve. You should start out thick and then gradually lift to get the ends to be thin. The easiest form of liner to make these flicks is actually liquid liner, pencil gets too mushy and gel liner isn't totally bad, it's just hard to get a fluid motion. 

Eye Liner Wings!

Ginger Rogers

Step 4 : Bring on the Mascara

I think the most important part of this look is the eye lashes. In all these stars the lashes are voluptuous and completely visible. Not only are they thick, but they are curled to the max and dark - black lashes!! To achieve this you might need to resort to the eye lash curler and even multiple mascaras. One thing is for sure though, you need to cake on the mascara! This is what is going to bring the whole look together. Long lashes that you can bat bring out the cute girl and the sexy panther in your look.  Look at Ginger Rogers (Right), the one thing you can see clearly? The emphasis on her eyes. Due to? Yes, Mascara. ((If you have a hard time with mascara because your lashes aren't thick or long, try using fake lashes - they're amazing!)) Try to also put emphasis on the lashes towards the outer corner of your eyes, make them longer and fuller (they will blend into the eye liner wings) 

Lucille Ball

Sometimes, your mascara will clump...You can fix this with some tools. Use an eye brow brush, the comb side, and comb your lashes. If that doesn't help, try using a pin or safety pin and carefully un-clump your lashes. Then you can achieve vivacious lashes like Lucille Ball (left). 

Step 5: Kiss Goodbye!

Lipstick is actually optional for this look. Some stars did it, some didn't. This is a call for you to decide, I'm just here to offer some great shades. Like the left shade, you can go nude or skin tone. This will bring more emphasis to your eyes if you want a subtle look. Or instead of a nude, just use some chap stick. The middle color is more of a peach - also pretty timid and soft - not that much drama and it still focuses on your eyes for the most part. 

Vivien Leigh 

But if you really want grab the attention of the room...that's right choose lucky color number three - a deep red. Pull a Vivien Leigh (right) and make everything about you. Don't go for a sharp red, but aim for a deeper maroon - its a soft sexy smoldering color that will surly make heads turn. To apply lipstick, gently glide it starting from the center, and lift smoothly to each slide. Don't put much pressure in each glide, steady and gradually build the color. Using a lip liner pencil will help to keep the lipstick color separate from the skin. If you make mistakes don't rub! Use make up remover! Lipstick is terribly difficult - it rubs and smudges. But, its hot as hell. 

Some celebrities today that have mastered this look are :

Christina Aguilera (Left) Dita Von Teese (Center) Katy Perry (Right) 

I always loved the Golden Years of Hollywood; the movies, the music, the love stories, the happy endings! Everyone dressed exquisitely, always in there bested no matter where they went. And the women were just breath-taking, their hair always done flawlessly, the make up the make up the make up, gah! I love the way they looked - simple, sexy, and sweet. I just love this look! I hope you do too!!

Love,

ALPHA