It may be 2015, but vintage beauty tips and tricks aren’t necessarily outdated, in fact, they might be more useful than ever. There is a reason women like Katherine Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe are still beauty icons several decades after they graced the Hollywood scene. Bedroom eyes, romantic waves, flirty lashes and a scarlet pout will never go out of style. Lipstick Queen creator and makeup guru, Poppy King, explains “red lipstick and finger-curled hair was a woman’s crowing glory in the ’40s and served as a symbol of power and ability.” And not much has changed.
Quite honestly, it’s refreshing to see society once again embrace beauty trends that enhance a woman’s natural features rather than certain unrealistic beauty standards you see in gossip magazines. And there’s a reason these looks don’t seem to go away no matter how much time may go by. Vintage style evokes classic elegance, and the beauty tips and tricks that help you achieve those looks are equally timeless. They worked for your grandmother and Audrey Hepburn, and they can work for you too.
Old Hollywood beauty secrets always excite us. Style in the 1940s, 50s and 60s ranged from sex kitten to simple—Marilyn Monroe oozed sex appeal, while Grace Kelly was the definition of minimalist chic. And they never looked like they were trying too hard; it just seemed natural. So how did these sirens achieve their effortless looks? Spoiler alert: it wasn’t so effortless after all.
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Let’s start with your hair, which means we have to give a shout out to Rita Hayworth and her iconic auburn locks. (PS – she wasn’t a natural redhead, who knew?) So, how did she keep that hair looking so freakin’ healthy? Word on the 1940s street is that she would saturate her hair with oil and then wrap it in a towel. Sounds familiar, actually. These days there are products based on this very technique: the words Moroccan and Oil come to mind. These products infuse hair with argan oil to create hair that is strong, silky, healthy and full of shine.
When it comes to your skin, cleanse and exfoliate like the Hollywood starlets have been doing for decades. Katherine Hepburn made her own exfoliant using lemon juice and sugar, but you can buy yours at your local drugstore. And before there were skin cleansers, beauties like Joan Crawford would splash her face with nothing but cold water to clean skin and minimize pores.
We can’t mention beauty tips and tricks without focusing on the perpetually glamorous Audrey Hepburn, who rocked flirty, delicate eyes by wearing simple black mascara and never overdoing it. While we weren’t there to watch her apply her makeup, rumor has it that she achieved the flawless, natural look by using a pin to separate each lash, one at a time. Yes, a pin. While you could use that same trick today, thankfully there are easier ways to achieve the same look for your lashes. Mascaras have built-in lash separators so the applicators both apply the mascara and then brush your lashes to create natural definition. Look for mascara with long bristles that will separate each lash.
Another classic trend that adds a major dose of flirtatious power to your look is winged eyeliner. It worked for Edie Sedgwick (Andy Warhol’s muse in the 1960s) and it works today. The trick to achieve this look is to use an eyeliner liquid pen that won’t smudge as you apply it, and it will give you control so you can perfect the look.
And what about those perfect red lips that just scream old Hollywood beauty secrets? According to Poppy King, “it is a very misunderstood product in that women assume you need confidence to wear red lipstick when actually red lipstick gives you confidence.” It made a woman look sexy then (hello Marilyn Monroe) and it can make a woman look and feel sexy now (Gwen Stefani rocks this look). Just be sure to test out several shades and pick the right red for your skin tone.
