Makeup in the 1940s: History and characteristics

Makeup trends in the 1940s were closely linked to the historical events of the time. The economic crisis and World War II were two of the events that most influenced fashion and its trends.

In this blog post, we tell you all about the makeup that was popular in the 1940s, also known as the Baby Boom era.

History of 1940s Makeup

Unfortunately, in world history, the 1940s are remembered as one of the bloodiest decades. The World War IIbeing fought in Europe brought with it a huge economic crisisthat affected practically every country.

This economic crisis caused a significant setback in numerous sectors, such as the film and fashion industries.

Icons of the Decade That Triumphed

Despite the noticeable setback in the American film industry compared to other decades, the big screen had the pleasure of witnessing the birth of important Hollywood cinematic gems such as Casablanca and Citizen Kane.. Likewise, the creation of Technicolor cinema brought about a great change in the image of actresses.

Among the most prominent personalities of the 1940s, we can find the beautiful Rita Hayworth, the demure and classic Marlene Dietrich and Lauren Bacall, the actress and model Veronica Lake, Betty Grable, and of course, the woman who would become the quintessential pin-up icon of the 1950s, Marilyn Monroe ... style="font-weight: 400;">.

Characteristics of 1940s Makeup

As an inevitable consequence of World War II, society, and therefore the world of beauty and makeup, took on a muted, somber, and colorless tone. The scarcity of raw materials (since everything was destined for weapons and equipment for the war) made this decade one of the simplest and most austere.

Face and Skin

As we mentioned, typical makeup in the 40s becomes somewhat minimalist and simplistic. The skin remains smooth and flawless, but for the first time we see the use of contouring to shape the face through shadows and highlighters. All of this resulted in a somewhat rigid and even sad face that was synonymous with glamour.

Eyes

In the eye area, more exaggerated and striking false eyelashes began to be used, as well as a much more defined, pronounced, and thick eyeliner starting from the upper eyelid. The goal was to achieve a sad look.

It should be noted that in Europe the scarcity of makeup was so severe that women resorted to using shoe dye as a substitute for mascara.

Eyebrows

One ​​of the most noticeable and prominent elements of 1940s makeup was women's eyebrows. A thin, natural eyebrow became enormously popular, known as the "dove's wing" because it resembled a dove's wing in flight. Conversely, thick or bushy eyebrows were not considered beautiful.

Lips

In the lip area,a woman's mouth is made largerwith the help of lipsticks and lip pencils. The lip line is made more defined from the corner to the center, resulting in a pair of full lips that almost resemble a "disgusted mouth" very common to see in photographs of Hollywood celebrities. As for tones, dark browns, reds, and burgundies predominate.

Cheekbones

For the first time in makeup history, something different was done with women's cheekbones. Blush lost importance, and the emergence of contouring made it possible to achieve different types of looks by highlighting the cheekbones and creating shadows on the cheeks to slim the face.

Manicure

As for manicures, there weren't any major changes in trends. Unfortunately, nail polish was also scarce, but women who could afford it still painted their nails a red shade of red.