Historically Accurate: 1950s Makeup Tutorial

My grandmother, who is in her nineties, always dresses to perfection. She never leaves the house without "putting her face on." She hoarded "pancake" makeup, or heavy foundation, when it began to be phased out. She now uses Tarte, which is the thickest consistency I could find for her. Although, it's nothing like cake makeup. To find anything remotely similar she would have to purchase stage makeup, and even that isn't to her liking.😊 Heather

seriously my favorite era for basically everything including makeup

To be completely honest, you look stunning in this look! It works so well with your hair and your eyes.

I watch ALOT of vintage tuts but I LOVE this one because, it shows girls (and boys that aren't into the subculture) that the 50s was a very elegant, classy, sultry decade, in the fashion department too. I do my vintage make up every day. I live (currently, hopefully moving to a large city soon) in a small backwards town in the middle of no where with too much snow. But I still manage to find time to look elegant and glamorous even in my parka. I often get weird or dirty looks but sometimes I'll get great compliments and I often get elderly women and men come to me and say stuff like "I looked like you before I married my husband in the 40s!" "I haven't seen young ladies where clothes like that in decades" "Where did you get those backseam stockings, I haven't seen those since my younger days of getting all dolled up for my date!" I love those compliments. It makes my day :) I might have a biased opinion on that time period because my Mom was born in 1953 and my Dad in 1939 and grew up listening to stories of the good old days and listening to their music, watching old films with my Mom. My Dad had the biggest Playboy collection I had ever seen (Until a year or so before he died, my Mom liked PB but Hustler was a completely different thing. There was one on top and she threw it all out. I remember watching the girls in it and just saying "One day I want to look like that" I was so young, haha. Anyways, he had every issue from Marilyn Monroe first issues, to the most current from that day. So, now my mission is to collect all the ones I don't have in honor of my Dad and also because I love Playboy. He loved Marilyn, so thats where my fascination with her started and it never went away. #rantSorry   #RIPjohnLegros  

my god. Dorothy Dandridge. so beautiful.

My mother who is now 88 (and ALWAYS wears makeup everyday) wore Revlon "Cherries in the Snow" with matching nail polish. I never saw her go without makeup or nail polish. She is still very beautiful. Thank you for these historically accurate videos. I enjoy them very much and just subscribed to your channel.

It would be cool if you did makeup and hair tutorials for countries, like what's seen as beautiful in each country, and what type of makeup is used! I love these decade videos that you do!

One of the ads you show is for "Cherries in the Snow" lipstick and nail polish, both of which are in drugstores today - I just bought both at Walgreens a few months ago. It's a pinky red that suits practically every skin tone. If you do another 50's tutorial, consider using actual 50's colors still made today!

I love this series! The 1940's and '50's are my favorite time periods. The clothes, makeup, & hair during this time period is so elegant and feminine. I wear this look occasionally, and I always receive compliments when I do. You deserve to have ten times the amount of current subscribers! I'm sharing everything.😊 Heather

I swear, I was meant to live in the 50s Edit* I didn’t think so many idiots and keyboard warriors would “come at me” but look dummies. I meant I felt like the makeup and fashion of the 50s suited me that’s it. So now, if you comment it will be obvious you are just a keyboard warrior and have nothing better to do with your life.

This is so nerdy and so beautiful. New binge-channel!

oh my , for me the 40's and 50's was everything, fashion, makeup,cars...all were stunning! The ladies of that time frame who got to rock those amazing looks were lucky ducks!

Could you please do a historical makeup tutorial about the pin-up style of makeup? I think that would be such a hit for your channel!❤️

Totally agree! Such a classic, stand the test of time look! just LOVE the history portion of these videos...I always learn something! Thanks for the time and effort Z!! xoxo Kristin

I love the tutorial but the main reason I watch this series of videos is because of all the makeup history knowledge you bring. I find it so interesting to learn that they liked a full lip and a mask like effect in foundation. Really interesting facts for any makeup addict. I really like how you research the information and deliver it to us with images and examples. I would love to see the 90s/early 2000s à la Britney and Christina. ;) I can't wait to see Ancient Égypt. And also, little bit of trivia I learnt during my british history class at college: in the Victorian era, men recognized prostitutes easily because they were the only ones who plucked and made up their eyebrows and who wore lipstick. ;)

I think I’m going to do my makeup like this for my wedding!! I’ll probably use a soft pink lip instead and I’ll probably do my nails that color too... honestly just so classic and pretty!

My grandmother wore Max Factor Pancake makeup. She had this huge porous sponge that she dampened and applied the makeup with that. By the way, I still try to coordinate my lips with my nails.

This eyebrow really looks fabulous—and dare I say "natural"—on you! Thanks for the info & tutorial.

You look amazing, as always.  I love this series of retro looks.  I remember when I first started wearing makeup my Mom telling me about ladies who wore pancake makeup so heavily that when they'd wrinkle their nose their makeup would crack.  She also told me about a girl in her gym class getting hit on the side of the face with a volley ball and for weeks the ball had the girl's portrait on it because her makeup was so heavy it transferred to the ball.

im in a production of grease right now (i play patty simcox) and needed a reference for my makeup. i love this video!! the look doesn't scream 50s but isnt unrecognizable. it's perfect, thank you! 💖