Beauty Through the Decades: Roaring ’20s Edition
The 1920s were a decade of transformation, and beauty trends were no exception. The previously soft, simple makeup was left behind for daring styles, celebrating individuality. Considered the Roaring Twenties and known for glamour outfits, beauty was a huge deal in this decade.
From sleek bobbed haircuts to dramatic makeup featuring dark kohl eyeliner and vibrant red lips, the 1920s embodied the spirit of liberation and freedom. Let us look at the good, the bad, and the still purchasable beauty trends from the ’20s!
Paper thin eyebrows
Nowadays, thick, fluffy eyebrows are considered the general makeup trend. However, in the 1920s, pencil-thin eyebrows were the most fashionable thing. This was the decade of silent films, where facial expressions communicated everything, especially in the eyebrows. Actresses would completely shave off their eyebrows and draw on very thin and dramatic drooping brows.
Cake mascara
The normal tube mascara we use now was not invented til the 1950s. Till then, women would use cake mascara to lengthen their lashes. This mascara cake was made of soap with black coloring in a tin. It would be activated with water, yet women would use the easiest thing, their spit.
Maybelline was one of the first to popularize this product, but the makeup brand Bésame started selling its version in the 30s, which did not have soap. You can still purchase their 1930 Cake Mascara, Eyeliner & Brow Definer for $35.
Beautifying the skin…with mercury
Magic in a bottle, known as Gourad’s Oriental Cream, was invented in the 20s. It claimed to purify your skin by eliminating pimples, freckles, and tan skin disease. Turns out it was just mercury.
The cream was made from calomel, a mercury that poisons the wearer over time. Women would apply this product, and it would work the first two times, but then, they would start getting violently sick. This product was not banned until the late 1930s and for obvious reasons, is not available any longer.
Rouge blushes
Women in the 1920s shared our current-day obsession with blushes, better known at the time as “rouge.” They came in different varieties, such as paste, powder, or cream, and had a strong fragrance. In an array of shades, the most popular was rose red. Once they were turned into compacts, the product became even more popular.
Swivel-up lipsticks
The modern lipstick tubes we use are very similar to those used in the ’20s. Before the ’20s, lipsticks were in a tube that required you to push it up. The “swivel-up” function that we now use was invented in the ’20s, which made it easier for women to apply their lipstick. This was considered one of the first innovations to revolutionize the makeup industry.
the paler, the better
Women didn’t have much variety to even out their complexions like we do now. They would rely on brightening powders in light shades to even out their skin tones.
Because shades closer to their skin color would have made them look dirty on low-quality cameras, actresses had to wear extremely pale shades. Makeup artists tried to dissuade actresses from doing so but they preferred to look paler as they thought that made them look youthful.
The beauty industry has come a long way in the last century. But, with a quick dive into the makeup of the past, you see connections to our modern-day routines.
Which decade’s beauty trends would you like to read about next? Leave a comment below.