As with anything else, the make-up industry has evolved so much in the past few decades. One cannot really tell if women affected the make-up industry or the other way around, but we’re sure that make up companies had to come up with new products and beauty solutions to cater for the developing interests of women in beauty and perfection. Let’s see how make-up trends have changed dramatically throughout the years starting with the 60s all the way till today by taking a look at beauty icons, who are considered to be good embodiments of each decade’s beauty trends.
60’s Charm:
The highlight of this decade was drawing a crescent on the crease with black eyeliner or shadow depending on the intensity desired. The crescent was balanced by bold eyeliner. The whole lid was filled with a bright eye-shadow. Loads of mascara was used specifically on the lower eyelashes. The apples of the cheeks were blushed with peachy blush to give that doll look. Eyebrows were heavily plucked to give a thin, slightly rounded shape.
70’s Flirty Lashes:
With the box office hit “Khally balak men Zuzu” hitting theaters in the early seventies, Soad Hosny was already established as a style icon and an inspiration to women in the Middle East.
Bright pastel colors were introduced as eye shades. Soad Hosny on the other hand was very famous for her dark Smokey Eyes. Bronzers were highly appreciated to give that sun kissed look. Bronzers were applied where the sun naturally hits the face; cheekbones, nose, temples and chin. Eye lashes were heavily coated with Mascara and fake lashes were sometimes used to accentuate the eyes. However, the eyebrows were still very thin.
The Bold 80’s:
Sherihan was the highlight of this decade in Egypt. Eyebrows were fuller and darkened and were left only slightly groomed. More focus was put on the eye shadow. Women would draw a V shape at the corners of their eyes with the darkest color concentrated at the corners. Sherihan mastered this eye make-up and was very famous for it. Pink blush was used excessively. Women were less afraid to wear bright fuchsia colors on their lips.
The Glittering 90’s:
With the great success of ‘Friends’ in the nineties, Jennifer Aniston set the trends for Hair and make-up.
The notorious brown lip liner made its grand entrance. Women went crazy with lining their lips with dark lip pencils. Middle Eastern women would line their lips with lip liners that are much darker than their lip colors which looked totally unnatural. Brown matte lipstick was a must-have.
Glitter was everywhere back then, from body glitter to glittery eye shadow.
Millennium Highlight:
Shimmer was the key word to the beginning of the new century. Shimmery Lip color has taken over matte finishes. Women were obsessed with shimmery blushes and bronzers. Highlighting the cheekbones was so trendy as well as highlighting the brow bone with shimmery white eye shadow. Very dark black Smokey eyes were so much in.
Currently:
Now, trends come and go very quickly due to the faster pace of life. Calls to return to Mother Nature are on the rise. So many women now realize that airbrushed models and celebrity photos are not realistic but rather “photo shopped” to perfection. Subtle make up is becoming very popular. Using earth tones and blush shades that complement the natural undertone of a woman’s skin are becoming very popular as well. Now everything is in, natural looking smokey eyes, graphic eye lining, deep contouring or only subtle, nude lips or dark pink or red. The options are endless. The choice is yours.