Old Hollywood Makeup Is Trending—8 Tips to Get the Look Celebs Love

Old Hollywood makeup is synonymous with classic beauty—but that doesn’t mean it can’t be made modern.

“There’s something timeless about its effortless elegance,” says makeup artist Benjamin Puckey of Old Hollywood beauty, among his biggest inspirations. “It’s never about trends but about enhancing natural features in the most flattering way.”

Makeup artist Melanie Inglessis describes Old Hollywood beauty as polished, finished, and glamorous. And though certain elements are essential to the original application—think cat eyes and red lips—a contemporary take offers more room for interpretation. Playful color palettes, softened lines, and fresh, dewy skin can help make this makeup more relevant than retro. 

Meet Our Expert

• Benjamin Puckey is a makeup artist and the global color director at Clé de Peau Beauté.

• Melanie Inglessis is a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Rosamund Pike and Olivia Munn.

• Fara Homidi is a makeup artist and founder of an eponymous beauty brand.

Still, some rules remain. “The key to pulling off this look is all about balance,” says Puckey. “Let one feature take center stage, whether it’s a bold lip or a defined eye, and keep the rest understated.”

Here are eight steps to help you create a new Old Hollywood makeup look.

Step One: Opt for a Natural-Looking Base

Old Hollywood makeup may be all about velvety, matte skin, but an updated version calls for a less done look.

Inglessis suggests opting for a dewy finish for a refreshed feel, reaching for Dior’s Forever Skin Perfect Foundation Stick or Armani Luminous Silk to execute, along with Isamaya SkinLaq Triple Hyaluronic Glow Serum, which she mixes into foundation for extra luminosity.

"I would allow the skin to breath a bit more by using a foundation that is like a second skin," says makeup artist Fara Homidi, recommending her own Essential Face Compact for the task. "It gives you a veil-like breathable finish with enough coverage to make skin look flawless and has an illuminating element that delivers a-lit-from within glow," she says.

Step Two: Punctuate with Blush

For a truly referential look, Puckey notes that its best to use blush like a contour, taking your face shape into account. "Apply it high on the cheekbones for a lifted effect on rounder faces, sweep it horizontally for balance on longer faces, or focus it on the apples of the cheeks to soften angular features," he suggests.

Puckey adds that liquid blushes in pinks or mauve set with powder allow for a natural, seamless flush. "Try the soft pink Hourglass Unreal Liquid Blush in Whim or the mauve Saie Dew Blush in Chilly," he says.

Step Three: Add Luminous Highlighter

"A little highlight is always needed," says Inglessis, who effuses over RMS Living Lumizer Glow Quad.

Puckey agrees. "It’s subtle but incredibly effective for adding dimension," he says. For his part, Puckey relies on Clé De Peau Beauté Luminizing Face Enhancer in Golden Galaxy. "It melts into the skin beautifully," he says. "Apply it to the high points of the face, inner corners of the eyes, and even the bridge of the nose for a modern take on Marlene Dietrich’s iconic technique of using a narrow line of silver powder to accentuate her nose in film."

Step Four: Shadow

Should you apply shadow, keeping things neutral is a must. "I personally love the Chanel's eye quad in 308 Clair-Obscure for this because the colors are so soft and dreamy!" says Homidi.

Meanwhile, Puckey prefers a satin-finish neutral shadow like Clé De Peau Beauté Eye Color Quad in taupes or warm beiges "blended softly from the lid until over the crease for subtle definition."

Step Five: Try a Cat Eye

While all of our artists suggest a flick of liner, the level of drama comes down to personal preference. "Clé De Peau Beauté’s Intensifying Liquid Liner is my favorite—it’s so versatile and makes detailing easy," says Puckey, who prefers a thin line that extends in a slight wing that's understated but chic.

Inglessis suggests modernizing the moment by reaching for a coal pencil. "You can even have the wing, but it's not as harsh with a coal pencil than it would be with a liquid liner," she says, suggesting Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Liner. "You can trace by the eyes, keep it solid, or kind of smudge it a little bit on the top."

Step Six: Lean Into Lashes

Less mascara may be more right now, but this sort of glam calls for an intensified, individualized lash line.

"Most Old Hollywood stars wore their lashes in a sleepy yet seductive way," says Homidi, who shares a quick trick. "To get this look with mascara, only apply mascara starting at the middle of your iris and pull up and outwards—this will give you sexy bedroom eyes!"

Inglessis opts for Lashify Eyelash Extensions, placing individual lashes under the lash line for a more natural look. "I also love Dark Swan of Denmark, which are very, very natural lashes," she says. "It’s a great way to keep the glamour, but maybe just not as big as they used to do it back in the days," she says.

Step Seven: Define Your Brow

By Old Hollywood dictates, brows are all about individualized refinement. “Think Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, or Marlene Deitrich, all of whom had their own style brows,” says Homidi.

Puckey creates a "movie-star arch" with the help of Kosas Brow Pop Nano Pencil for soft definition followed by a pull of Anastasia Volumizing Tinted Brow Gel to enhance the hairs and lock them in place. The result is elegant, polished brows with a natural finish.

As an alternative, Inglessis suggests a groomed brow that follows the natural shape without too much definition to help modernize the moment.

Step Eight: Try a Bold and Blurred Lip

And finally, a bold (red) lip is a classic for a reason—but blurred lines make the note feel brand new.

"I would opt for a more lived in look," says Homidi. While she utilizes her Smudge and Contour Lip Pencil in Premier or the Essential Lip Compact in Red 1, Puckey adores Clé De Peau Beauté Cream Rouge Matte in Strawberry Rhubarb, a film noir blue red that he developed for the brand.

And as for Inglessis? "I would consider switching from the pure red Hollywood lip," she muses. "Maybe change it to a magenta or a dark red." Pale pinks and nudes work, too.

Read the original article on InStyle