50's bombshell makeup - any tips?

[tigermask]

I've always just stuck to bright red lipstick, black eyeliner and lashings of mascara but I'm sure there must be a better way. Would anyone be so kind as to enlighten me?

I have no make up tips - but just wanted to say that yesterday I bought some Essie nail polish in Lacquered Up (from Boots) and it's the PERFECT 50's pin up red - very very bright, almost true red but with a tiny hint of orange, and really amazing jelly formula. Makes all my other reds look dull!

Just wanted to tell someone, hehe.

Have you had a look at Pixiwoo and Lisa Eldridge on YouTube ? I think they both have vintage glamour type tutorials. I occasionally do this kind of make up, I use a Mac neutral paint pot ( can't remember offhand what the name is ), a matte mid-brown along my socket line, sometimes a black gel eyeliner, sometimes a dark emerald green, sometimes dark purple, winged out at the end. If I'm feeling really fancy I stick a bit of flesh coloured liner on my lower waterline and a tiny bit of gold shadow just at the tearduct.
I have a matte, fuschia coloured Shu Umera lipstick that I occasionally use instead of Mac Ruby Woo, which I think works very well.
Hopefully Havingkittens might pop in, she's the best person to advise you.

YouTube is your friend.

Pin-up eyes are about more than just liner. Using browns to shade gives you a real authentic look. Defined brows are essential too.

One of my faves

Also check out and

Oooh, thankyou!

I have this lipstick in Red Passion - looks pink on the swatch online but it's the colour the model is wearing at the top of the page. Perfect pin up red and totally immovable.

Oh and some individual Ardell lashes at the outer corner of my eyes for a bit more va va voom

Forgot to mention......lining your waterline is one of the most effective tricks for this look. Lengthens your lashes instantly and makes your eyes look perfect.

If done in a rush or half-arsed (unlined lips, wonky eyeliner) 50's make-up will look rubbish.

You've gotta take your time. Blend blend blend!

oh, x posts Msarsebiscuit and bunny. Will have a look after dinner. Brilliant - I knew it wasn't right how I was doing it but didn't think of youtube

And again! Thank you both.

I like the 50's look too, I make sure my eyebrows are waxed and tinted and filled in. Then nude eyeshadow with contouring in brown, black winged eyeliner, either false lashes or just black mascara. Red lips, highlighter on my Cupids bow.

This is all very helpful - should have metioned that I'd namechanged but I suppose that's obvious by now...

I have all of the required bits bar lip liner - bought some individual lashes ages ago but never got round to trying them. So, lip liner. Should I be matching the shade of the lipstick or going 1/2 a tone darker

MrsLettuce I've just ordered one of those lipsticks as I've been searching for a long lasting red for ages, so thank you :)

Oh now I geddit!

the one I use is a wee bit darker than my lippy but not too much. You want to avoid <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=dark+lipliner&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1199&bih=755&tbm=isch&tbnid=ArhX6N96s484pM:&imgrefurl=thebloomincouch.blogspot.com/2012/03/makeup-mistakes-and-how-to-correct-them.html&docid=Hcy1SbeHuHWmdM&imgurl=1.bp.blogspot.com/-zlts5l5TwW0/T3FneakHVCI/AAAAAAAACUs/ZS2fNFf5lfM/s1600/dark%252Blip%252Bliner%252B2.jpg&w=300&h=300&ei=CRstUL_AN4PO0QXo2IG4DA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=357&vpy=140&dur=526&hovh=225&hovw=225&tx=122&ty=121&sig=101420622602861102319&page=1&tbnh=160&tbnw=160&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:0,i:119" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this look

The same shade would be fine. I use mine to give my lips the perfect cupids bow and to stop the lippy bleeding. It also help it last longer.

Yeah, the 80/90s dark lip-liner thing. Yuk!!

Me lipstick lasts forever but I struggle to get the edges as sharp as I'd like...

I find lip liner a bit tricky but I usually colour the whole of my lip in with it as a base for the lipstick - I use Mac Cherry if I'm doing a red lip or a nude liner ( No 7 do a good one ) if I'm doing the fuschia pink lip. I know that it's possible to do seriously fancy stuff with darker shades of lipstick on the outer edges of the lips but I've never tried it - I do stick a bit of highlighter on the centre of my lower lip and just above my cupid's bow.

Also agree very much with Stella and Bunny about the brows, mine are threaded and then slightly defined with brown eyeshadow. And that tightlining your eyes makes a massive difference.

I think I'll be alright with the liner - used to use it back in the day.

While you lot are here can you help with something else? I had some fab stockings delivered today (here). I've only had a quick try but I couldn't get the seams on straight at all. Any top tips? Have a damn good suspender belt so hopefully they won't shift too much once they're on...

Brows - yy - very important with give them extra special attention.

Those are gorgeous.

For me it's a case of lining the seam up as best you can at foot level then slowly pulling them up.

Then enlisting DP's help to adjust them as straight as possible (although half the time he tries to whip em off )

What fun!
www.ehow.com/how_2338211_apply-bombshell-makeup.html

I make sure my hands are a bit wet and then it helps pulling them up and getting them straight, I make dp check though that i'm not wonky :)

Right, damp hands and lining up - shall practice!

Another vote here for enlisting the help of one's gentleman caller, they tend to be quite keen to assist for some reason.....

I love What Katie Did and Stockings HQ.

A tip for the old brows.

When they're 'done' spray some elnett on a cotton bud and brush over your brows. Keeps them in shape and avoids any stragglers .

You lot are a wealth of information! Hope I can get it right

Cheeky I know, but while your all here - any idea on Lindy Bop sizing? I've been after a very plain black dress for an age must have sent about 6 back by now, this looks like it might be just the ticket but (as usual) I'm between sizes...

I've not bought anything from them myself but some of the Amazon reviews say they're true to size, any chance you can order two sizes and send one back ?

It helps to put body lotion on your legs before putting on your stockings. It sort of keeps them from twisting around.

I have an article I can PM you about 50s make up. Don't want to post it on here as it would mean "outing" myself!