How To Create Glamorous 1940s Lips [With A Tutorial!]

Seeing pictures of stunning 1940s Hollywood actresses, there is something unmistakable about their looks.

How To Create Glamorous 1940s Lips [with A Tutorial!]

Other than the perfectly curled hair, they always have stunning lip makeup.

You know that it is beautiful lip makeup when you can tell how beautiful it is even in black and white photographs.

In this article, we will show you how to create a glamorous 1940s lip look with a step-by-step tutorial. 

Tips For Creating A Glamorous 1940s Lip

There are a few helpful tips that can help you achieve the perfect 1940s lip every time.  

Keep Lips Uniform

One of the most important things to remember when creating a beautiful 1940s lip is to keep your lips looking uniform.

This means that you should make sure that the lipstick has been applied evenly over both your upper and lower lip.

The lips shouldn’t look painted, irregular, or undefined.

When you first start, you should take the time to pay proper attention to these aspects. 

Don’t Moisturize Your Lips Before Applying Lipstick

This one might sound counterintuitive because you don’t want cracked and dry lips underneath your lipstick.

You should make sure that your lips are moisturized and hydrated, but you shouldn’t apply a moisturizing balm right before you apply your lipstick.

This is because the lip balm will make the lipstick move around and can make it look cakey rather than glamorous. 

Be Generous With Your Lipstick Application

When you are first applying the lipstick, you should be generous with the amount that you use.

You can always blot away the excess. However, if you don’t apply enough in the first place, you can end up with patchy-looking lips throughout the day which isn’t very glamorous.  

Never Overline Your Lips

Although overlining lips is a popular look nowadays, this was not the case in the ‘40s.

There are a few rules when it comes to marking the shape of your lips to create a 1940s look.

First of all, if you have thin lips, overlining is a big no.  Instead, you should make sure that the entire surface of your lips is painted red.

If you have particularly full lips, you should not make them up right to the edges.

If your mouth is well proportioned to your face, you can make them up as normal.

On any sized lip, you should remember to make the corners look slightly turned up to create the illusion of a resting smile. 

Use A Lip Brush To Apply

Finally, to get the best results, you should use a lip brush to apply the lipstick.

Not only does a brush help to create a beautifully defined line, but it also allows you to push the product into the skin more which can create a more uniform look and make the lipstick last longer. 

How To Create Glamorous 1940s Lips [with A Tutorial!]

Creating A Glamorous 1940s Lip

Now that you have all the tips and tricks to make these glamorous 1940s lips look their best, let’s get into the steps.

Find The Right Shade

The first step in achieving the perfect glamorous 1940s look is to make sure that you have the right shade of red for your skin tone.

If you are pale, you should avoid darker reds, unless you have dark hair in which case it can look good.

If you have a darker skin tone, you should steer clear of reds that are too pale or light.  

If you are unsure of which shade of red will look best with your skin tone, you can visit a makeup counter in a drugstore or department store.

A trained makeup artist will be able to match you to your perfect shade.  

Prep Your Lips

Although you shouldn’t apply moisturizer to your lips right before you apply lipstick, there are some steps you can take to make sure that your lips are ready for this glamorous look.

You can apply a rich lip balm or a lip mask the night before to allow it time to soak into your lips properly.

However, if you don’t have time to do that, you can simply exfoliate your lips with a toothbrush before you apply the makeup to ensure that you have a smooth canvas to work with.  

Line Your Lips Properly

In the 1940s, women wouldn’t have had a separate lip liner from their main lipstick.

However, we all know the importance of creating a line to prevent the lipstick from bleeding into the rest of your skin.

This is where your lip brush can come in handy.

Using the thin edge of the lip brush, mark the outline of your lips using some of your lipstick.

This will create a guide for you to fill in and help prevent bleeding of the color.  

Apply Lipstick To Your Upper Lip

Begin by applying the lipstick to your upper lip.

You should always start with your upper lip so that you can press your lips together to create the perfect outline for your bottom lip.

Make sure that you apply the lipstick generously to the upper lip so that it transfers well when you press your lips together. 

Fill In Your Bottom Lip

Once you have created an outline on your bottom lip from your top lip, you can fill in the bottom lip.

Remember to be generous with your lipstick application to make sure that the color is uniform and neat.  

Blot, Blot, Blot

Once you have applied enough lipstick to create a bold and uniform color, it is time to blot the excess lipstick.

Using some tissue, blot your lips to reduce the amount of lipstick on your lips.

You should keep blotting your lips until no more color transfers to the paper.  Fix any areas that appear patchy.  

Finish WIth Some Gloss (Optional)

If you want to add an extra bit of glamor to this look, you can finish off with a little bit of gloss.

Make sure that you use the gloss sparingly.  It should only add a little bit of shine rather than making your entire lips look wet and glossy. 

Final Thoughts

Creating a glamorous 1940s lip look is super easy and is a great way to add some instant style, sophistication, and glamor to your look.  Pair with classic vintage curls for a complete look. 

Willa Price