How To Do a Modern Old Hollywood Makeup Look

There’s something undeniably captivating about Old Hollywood makeup—the flawless skin, the sculpted features, the sultry eyes, and, of course, the signature red lip. Though the classic Old Hollywood glam makeup look is timeless, these days, we’re seeing celebrities embrace a slightly softer take on the vintage aesthetic. Think: Satiny (rather than matte) skin, heaps of blush in lieu of dramatic contour, and a glossy, sheer red lip instead of the opaque crimson that dominated in the past. This modern take on the Old Hollywood makeup trend maintains all of the vintage appeal of the traditional look but with a contemporary twist that makes it feel totally wearable, even for daytime. Ready to channel your inner screen siren? Here’s how to achieve a stunning modern Old Hollywood glam makeup look from start to finish.

Start With Skin Prep

As with any makeup look, a radiant, long-lasting finish begins with proper skin prep. Start by cleansing your face with a gentle cleanser to help remove excess oil and other debris that can interfere with your makeup application. Then, lock in hydration with a serum and moisturizer suited to your skin type. If it’s daytime, you’ll also want to apply sunscreen to help shield your skin from damaging UV rays.

To streamline your prep and protect your skin from daily UV exposure, use an SPF moisturizer, such as the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power Moisturizer with SPF 30. It delivers up to 48 hours of hydration and helps protect your skin from the sun without leaving behind a white cast or greasy finish. Over time, it also helps firm and brighten the skin to promote a more youthful-looking complexion.

Create an Even, Flawless Base

Even-looking skin is a key component of classic Old Hollywood makeup. Here’s how to get the look (no stage makeup necessary).

Apply a buildable foundation 

Old Hollywood stars were known for their smooth, porcelain-like complexions. To achieve that iconic base, reach for a buildable foundation, such as the L’Oréal Paris Infallible 32HR Fresh Wear Foundation. The non-comedogenic formula provides buildable medium-to-full coverage while feeling lightweight and comfortable on the skin. Plus, it wears for up to 32 hours, so you can keep touch-ups to a minimum. 

Use a damp makeup sponge or a foundation brush to blend the product seamlessly into your skin. We recommend starting at the center of your face and working outward for a natural-looking finish. Start with less product than you think you need—as mentioned, this foundation is buildable, so you can always add more if you’d like a fuller-coverage finish.

Conceal as needed

Next, brighten up your under-eyes with concealer to help create a bright-eyed, youthful appearance. For a natural look, we suggest using a lightweight, creamy concealer, such as the L’Oréal Paris True Match Radiant Serum Concealer. It’s infused with hyaluronic acid and caffeine and helps camoflauge discolorations while hydrating and de-puffing under-eye bags. To help lock in your look and secure a smooth, blurred finish, lightly dust your T-zone and under-eye area with the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Blur-Fection Longwear Loose Setting Powder. It’ll help minimize unwanted shine and keep your makeup looking fresh for up to 24 hours.

Sculpt and Define Your Facial Features 

In comparison to the ultra-defined, heavily contoured makeup we tend to see on social media, Old Hollywood makeup adopts a softer approach. The features are still sculpted, but in a much subtler way. Here’s how to define your features while maintaining that soft, retro-glam feel. 

Sweep on blush and bronzer

The modern iteration of vintage Old Hollywood glamour makeup puts a heavy emphasis on blush—flushed cheeks lend the classic look a modern (and distinctly flirty) vibe. To fake a natural flush, reach for a vibrant pink blush, such as the L’Oréal Paris Lumi Le Liquid Blush in Dewy Bright Pink. The liquid formula feels weightless on the skin and blends like a dream—and it won’t make your skin look flat or cakey the way old-school powder blushes might. Apply one dot to each cheekbone and blend toward your temples for a subtle, healthy-looking flush. For a more noticeable pop of color, opt for two to three dots per cheekbone.

After perfecting your blush, lightly contour the hollows of your cheeks, jawline, and temples with a matte bronzer like the L'Oréal Paris Infallible Fresh Wear Soft Matte Bronzer. This helps subtly sculpt your features without any harsh or obvious lines. If you’re stuck between two shades, opt for the lighter of the two for a soft, natural feel.

Add highlighter

Whereas classic Old Hollywood makeup tended to have a velvety matte finish, these days, the look leans more glowy. To illuminate your features in a flattering, natural way, sweep the L’Oréal Paris Lumi Le Glass Highlighter Stick onto the high points of your face. It comes in six shades—three glowy, three dewy—and melts into the skin for a gorgeous, healthy-looking radiance. For a healthy-skin look sans any unwanted glitter or sparkle, try the semi-transluscent shade Glassy Pearl Eclat.

Create an Iconic Old Hollywood Eye Look

Nearly every popular 1950s makeup look shares one common aspect: winged eyeliner. But unlike the dramatic siren eye look made popular by TikTok, the Old Hollywood wing is short and sweet, with just the smallest upward flick at the outer corner of each eye. Here’s how to get a perfect Old Hollywood-inspired eye makeup look.

Start with a neutral eyeshadow

Eyeshadow isn’t a huge element of Old Hollywood makeup, but adding a bit of nude shadow can help define your eyes and tie together your look. We recommend swiping a neutral-toned shadow, like the L’Oréal Paris Paradise Le Shadow Stick in Alluring Rose, onto your lids for a subtle touch of color. For added definition, softly darken your crease with the L’Oréal Paris Paradise Le Shadow Stick in Brown Bliss. Be sure to blend well so there are no harsh lines or obvious lines of demarcation between the two shadows.

Create a subtle wing

As mentioned, winged liner is a signature (and non-negotiable) element of Old Hollywood makeup. To draw your wing, you’ll want to use a precise liquid eyeliner, such as the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Precision Felt Waterproof Eyeliner in Black. Use the fine tip to define your upper lash line, taking care not to make your line too thick. When you get to the outer corner of your eye, flick the liner toward your temple to visually elongate your eye and create a sultry yet subtle cat-eye effect. If you have trouble creating an even wing, try steadying your elbow on a hard, immovable surface, like your bathroom counter. This can help stabilize your arm and makes it easier to draw a clean, even line.

Add a volumizing mascara

To amp up the glamour even further, you’ll need a mascara—ideally one that provides length and look-at-me volume. The L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Panorama Washable Mascara fits the bill. It features a unique multi-level bristle brush that allows the volumizing formula to catch each lash for a gorgeous, fanned-out look—sans clumping or flaking. Hold the wand at the base of your lashes and swipe upward to apply the long-lasting formula. Then, add a second coat to the outer corners of your eyes only. This technique will help visually elongate your eyes and emphasize the cat eye you created with eyeliner. 

Define your brows

Full, well-groomed brows are the perfect finishing touch for your Old Hollywood eye makeup look. First, define your arches and lightly fill in any sparse areas with a fine-tipped brow pencil, such as the L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Definer Mechanical Waterproof Eyebrow Pencil. Use the attached spoolie to brush through your brows when you’re done to soften any harsh lines and ensure a blended, natural look. If you want to make your brows look fuller, use the L’Oréal Paris Faux Brow Hair-Like Brow Filling Pen instead—it’s perfect for creating the illusion of thicker brows. Then, for long-lasting hold, apply a coat of the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Up To 24HR Brow Lamination. The clear brow gel provides up to 24 hours of hold with no sticky texture or flaky residue.

Perfect Your Signature Lip

A bold, opaque red lip is probably the most recognizable element of classic Old Hollywood glam makeup. However, if you’re in the mood for a modern take on the trend, you can opt for a soft pink or sheer red lip instead. It’s still impactful but has a softer feel than a vibrant crimson pout. 

Line your lips

Start by outlining your lips with a long-lasting lip liner, such as the L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche Lip Liner in Le Rouge Paris, to shape your pout and help prevent feathering. After tracing your lips, lightly blend the liner with your finger for a soft, blurred effect. 

Apply lipstick or gloss

Here’s where you decide whether you want to channel classic Old Hollywood glam or go for a more modern, subdued look. If you decide on the former, fill in your lips with a bold red lipstick, such as the L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Satin Lipstick in Le Rouge Paris. The hydrating formula offers vibrant color with a single swipe and won’t smudge, feather, bleed, or migrate throughout the day. 

For a subtler (and decidedly on-trend) twist, forgo the lipstick in favor of a tinted lip oil or gloss. We love the L’Oréal Paris Paradise Hyaluron Lip Oil in Wine O’ Clock. It’s a rich, deep crimson shade in the tube but applies sheer on the lips, adding a kiss of color with an intensely glossy, high-shine finish. 

Complement Your Makeup with Old Hollywood Waves 

For a true bombshell moment, pair your Old Hollywood makeup with bouncy wavy hair—the more voluminous, the better. If you’re not sure how to score the look, we’re sharing a brief tutorial below.

Prep your mane

Since this bouncy look involves heat styling your hair, you’ll want to apply a heat protectant while your hair is still damp. If your hair tends to be dry or dull, a lightweight leave-in conditioner like the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Moisture 21-in-1 Leave-In Conditioner for Dry Hair will be your best bet. For those in need of extra volume, swap the leave-in conditioner for a volumizing mousse, such as the L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle BOOST IT Volume Inject Mousse. Be sure to work your chosen formula evenly throughout your strands, then blow dry your hair on a low heat setting until your strands are totally dry.

Curl your hair

Next, divide your hair into four even sections. Using a large-barrel curling iron, begin curling one-inch sections of hair, pinning each up and out of the way as you go. If you’d rather use hot rollers, those work well too—just be sure to opt for larger rollers, as you want your hair to be wavy, not tightly spiraled. 

Set your look 

Once you’ve finished curling your hair, flip your head over and lightly brush through your hair with your fingers to help loosen the curls and give your hair body. When you’re done combing through your mane, flip your hair back into its normal position and give it a generous mist with a long-hold hair spray, like the L’Oréal Paris Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold Hairspray—Unscented. Focus the spray on your roots to help lock in volume and lift all day (or night) long. 

Next Up: How To Try The Unrecognizable Makeup Trend

Photo courtesy of L’Oréal Paris