A Lash Into The Past Pt. IV: A Wartime Necessity! | Makeup Trends | Luxe Lashes

Arielle Davis, owner and founder of Luxe Lashes, talks makeup trends of the 1940s! 

We left Part III of our Lash Into The Past series in the roaring twenties, with the makeup industry booming into a multi-million dollar industry. The bright red Cupid’s bow lip and the Smoky Eye were the look of the day! Let’s jump into the 1940s!

Interestingly enough, World War II played a big role in the makeup of the day. While men were away at war, the economy at home depended on having women in the workforce. With a new found independence and power, women stepped into their femininity even more! Cosmetic companies even used the right to be beautiful and glamorous as a marketing tool; it was even advertised as a form of patriotism! At one point in the early 1940s, the production of cosmetics was frozen due to rationing. However, the female opposition to this legislation was so great that cosmetics were classified as important for the war, in the same was tobacco was for men! Needless to say, however, makeup production was limited and makeup prices escalated. But women, problem-solvers that we are, got creative with cosmetics and use shoe paste as a mask for eyelashes and eyebrows, beetroot juice for the lips and cheeks, and even petals soaked in alcohol for their cheeks, as well! Desperate times call for creative measures, beauty.

As for the look of the day? Lips were bold to keep women with high esteem during the war. Foundation was skin tone or even a tone darker. Eye-brows were shaped and clean but accentuated using a dark brown pencil to appear fuller and eye shadows varied in shades of gray and brown.

For our next Lash Into the Past, I will be sharing some fun history on a classic look: the pin-up girl!