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A decade filled with disco, glitter, bushy brows and graphic eyeliner—what isn’t to love about the 1970s? The good news is that beauty lovers are bringing back the ‘70s vibes in 2024 in a big way. From natural beats to full-glam disco, it is all about glowing skin and radiant colors. Even resident it-girl Hailey Bieber is diving into the trend with her signature pink shimmer, cat eyes, and glazed donut nails.
“Because the ‘70s were such a decade of cosmetic exploration, ‘70s-inspired styles have appeared frequently in makeup aesthetics over the years,” says Sam Kyle, makeup artist at Mirabella. “Bold, graphic liners have made a huge comeback in the last few years and the recently trending ‘maneater’ makeup look relies heavily on elements of the makeup from Charlie’s Angels where winged liner, sculpted cheekbones, and defined lips graced the silver screen.”
Below, makeup artists break down iconic makeup looks that feel like they’re straight out of Studio 54 —read on to learn more on how to achieve these looks at home.
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Bold Cut Crease
Cut creases aren’t unheard of in the world of beauty, but they are making a major comeback now, thanks to the inspiration of ‘70s British icon, Twiggy. Essentially the founder of the hippie pastel look, Twiggy’s exaggerated eye look and pop of pastel has lasted the test of time.
Starting with your base, cover your lid with your go-to pastel eyeshadow and blend as needed, says Kyle. Then, simply trace above your eye’s crease where the bone of your eye socket lies using a felt tip line, like Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner ($24), following along your natural arch. Apply your winged liner along the water line as normal.
To bring the look up a notch, try tracing your waterline with white cream eyeliner to bolden the shadow and widen the eyes.
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Priscilla Presley Doe-Eye
Made popular by the one and only Priscilla Presley, the innocent and sultry eye makeup look has been the center of the reinvented ‘70s makeup trend thanks to the likes of Sydney Sweeney and many TikTok creators.
The primary goal is to make the eyes seem bigger, and the look revolves around a natural foundation base to achieve that wide and bright effect. Kyle recommends using a neutral brown shadow to create a more rounded eye shape, working the pressed powder across the eyelids and rounding over the crease. Then, use a white liner to highlight the waterline.
Lastly, add a volumizing mascara, such as Mirabella Lash Luxe Mascara ($19), to the top and lower lashes, says Kyle. For a more dramatic, almost Twiggy-inspired look, once you’ve applied mascara to your lower lash line, you can use tweezer to group a few lashes together at a time for that statement lower lash line.
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Statement Eyeliner
If you’re looking for a bold statement that looks like you came fresh off the runway, nothing is as chic as a statement eyeliner. Though it may seem intimidating, this look is very simple to achieve. Simply take your favorite shade of shadow—be sure to use a vibrant, pigmented color like Morphe’s Ready In 5 Eyeshadow Palette ($4) to really achieve that ‘70s style—and swipe it across your lid, says celebrity makeup artist FacesByDanii.
Then, take your black shadow and place a light layer under your brow bone on the inner corner of your eye. Keep shading this area until you build dimension. Next, take a black liquid liner, swipe it across your eye, and continue the line down on both the inner and outer corners of your lid.
Finally, take that same liquid liner and swipe a line across your bottom lashes. You can also add a few baby lashes, like Ardell Baby Lashes ($5), to the bottom lid or top for an extra groovy flare.
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Metallics
This was the moment you’ve been waiting for—what screams 70s makeup more than metallics? Once again focusing on the eyes, this look creates a solid foundation base, pop of color on the cheeks and eyes, and a subtle contour and highlight for a night-at-the-disco glam.
Now, don’t be intimidated—shimmery eyeshadow can be super easy to work with, as long as you have the right product. The biggest issue with glitter is the fallout, so using sturdy, mess-free products, such as Lemonhead Glitter Concentrate ($22), is key.
Kyle recommends swiping the lid with a vibrant, pigmented shadow (we love Sugarpill Text Me Pressed Eyeshadow, $13) first to set your base color, then going in with your glitter to complete the ultra-shimmery look.
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Freckles
Though not as glam as a shimmery eyelid or sharp cat liner, 1970s makeup was also iconic for its glowing skin and innocent, girl-next-door freckles. A proper skin care routine is pertinent to achieving this look, so be sure to set your skin up for success by adding an exfoliant (we love NudeStix Lemon-Aid Detox & Glow Micro-Peel, $35!) to remove dead cells and freshen up the skin. Incorporating a few serums also helps to keep your face looking dewy, supple, and radiant.
For your faux freckles, FacesByDanii recommends taking an eyeshadow or a freckle pen, like Beaubble Freckled Pen ($22), to create that natural, summer-kissed look. Taking the pen horizontally towards your face, apply a few circular dots and then tap the pigment using your fingers and disperse across the face for a natural-looking placement. For oval shapes, apply the dots vertically. Don’t be discouraged if this one takes you a few tries to perfect—the more you practice with the brush, the easier it will get!
