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After Austin Butler captivated the country with his performance as Elvis last year, people everywhere began revisiting the pop culture icon, his style, and his relationship with his wife, Priscilla. A little over a year later, the former Mrs. Presley is getting her own biopic with Priscilla based on her 1985 memoir Elvis and Me.
Along with Priscilla’s personal story, the movie provides a visual feast of ’60s and ’70s outfits, makeup, and hair, in part due to director Sofia Coppola’s signature vision, but also thanks to Priscilla’s legacy as a bonafide beauty icon. Big bumps, beehive hair, mod style, and, of course, her iconic eyeliner have inspired women for decades. And with the ever-increasing hype ahead of the film’s release next month, we’re predicting Priscilla Presley will be one of the most popular Halloween costumes this year.
So, we tapped the experts to give us the lowdown on Priscilla’s iconic makeup look. Ahead, Donni Davy, Half Magic Co-Founder and the Head Makeup Artist on Euphoria, told us everything you need to know to recreate her unforgettable makeup look. Read on for all the details.
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The Eyeliner
The wing was not born with Priscilla Presley, but she certainly helped popularize it. "Through donning winged liner, a long lash, and maybe even a black beehive," Davy thinks she represented a message to fans that "anyone was able to claim their own unique piece of the fantasy. I think this is the heart of what following trends is all about."
“Priscilla’s signature look made her a beauty icon that transcends time,” adds Davy. “Millions of people have been inspired by her iconic winged eye look,” but the makeup artist admits that for many, it’s still a challenge. Luckily for you, we have her step-by-step guide on how you can copy the classic eyeliner look at home (to make it even easier, Half Magic just teamed up with A24 for the Priscilla Set, $49, which has everything you need).
First, start by creating the outline of a wing shade for your eyeliner. Davy adds that you shouldn't be discouraged if it takes more than one try. "Getting perfectly angled, crisp, sharp wings can be hard for even the pros," she explains.
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And if you need some extra help, she recommends the Wing Magician ($10) Half Magic’s silicone wing guide to “perfectly place your wing and get a super straight edge.”
According to Davy, this is the best method: "Place the silicone diamond at the outer corner of the eye and select an angle and placement that almost extends your lower lash line. Then, draw a line along the edge of the guide using a liquid eyeliner pen."
Davy likes Half Magic’s Magic Flik ($22) because it “has an ultra-sharp edge and curved shape that really hugs your lash line and lets you easily reach the corners of your eyes.” But your favorite liquid liner will do.
Next, it’s time to fill. “Remove the guide and fill in the top of the wing, connecting it to the upper lash line,” says Davy. Also, add a thin, straight line slanted downward on your inner corner to add the extra drama signature to the look.
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The Lashes
Oh, and don’t neglect your eyelashes. For the finishing touch, Davy recommends Half Magic’s Eyelectric Extreme Lengthening mascara ($25) for a “fast, easy, everyday, and speedy lash look.” You can also try a bit of an extra curl with whatever you have on hand.
“Curl your lashes for an eye-opening, doll-like effect—my favorite lash curlers are from Shiseido and Surratt. Then, apply a light coat of Eyelectric Mascara starting at the base of the lashes. Let it dry and then apply a second coat, really concentrating on the tips of the lashes,” says Davy, adding that the “technique gives you extreme length while avoiding clumping.” Stop here if you’re channeling the icon on the daily, but for a Halloween look you may want to take it a step further and add a pair of fluttery false lashes.
The Brows
If you really want to sell your look, make sure your brows match Presley's signature shape. Though her arches are high and sculpted, Davy tells us "you don’t necessarily have to tweeze your brows thin with a high arch." Instead, "You could fill in your brows with something a little darker than your natural brow shade." Following that, "build a little height on your arch to really accentuate it, and then draw in a rounded shape on your inner brows."
For those who know how to do the “Instagram brow,” Davy says you can follow that style, but switch the super square on the inner part for a more rounded shape.
The Lips
Now that your eyes are complete all that left is her retro lip look.To achieve the highly-influential pout, "choose a lipliner shade that’s a few shades darker than your natural lip color, and then choose a much lighter lipstick and fill in with that." For this step you can use "liquid lip, lip cream or high pigment gloss," whichever you like best.
Davy says to get the most classic '60s look use "a baby pink type of shade," however, "the look can be achieved with something more modern like in the beige or brown family, as well."
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