D-Day 80th anniversary: How to channel the era’s beauty and hair looks

The 6th of June marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day, or the Normandy landings, which occurred during World War II.

Almost a century later, a lot has changed in terms of how people dress and present themselves, but the timelessly classic beauty looks of 1944 will always play a big part in today’s beauty standards.

Make-up brands such as Max Factor and Maybelline were launched in the early 1900s, so you may be surprised by the number of similarities between 1940s make-up products and the ones you can buy on the high street today.

These are the most quintessential 1940s make-up trends, plus how to channel them today.

Powdered skin

Today’s preference for natural, dewy skin was nowhere to be seen back in 1944. Overly powdered, extremely matte skin was all the rage – and that style stuck around for a surprisingly long time.

Instead of the glowy, liquid foundations we typically use today, women back in the 40s tended to wear very pale, heavy powdered foundation and a small amount of pink blush to finish off their complexion.

If you have anything other than very oily skin, this probably isn’t a look you would want to try out today. However, the style can easily be achieved using a powder foundation or setting your usual base products with a loose setting powder for that airbrushed, matte finish.

Red lips

If you only use one product to emulate D-Day-era make-up, it has to be a red lip – bright red lipstick was one of the most defining characteristics of 1940s make-up.

To get the perfect red lip, you’ll want to start with a high-quality red lip liner that can be trusted not to budge throughout the day. Apply it all over your lips to create the perfect base for your actual lipstick. Finish off with any red lipstick of choice – but it’s a good idea to stick to a matte finish for maximum longevity.

Soft curls

Hairstyles varied a lot throughout the decades, but the most commonly worn style in 1944 was delicate, soft waves in a bob-style cut.

1920s hairstyles, like finger waves and pin curls, gradually became looser and more undone as the decades passed, leaving the style of choice of the 40s as a less refined take on a classic, vintage wave.

Arched brows

Eyebrows have always been one of the most important parts of a make-up look, and that was especially true back in 1944. Unlike today’s preference for more natural, bushy brows, women in the 40s opted for overly-arched, very thin eyebrows that made a real statement.

Over-plucking your eyebrows is not recommended, so if you want to achieve a thinner brow look, you can either use a brow gel to manipulate the hairs or apply a concealer around the edges of your brows to give the illusion of a thinner shape.

Barely-there eye make-up

Due to the popularity of red lips, dark or statement eye make-up was not at all popular. Although most people couldn’t imagine putting on a face of make-up without finishing off with some jet black mascara or a complementary eye shadow, you’ll want to avoid any statement eye make-up if you want to capture the true 1940s look.

Instead, try out a brown mascara or brown pencil liner in your waterline to make your eyes pop without it looking like you are wearing heavy eye make-up.