Hooray for Hollywood
Hooray for Hollywood
Become a screen siren with the 1940s film star look
This season, celebrities and make-up artists have fallen head over heels in love with the 1940s.
This classic look will give you an air of Hollywood glamour with one pout of your pillar box-red lippy.
Dita Von Teese's trademark lookdraws heavily on sexy 1940s styling with scarlet lips and glossy waves. The
burlesque artist is such an admirer of the decade, it was recently announced she's designing her own collection of
vintage style lingerie.
Actress Kelly Brook is also a self-confessed fan of the decade, regularly drawing on it to style red-carpet looks.
She says: "I look to the irrepressible Bettie Page when I want 1940s inspiration, because she exuded a happiness
and self-confidence that's rare today."
But you don't have to be a red-carpetglamour girl to fall in love with classic Hollywood beauty. Take our easy
guide to working the screen sirenlook every day.
THE 1940s FACE
Faces are pale and interesting with the emphasis on a bold look-at-me red lip. Achieving the air of a Hollywood
goddess doesn't have to take hours in a swanky dressing room.
Chase Aston, makeup artist for The Body Shop, shows you how to bring the 1940s into the noughties:-
LIPS: "To achieve a classic red lip and retro glamour, apply a bold red lipstick to a bare lip, pucker down
and gently pat colour with fingers for a super matte look," he advises.
BROWS: "Bold brows are a key look for the 1940s inspired face, so put away the tweezers and allow your
brows to bloom," Chase says. "Using a baby toothbrush, brush brows up, then using a brow pencil, shape and define
in a bold stroke following the natural shape.
Finally, comb through with a lash gel to set with a glossy sheen."
BASE: "A natural, flawless matte complexion was the look favoured by 1940s Hollywood starlets. To avoid
your base from looking too mask-like, use a cream topowder foundation and apply using a foundation brush. This
ensures a natural yet flawless finish."
ESSENTIAL 1940s KIT: Bobbi Brown Burnt Red Lip Colour, £14 (bobbibrown.co.uk); Playboy Liquid Luxe Lipstick in Red Manhattan, £11.50, Superdrug nationwide;
Jemma Kidd Essential Brow & Eye Kit, £18, Boots nationwide; Avon Personal Match Cream to Powder Foundation, £9 (avon.uk.com); B Burlesque translucent face powder, £17 (01202 493
789/ bnevertoobusytobebebeautiful.com).
WAVY WONDER: Want Veronica Lake inspired waves? Actress Cate Blanchett is often seen working this
classic style on the red carpet. Forget the high maintenance blow dry to achieve 1940s hair. Get the look in front
of your mirror at home using Kevin Murphy's style techniques:
If you want smooth waves apply a setting lotion or curl enhancing lotion to wet hair and dry in with the use of a
diffuser.
After your hair has dried, roll your hair into rollers. It should be the top section rolled back off the face, the
sides rolled down. Behind the ear and back should also be rolled down.
It's a good idea to then cover with a hair net and heat up the hair with a dryer for ten minutes then let cool for
five minutes.
Remove the rollers without disturbing the hair too much and let the hair drop of its own accord. The result will be
soft wayward natural looking waves with no frizz.
ESSENTIAL 1940s KIT: James Brown London Curl Enhancing Conditioner, £5.99, Boots nationwide; Kevin.Murphy
Anti.Gravity, £11.95 (01282 613413); Nicky Clarke Compact Frizz Control Rollers, £17.99, Boots nationwide; Andrew
Collinge Salon Shine Hairspray, £4.49, Boots.
NAIL THE LOOK: Fire engine red nails are key to giving your look top-to-toe finesse. For extra sheen and to
protect your nails from unsightly reddish staining use an all-important base coat.
To nail an up-to-date talon trend hot off the catwalks, Carolyn Sears at Zoya has this advice for a twist on
classic red: "Dita von Teese is the epitome of 1940s chic and has adopted one of it's huge nail trends – leaving a
half moon at the base of each nail and painting the rest of the nail in brilliant scarlet.
If your nails aren't up to scratch, why not fake it with prepainted red colour nails? All the glamour, minus the
hassle.
ESSENTIAL 1940s KIT: Nails Inc Kensington Base & Top Coat, £20 nailsinc.com); Gia Zoya Professional Lacquer, £8.95, (0800 1116647); OPI red lacquer, £9.50
(01923 240 010/ lenawhite.co.uk); CustomFit Red Nails,
£7.99, Boots nationwide.
