Each era definitely had its own iconic makeup trends, and in the 70s, the best makeup was bold, blue and Saturday night disco ready. Although we may not be wearing the retro makeup we wore in the 70s now, it's always nice to take a trip down memory lane at remember the best 70s makeup.
The make up icons of the era ranged from ABBA and Cher to Diana Ross and Farah Fawcett. And although most of their styles stayed very much in the 70s, some of these fashions are making a return. So if you're keen to bring back the makeup looks from the 70s, or just revel in the nostalgia, we've rounded up some of our favourites from the era.
The history of 70s makeup trends
Makeup trends in the 1970s were massively diverse, think about all the different music styles of the era and its easy to see how! Top trends of the decade ranged from all-natural to bright glam Disco styles.
The great style influencers and trendsetters of the era, Yves Saint Laurent and Biba’s designer Barbara Hulanicki, along with popular film Cabaret (1972), championed the revival of 1920s looks, and this translated into makeup as well with the skinny eyebrow and painted doll face look making a comeback.
The disco movement celebrated inclusivity, glamour and sexuality, the pop stars of the time went big and bold - both with their outfits, their hairstyles and their makeup looks. Glitter and glam, bright colours and boogie nights have become icons of the era.
Alongside the glamorous disco movement, punk and feminism were also shaping the world of makeup in the 70s. Punk meant heavy black eyeliner for men and women was a must. It was often drawn in a cat eye shape with an exaggerated flick. Red or black lipstick was also common, it was bold, it was unapologetically loud - almost symbolic or tribal.
Natural looks stemming from women not wanting to 'need' to put makeup on for their partners, but rather celebrating their inner beauty, was also huge. Brands took notice, supplying barely-there products with more natural ingredients rather than harsh chemicals, and advertising them to the new woman, rather than the homemaker. The best foundations of the time were designed to create a soft, sheer look and let the eyes do all the talking.
70s makeup products
When it comes to makeup, the 70s can largely be categorised into two camps. The first, copper tones, nude glossy lips and bronzed, sun-kissed skin. The other, statement eyeliner and bold and dramatic eye looks with accents like blue eyeshadow, and the best mascara was heavy mascara on the lower lashes.
For most looks, the base consisted of sheer barely-there foundation with pink blush and lightly filled in eyebrows. Cream makeup formulations popped up in the 1970s, spearheaded by brands like Yardley, Aziza, and Cover Girl.
Then depending on the desired style, eyeshadow and eyeliner left more room for expression, like in Disco and Punk looks.
Blue disco makeup
Similar to the 80s make upof the times, blue make up was still very popular in the 70s, and no one did blue make up better than ABBA's Agnetha Fältskog. During the 70s, they could often be seen with a heavy, bright and metallic blue eyeliner during their shows.
Heavy black eyeliner
Sticking with the eyeliner, it wasn't just blue eyeliner that was a staple in our makeup bags. Thick black eyeliner was also a must have, inspired by the likes of Bianca Jagger. Rather than a smokey look that's more popular these days, bold liquid liner was the go to for the perfect 70s makeup look.
70s hair and makeup
A proper 70s makeup look isn't complete without the hair, and when you think of 70s style, there's only one name that springs to mind – Farrah Fawcett. Not only did she have the 70s hair (that's making a real come back) her 70s bronzed skin and bright eyes was also synonymous with the era.
All about the lashes
Mascara has always been a staple in any makeup bag to help our eyes look bigger and bolder, but lashes were taken to a whole new level in the 70s. No one did lashes quite like the legendary Diana Ross, with extra attention on the bottom lashes in particular.
70s eye makeup
We couldn't talk about 70s makeup without mentioning Cher. The bronzed skin, glossy lip, larger than life lashes and bold eye makeup – Cher has it all. Here she is in 1974 with a glittery purple eye.
Glossy lips
Like most things in the 70s, lips weren't subtle. Glossy and metallic lips were everywhere, even Jane Birkin preferred a glossy lip from time to time. We think this is definitely a look you can copy today.
Thin eyebrows
Like the 90s makeup trends, thin brows were very much in during the 70s as opposed to the big fluffy brows of the 2000s. We love Anjelica Huston's 70s skinny brows from this photo in 1975.