Vintage Brows: Through the glamour ages!

Clara Bow

Clara Bow (Below) was known as the "IT" girl. She was known for her doll like features. Her large dark eyes, heart shaped face and cupid bow lips. Her look was extrememly influencial on young women of this period. Here eyebrows where thinly painted on with a high arch. quite long in proportion that framed those large eyes with fan like eyelashes.  Here natural eyebrows mayhave been shaved off or plucked very thin to achieve this look. Louise brooks (above) had very natural eyebrows. Very wide set apart and very straight in shape. to fit perfectly underneath her trademark blunt cut bangs (fringe). Similar to 

Bow, Brooks was also on top of her game in Hollywood, thus became extrememly influencial to the mainstream emale audiences and the cosmetic / fashion industry. 

 1930's saw the likes of Marlene and Jean Harlow sport the extreme thin, overly proportioned and curved arched eye brows. The image was very artificial looking and Harlows eyebrows where completely shaved in order to create this look. Its certainly a look so distinctive of 1930's Hollywood from the silent era's until the 1930's depression.  

Marlene Dietrich: below (1930's) Marlene had and still has the most iconic eye brows in old Hollywood. With her extreme facial features of porcelain smooth skin, long eyelashes,  bow lips, and very high cheek bones, her eyebrows where the focal point of her face. 

For this extreme look, her eyebrows would have required full plucking and drawn on.  This look was maintained throughout her life and it was known that as she got older, she taped the sides of her temples eyes, upper cheeks and forehead that where hidden underneath a wig to lift her eyes. foerever creating that youthful eye lift effect. the high arched eyebrows and the sultry hooded eye effect . Her eyebrows  where extreme high arches in a rounded shape and where artfully painted on with a fine-liner/pencil.

The 1940's saw eyebrows become more natural in shape and proportion. The arch is extrememly important still. as seen on Lana Turner (below) The eye brows where neatly painted on but with thickness at centre (nose) that tapered off to a very fine shape. 

Lana Turner (1940's) dramatic arched eyebrow 

Betty Grable (1940's) Betty Grable. One of my Hero's. The Pin Up girl. had several styles of eyebrows throughout her career. Her career started in the 1930's when her eye brows conformed to the thinner shape. Gradually into the 40's and 50's her eyebrows became more natural but kept the high arch and neatness. Womens eyebrows would have no longer required thorough plucking nor shaving. but neatening like brows are today. Eyebrow powder set with wax, or eyebrow pencils would have been used in th 1940's and 50's.

Audrey Hepburn (1950's) Hepburn was considered a more contemporary fashion icon in the 1950's. Here look being so distinctive, clean and classic. More high fashion than glamour. her elfin looks, small features and large brown doe-eyes where her trademarks. But her eyebrows where the key to her look. very natural andd left thick, Im sure they where plucked and filled in for definition but kept to their natural form. 

Marilyn Monroe: (Below) indeed had the most iconic pair of eyebrows in the 1950's. Of course famed for her glamorous and sophisticated beauty her high arched eyebrows (slightly pointed on the bend), where one of many features that perfected her seductive look. 

image below: via pinterest.com

How to create a vintage brow: 

image (above) via pinterest

Christian Dior Couture (backstage) 1950's inspired thick arched eyebrows

Neo-vintage inpirations:

Idda Van Munster (image from www.iddavanmunster.blogspot.com)

below: Dita Von Teese

PRODUCTS: 

below are products I love and also other recommended brands. Products by Mac, Benefit, Urban Decay, NYX, Lancome, Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier etc. 

My favorite eyebrow shaping product is Urban Decay's Eye Brow Kit. It comes with two powders in both cool and warm tones and a mini draw of wax, a mini brush and mini sized proffesional tweezers. The best seller  product comes in two pallettes. Darker brunette shades are in 'brown sugar' and blonder shades are in 'honey pot'. This is a product I purchased approx a year ago, even after using it daily its still going strong, so its certainly worth the purchase. My brows are in good shape and I take pride in making sure they are well plucked, but this product is whats keeping them in shape. I try not to over pluck, however I know some vintage/rocka-betties do over pluck to allow for full reign of creativity with their eyebrows and of course they look amazing. It also depends on your natural brow shape. 

I like to keep my natural fullness with tapering at the end. I love to create the classic vintage brow with a high arch (very similar to Dita Von Teese's (above) I sometimes add extra depth on the top of the brow with the wax and shadow to add instant lift. The Urban Decay kit is perfect for this. The angled brush is the same as any of the proffesional eyebrow brushes (below) just a mini version, and is specifically shaped for prescision and fine lines. You tilt the brush on its end where the line is fine for creating the shape and the harsher lines, then you can angle the brush flat to fill in the shape. its perfect. The powder and wax method is the most popular for the vintage look, especially for a more authentic finish. I have the black box version, but urban decay have recently released a new palette, this time in a purple box. I imagine is the same product. Ive also heard 'Benefit', 'Bobbi Brown' and 'Too faced' have good eyebrow kits too. But this is the one I can say works amazing. 

Pencils are great, and indeed i do use them, but they can be a little harsh. if you have thin eyebrows, little hair or shave them off; pencils or felt pens are more suitable for really thin lines. For a more natural, subtle or fuller look you can also use eyebrow gels (colored or clear) that allows you to shape the hair or seperate them. 

Benefit do a great highlighting brow pencil. Another product I purchased to high-light my eyebrow arches. As the tutorial photo (above) shows you, you can high-light around the brow prior to drawing and filling in with your pencil or powders. It just adds that extra contrast between your skin and your eyebrow as well as adding definition. Also I like to highlight the brow bone, for an instant lift. The High-Brow Its a great little product and is like a creamy matt eyeshadow stick. you can also use other light pencils or eyeshadows matt or with a sheen (look at Dita Von Teese for inspiration or model/blogger idda van Munster). 

Bobbi Brown Cosmetics eyebrow kit, $56 / Benefit cosmetic / Lancôme brow makeup / MAC Cosmetics angled makeup brush / MAC Cosmetics pencil eyeliner / MAC Cosmetics eye makeup / Urban Decay brow makeup, $30 / Laura Mercier eye makeup, $26 / MAC Cosmetics eye makeup / MAC Cosmetics makeup / shu uemura brown eye makeup, $26 / Benefit eye makeup, $24 / Isadora pink eye makeup, $18 / NYX makeup brush / NYX eye makeup