Day Make-Up, Evening Make-UP

[Daisy Buchanan]

So, I was getting ready to go out this afternoon and I was putting on my make-up, this got me thinking. I tend to wear a lighter coat for the day, and something more dramatic for the evening. But, as I did my make-up, I felt like it was just too heavy for the sheer day dress and cute sandals I was wearing. I tend to wear shades of brown in the day, and change to shades of charcoals and blacks for a night out. I don't like to wear bright red lipstick during the day, it just seems to be a bit too much. Basically, I like a lighter more natural look for an afternoon at the movies or out shopping, and a more glamorous look at night.
What do you ladies do to achieve a more subdued look during the day time? I like to wear make-up, I just don't like looking like I have glamour face when I'm wearing a simple yet elegant day dress or a cute tweed suit. I think a more natural look is better for the day time.
My question, how do I achieve a more natural look while still wearing foundation and blush and a darker shade of lipstick? Does anyone have any pictures or suggestions of how ladies did there make-up for the day verses what they did for the evening? I think I have the evening look down, but I just feel too made up during the daytime. Like I said, I wear shades of brown for day. Did ladies during the 30's or 40's wear other shades aside from browns or blacks? Sometimes I feel a little less made up when I wear a pretty lighter green, or do something with shades of pink. It's just a much softer, less glam look. Is this vintage correct?
Thanks in advance for your help and suggestions
Daisy

 

[Elaina]

Well I got for the all out glam whenever I can, but I hear you.

Because of a medical problem, I have a severely uneven skin tone, so I always have to wear foundation. And with that I wear panstick makeup and do a thin layer blended well with a sponge, so I get coverage, just not a ton of it. I forgo the blush, and opt instead for a light bronzer, since my skin is so dry I can't do powder all that well. I use a medium color liner and color (it's a rosy beige, almost a real color, just light enough to be fresh looking).

Then because I have no eyelashes, I have to wear falsies, and I use a thinnish one and attach those as well, which does not lend to a casual look, but what you gotta do... I top it off with a brown on the crease of the lid, taupe on the bottom and underbrow, and liquid eyeliner. Then I have to also draw my eyebrows on, so I HAVE them, because karate and punching in the face made them too scarred to go without, and I'm done with the look.

Sounds like a lot, I know, but the end result is something close to sun-kissed and healthy, except the eyes. A little more dramatic for the daytime, but if I need to tone it down more, I use a brown liner and a light brown shadow on the crease, with a light color on the brow only.

Nightime is something completely different as you've said.

Elaina

 

[Viola]

During the day I tend to go with pink eyeshadow and mascara. I don't consider mascara optional as it really opens the eyes and I'm blondish, but with light eyeshadow its very unobtrusive and soft, I just have lashes. Sometimes I use a soft green shadow to make my eyes "pop" a bit more, but with a light hand.

I love bronzer too, especially because mine has sunscreen in it, and its very creamy and blend-y.

A soft red lip with nearly-nekkid eyes and cheeks doesn't look too glam for day. On the other hand, I've also done just lip gloss with more powerful eye makeup, and that works too, just less vintage. I always choose lips OR eyes for day makeup.

I don't wear eyeliner at all, ever, because I can't put it on right.

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

Thanks Ladies!
I have a pretty shade of pink matte lipstick that I like to wear during the day. It's not too bright, and gives a more natural look. I think I'm gonna stick with that and some light shadows with mascara. Maybe leave the eye liner for an evening look. I'll give it a shot tomorrow and see if this gives me the less dressy look that I'm going for. I'm very pale, so I always wear some light blush. I've tried bronzing cream, but the color on my fair skin didn't look right.

 

[Brooksie]

Hi Daisy and all of the FL Women!

I have a really awsome book that I bought at boarders but you can also pick it up online. (I am also a licensed cosmetologist since 1988 and a professional makeup artist) The book is Vintage Face-Period Looks From The 20's, 30's, 40's & 50's by Angela Bjork and Daniela Turudich. Published by Streamline Press, www.streamlinepress.com. This book will give step by step directions to achieve both day and night looks. Plus on the back it has vintage makeup color swatches. I love this book!!! Every Vintage Loving women should own one! Note the book is all in black in white except the back with the color swatches but there are photos of old time starlets and how to acheive their looks.

I work as a hostess at a very busy Pub on the Oregon Coast 4 days a week and I do proffesional makeup on the weekends(mostly for bridal partys). But this is my everyday signature look(mind you the pub dress code for workers is jeans and a pub logo T-shirt...casual) while I am at the pub during the day, I use a powdered foundation that matches my very pale skin, I apply a translucent powder over the top to smooth and blend things out... I apply just a thin coat of each. I keep my eyebrows well groomed and very defined which is important in period looks. I then apply a very light rose shade of blush to the apple of each cheek and blend up to the temple. I curl my eye lashes with an eye lash curler and then I apply one coat of black mascara to my top lashes only. Then I use a red lipliner and a red lip color. The lip color I use is kind of a cross between a 1930's chinese red and a 1950's red. I have a bellow the jaw length A-line Bob hair cut with Louise Brooks Bangs-not that this matters. I looked up a daytime 1940's look for makeup in my book which is what looks like what you have going on Daisy... and my makeup application that I described above that I do daily is a period correct application for a 1940's daytime look except a few things here and there ie... they use regular foundation instead of a powdered one, I use a translucent powder and they use pink but I get way to many pink tones naturally-I blush really easily,They use 2 coats of mascara which maybe a bit much for a lot of people for day.They use a true red lipstick and I love my chinese redish color!
So give it a whirl and see what you think.
Brooksie

 

[Brooksie]

I also forgot to mention that I like to match my lipcolor with my nail color which is very period correct for the 40's and the 50's.
Brooksie

 

[Rosie]

I use a souffle makeup by fashion fair, it gives me the option of wearing my foundation lighter or heavier. Usually during the day, my makeup is sheer, I wear it just to even out my skin tone. I normally don't wear eyeshadow, if I do, it is earth toned, something just to enhance me. I'm not a fan of red lipstick, it just doesn't look right on me so usually, I mix colors to get a reddish brown that is okay. For evening, I get a bit more dramatic. My foundation is a little heavier, not pancake, just thicker than day. I wear mascara and eyeshadow, the shadows are usually a little darker than I would wear in day and sometimes, my lipstick is a bit brighter, depends on how I feel, where I am going, what I am wearing. This is me, no makeup:

Me daytime:

Me evening:

 

[Paul]

With daytime makeup I do think you can go to far in toning things down, of course you got to wear shades you like but I think it is possible to go too pastel, and have a look that gives the impression that you are too affrayed of the brighter shades.
The seasons for me have more to do with the shades you wear that day/evening makeup, Winter you can wear more bolder and brighter shades which I think can look fantastic and in a way they are very similar to the traditional evening look,
In summer because you are wearing more floral/pale shades of fabric ladies tend to mimic nature too much going too pinky/green and trying to blend in with the dress/skirt to much sort of camouflage,I think this can look well not bad, but sort of artificial.
In my view I think heavy black eye liner on top of the lids can look out of place for daytime and be reserved for evening ,true red or bright lipstick is fine if you play down your eyes.
I know some of my male friends have often commented on "She is wearing too much makeup, and would look better without it" and ladies these days are so aware of that and tend to over compensate by going the opposite way which I think is a big mistake on the behalf of the lady, for me it's one small thing that still defines a lady makeup!
Makeup is a real skill, get it right and not one notices ,wrong and it shows up which is unfortunate.
You are still young Daisy and at the end of the day if you do choose to wear a style that make you look a little to glam why not it's you a individual and your not Mrs XXXX from down the road who may have a completely different view but not always right.
If I see a lady fully made up in the middle of the day these days I just think good for you, your doing what you like and obviously comfortable with that look and admire her for that.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I tend to have rather blotchy skin, with an ever-changing mess of pale freckles and such, and it's gotten worse as I get older. This is me fresh out of bed in the morning, with nothing on my face at all...

My avatar pic is a fair example of my everyday look. I wear a thin coat of Pan-Cake foundation, which I like because once you master the trick of controlling the coverage by the dampness of the sponge, you can make it precisely as sheer or as opaque as you want. A layer of Coty translucent powder goes over that, a bit of pencil to fix up the brows, and Revlon "Certainly Red" lipstick. I don't do much, if anything, with my eyes for everyday.

This is my "evening" look -- meaning an evening more formal than my usual work routine. (Last winter's Oscar party, to be specific)

The main difference here is that my foundation is a bit thicker here, my lipstick is a tad darker (L'oreal Drumbeat Red, I think it was that night), and my eyes are done. I use a brownish shadow, brown-black mascara, and just a bit of pencil as eyeliner along the top rim of the eyelids. I don't *ever* apply anything to my lower lashes or lids, either mascara or liner -- it just doesn't look good on me when I do.

(Pity my boyfriend here hadn't worn a better hat.)

 

[Naama]

Wow, that looks really good! Not that you don't look good in daytime makeup, butyour makeup looks so flawless and perfect in that one.

Usually, I only wear powder without foundation, just some cream underneath and eyeshadow or eyeliner, sometimes both and sometimes, but very rarely just mascara. In the evening I wear lots, lots, lots of makeup. I wear eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, blush, lipstick, just everything you need to get the right look I would love to wear lipstick during the day, but I feel like It's just too much, don't know, maybe I just need to find the right lipstic for the daytime [huh]

Naama

 

[LadyDeWinter]

Rosie, you look just gorgeous! Thank you for the photos.

 

[Elaina]

While I agree eyeliner is too much during the day, I HAVE to wear it, else the seam of the fake lashes is too noticable.

I play up my eyes. It's my best feature. They're big, defined and a weird aqua color (or coke bottle green, depending on my mood). I just wear a really thin line of it instead of a defining line.

Lizzie, you look just like my Aunt that I always say I want to look like.

Elaina

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

Wow, you gals really have this make-up thing down! And Rosie and Lizzie, you both look so pretty...
Thanks for all of your advice. I'm gonna stick with a light layer of foundation and powder. I love to play up my eyes, they are a bright green, and if I play them up I can draw attention away from areas that I don't want looked at. I think I'll just use lighter eyeliner, or none at all, and a very thin coat of mascara. I like the look of a sheer lipstick.
I'm definitely gonna look into buying that book. I think it will be a good tool to help me with colors and application.
Thanks again!!

 

[Rosie]

Thanks ladies, you're all so sweet.

Daisy, since you have green eyes, you can use a mascara or liner that is a bit reddish brown, that will make your eyes pop, red being the compliment of green.

 

[AllaboutEve]

This is a really interesting thread as I have recently been looking at buying some lighter foundation for the day. Bare Escentuals mineral foundation has caught my eye as apparently you can wear a little or a lot and not look at all like you have lots of make up on.
Has anyone used this brand??? and if so what shade did you go for?
Any information would be a great help!
I am thinking that something like this foundation, soft brown on the eyes with a softer lipstick like Daisy mentioned would make for more of a "day face".

 

[DancingSweetie]

I tend to have rather blotchy skin, with an ever-changing mess of pale freckles and such, and it's gotten worse as I get older. This is me fresh out of bed in the morning, with nothing on my face at all...

My avatar pic is a fair example of my everyday look. I wear a thin coat of Pan-Cake foundation, which I like because once you master the trick of controlling the coverage by the dampness of the sponge, you can make it precisely as sheer or as opaque as you want. A layer of Coty translucent powder goes over that, a bit of pencil to fix up the brows, and Revlon "Certainly Red" lipstick. I don't do much, if anything, with my eyes for everyday.

This is my "evening" look -- meaning an evening more formal than my usual work routine. (Last winter's Oscar party, to be specific)

The main difference here is that my foundation is a bit thicker here, my lipstick is a tad darker (L'oreal Drumbeat Red, I think it was that night), and my eyes are done. I use a brownish shadow, brown-black mascara, and just a bit of pencil as eyeliner along the top rim of the eyelids. I don't *ever* apply anything to my lower lashes or lids, either mascara or liner -- it just doesn't look good on me when I do.

(Pity my boyfriend here hadn't worn a better hat.)

Lizzie I love your evening look, and those gloves are great.

 

[Viola]

Daisy, since you have green eyes, you can use a mascara or liner that is a bit reddish brown, that will make your eyes pop, red being the compliment of green.

Yeah, as another green-eyed girl a touch of pinky-brown tinted lipgloss actually works really well as shadow. Looks weird to smudge lipstick on your eyelids but I trust you ladies not to tell.

 

[Tourbillion]

Unfortunately Streamline Press is no more. I have the makeup book, which is great, but you can find a lot of that information on www.return2style.de if you can't get a hold of a copy.

I would say more about daytime makeup, but lately all I wear is mascara and mineral powder (I mix my own pinky mauve shade). Sometimes pink or coral lipstick, those shades are good with my skin, they work for a vintage look too.

 

[Miss Marnie]

Bare Esscentuals

This is a really interesting thread as I have recently been looking at buying some lighter foundation for the day. Bare Escentuals mineral foundation has caught my eye as apparently you can wear a little or a lot and not look at all like you have lots of make up on.
Has anyone used this brand??? and if so what shade did you go for?
Any information would be a great help!
I am thinking that something like this foundation, soft brown on the eyes with a softer lipstick like Daisy mentioned would make for more of a "day face".

I have used this brand for a little over a year, and love it!!! I have very sensitive skin and every other brand (Cover Girl to Mary Kay) has caused break out. But I was so thrilled not to have this problem with Bare Escentuals. I have even gone to bed with the make up on and haven't had any problems . I use the fairly light shade, there are two lighter shades than that. The foundation shades are very forgiving.

 

[Rosie]

I have used this brand for a little over a year, and love it!!! I have very sensitive skin and every other brand (Cover Girl to Mary Kay) has caused break out. But I was so thrilled not to have this problem with Bare Escentuals. I have even gone to bed with the make up on and haven't had any problems . I use the fairly light shade, there are two lighter shades than that. The foundation shades are very forgiving.

Thanks for this, I too am interested in the bare minerals/escentuals. I was worried about coverage, and admittedly, color, since they only have a few shades. But, it seems better than putting actual makeup all over the face. There are trial sizes being sold on the bay but, I didn't want to get any without hearing from someon who actually used it.