I'm not sure if this is the impact of Sofia Coppola's upcoming film Priscilla staring Cailee Spaeny as the the gorgeous Priscilla Presley and Euphoria's Jacob Elordi as Elvis Presley, but my Pinterest board has been absolutely brimming with 1970s inspired makeup looks that make me want to deny my Y2K roots. When it comes to makeup, the disco decade is without a doubt one of my favorites to pull inspiration from. If you, like me, are looking for ways to try the throwback trend with a cool girl touch, you'll want to keep reading for tips and tricks straight from an industry expert on how to pull it off.
I reached out to celebrity makeup artist and creative Misha Shahzada for the scoop on how to pull of the perfect, modernized 70s-inspired look. "1970's makeup offered a range of versatility–from bronzed skin and glossy lips to bold statement eyes and lower lashes," she explains. "Now being 50 years later with the current products we have on the market, it's easier to take bits and pieces of the 70s inspired looks with a simplified twist." The 'clean girl,' dewy makeup look that we've all fallen in love with can be given a throwback treatment with the addition of a bold eye or a full beat finished with a glossy lip. When creating a retro makeup look for her clientele, Shahzada also takes hints from the era's pop culture icons featured in film like Priscilla Presley (portrayed by Olivia DeJonge) in Baz Luhrmann's 2022 biographical drama Elvis.
For Shahzada, focusing on one element of the face at a time is the key to keeping the look modern. Skin care takes precedent over all else to create a glowy (almost glossy) base with the help of Bubble Skincare's Deep Dive Exfoliating Mask followed by a pump of their Slam Dunk Hydrating Moisturizer and a few drops of their bestselling Float On Soothing Facial Oil. With the skin left hydrated and dewy, additional coverage is only required where needed. "When it comes to skincare, the more consistent you are, the better," she says. "Avoid over prepping your skin all at once, find out what your skin can tolerate and build from there."
Creating the rest of a modernized 70s look is simple. For the eyes, Shazada opts for a vibrant blue shade (her favorite is from Victoria Beckham Beauty's Smoky Eye Brick in Royal) all over the lid; focusing especially on the inner corners. Next, she applies a black kajal eyeliner to the top and bottom lash line to create an elongated wing that she buffs out as the works. To finish, she recommends opting for some strip lashes or adding a few coats of mascara to the top and bottom lashes for a bold, doe-eyed look.
Whether you're drawing inspiration from Cher, Farrah Fawcett, or Donna Summer, keep scrolling to discover more beauty editor and makeup artist approved products that will bring your disco darling look to life. You'll definitely want to screenshot these!
The Best Products For 70s-Inspired Makeup
If we're taking hints from some of the decades biggest It-girls, blue eyeshadow was everywhere. I've fallen in love with this vibrant, sky blue matte liquid eyeshadow by Ami Colé to add a buildable pop of color on the lids.
Customer review: "This matte eyeshadow is an excellent addition to my makeup routine. It's long-lasting, has good pigmentation, and is easy to blend. I love how travel-friendly it is. Will be purchasing in additional colors!"
You won't catch me shying away from adding metallic touches to my eye makeup. Armani's Eye Tint Long-Lasting Eyeshadow in Silver delivers ultra-pigmented color with up to 16 hours of wear (no primer needed).
Customer review: "All liquid eyeshadow formulas are not created equal. This one is flawless. It lasts all day, doesn’t crease in my fine lines, and is perfectly buildable. It gives this ethereal shimmer with just a sheer coat on my lids, but can be built up to a blinding silver shade with another thin layer or two."
A deep, sparkling plum color is my pick to take disco-worthy eye makeup from day to night like Laura Mercier's Caviar Stick Eye Shadow in Plump. Plus it's transfer-proof, long-wearing, crease-resistant, and blends easily thanks to its smooth and creamy formula.
Customer review: "These eyeshadows have become a staple in my makeup collection. I love how pigmented these eyeshadows are. The formula is creamy and easy to blend. I also love the fact that these are smudge proof and stay in place all day! I would highly recommend this product!"
You can't create a disco-worthy makeup look without adding a hint of sparkle. Hourglass' Glitter Eye Shadow is offered in nine vibrant shades (my favorite is Vivid) using weightless, micro-glitter infused with light-reflecting pearl to capture and reflect light.
Customer review: "I’m absolutely obsessed with this eyeshadow! I’ve been looking for a really good cream eyeshadow and this one is amazing. I apply it with a brush and it goes on so smooth; and not chunky at all. You can use it with multiple eyeshadows or on its own!"
I've been on a major matte eyeshadow kick lately. Merit's Solo Shadow Cream-to-Powder Soft Matte Eyeshadow offers all-day wear and a gorgeous matte wash of color that can be worn alone or with your favorite glittery eye makeup products.
Customer review: "The color is incredible and the pigment is to die for. It is so easy to put on and a small bit goes a long way! I love that I can buy just one color instead of committing to a whole palette. Highly recommend!"
Everyone needs a good neutral pink shade in their makeup bag for that gorgeous just-bitten effect on the lips. This one offers a sheer, yet buildable, look with a sating finish with all the nourishment of lip balm without the heaviness of a traditional lipstick.
Customer review: "Baby is one of the best neutral pinks I have seen in a very long time. It definitely does not pull orange which is something I always struggle with regarding a neutral pink."
I'm obsessed with gorgeous glossy mocha-colored lips year round. The Ultralip High Shine Lipstick in Trench delivers a versatile toffee brown pigment using a high-shine formula that combines the rich moisture of a balm with the sheen of a lip tint and high-impact color of a tint.
Customer review: "This lipstick is so hydrating and feels really comfortable on my lips. Gives my lips a nice shine and color, I will definitely be purchasing more colors."
Looking for a glossy lip balm in a peachy beige shade? This lip gloss-balm in the shade Sense is highly complimentary of all skin tones with full-bodied color and high-shine finish. It also feels amazing on the lips since its unique formula uses Menthyl Lactate for an immediate cooling sensation.
Customer review: "This is gorgeous!! there’s a lot of products like this on the market right now but this is the best one. the packaging feels super luxe and the finish is perfect"
Nars' bold, matte pencil saturates the lips with rich, long-lasting pigment for up to 12 hours of wear. Its transformative cream-to-matte texture is made possible by the formula's Power Pigment Complex using color-locking ingredients.
Customer review: "It does what it says, it’s a long lasting lip pencil. My lips looked great after an evening out. I added a lip gloss on top because my lips felt too dry without it. But the color looked great and I was seriously impressed how well it stayed on."
I'm a big believer in the idea that no makeup looks is completely without a swipe of high-shine gloss. This one offers semi-sheer color with a formula that's non-sticky and packed with nourishing ingredients like joja oil and goji berry extract.
Customer review: "This stuff is amazing and I own so many lip products. It’s that perfect shiny balm feel which is hard to find. Not sticky. I was worried this color would be too brown but it isn’t at all, it’s like a nude pink. Love!"
Westman Atelier's multifunctions Baby Cheeks Lip + Cheek Cream Blush Stick delivers a natural-looking and effervescent flush of color. Its easy-to-use formula and creamy texture melts easily into the skin and is offered in six beautiful shades. The shade Bichette is my favorite for any 70s-inspired look.
Customer review: "I’ve used this blush for about a month and love it! It’s not overly pigmented & is very easy to work with. When first applied, it looks very pigmented, but once you start blending, it blends out super fast and easy and gives the most natural blushed look on the skin."
How pretty is this cool dusty pink shade? It features neutral undertones and offers a dewy finish; making it one of my all-time-favorites. Plus, Refy's Cream Blush is highly pigmented and has buildable coverage so you can go as natural-looking or bold as you'd like.
Customer review: "How is this product not viral? This is my second Refy cream blush and I can’t get enough. I’ve been wearing this color without any makeup on and it gives my (very fair) skin the perfect natural flush. It melts into the skin and lasts all day! 100/10."
Whenever I check online, this ELF Putty Blush shade is well on its way to selling out (and for good reason). Bali is the perfect red-orange color; crafted using a velvety, lightweight formula that transforms from cream to a stunning semi-matte powder finish.
Customer review: "I used this blush for the first time yesterday and love it! the consistency was smooth and blended out wonderfully. I didn't have to work hard to get it blended the way I wanted. it's also super buildable so getting the pigmentation I wanted wasn't hard either."
Fact: barely-there blush looks good no matter what decade's makeup your hoping to recreate. Makeup by Mario's weightless cream blush is made with hyaluronic acid to hydrate and plum the skin with a sheer veil of color. I'd gladly use any of the shades offered in this line, but Barely Blushing has to be at the top of the list.
Customer review: "The glow this gives me is unlike any cream blush out there, it makes me instantly plump and youthful! I got the shade Barely Blushing and its the perfect shade on my fair skin. Forever going to repurchase this product!"
I won't rest until every makeup lover has tried NARS' cult-classic blush in Orgasm at least once in their lifetime. The award-winning pinky peach shade with shimmer looks beautiful on all skin tones. If pressed powder is not your favorite formula to use, you're in luck–the same shade is also offered in a cream and liquid formula.
Customer review: "Perfect for everyday looks. Not too pigmented and the shimmer looks like a natural highlight. Not sure why I waited sooo long to try this! It’s very pretty!"
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