70s Makeup: A Step-by-Step Tutorial
How to get the glowy 1970s disco look: bronzed skin, golden shimmer eyes and glossy lips. Then see the seventies look on your own face.
The 1970s were warm, glowy and glamorous. From the bronzed, feathered Farrah Fawcett look to the shimmer of Studio 54, seventies makeup was all about golden skin and warm, gleaming eyes. It is one of the easiest retro looks to wear today.
You only need five steps, and most of it is warm bronze and gold. Here is how to do 70s makeup step by step, and you can preview the whole disco look on your own face before you start.
What you'll need
No specific brands needed. Any version of each works.
1. Start with warm, glowy bronzed skin
Seventies skin was warm and glowing, never flat or matte, so start with a light, dewy foundation or tinted moisturizer that lets your real skin show through. If you like, mix a drop of liquid highlighter into your base so the whole face has a soft, lit-from-within sheen.
Now warm everything up with a bronzer, sweeping it around the outer edges of your face, across your cheeks, and lightly down the nose where the sun would naturally hit. Use a soft, diffused touch rather than a sharp contour, because this warm, sun-kissed glow is the foundation the whole disco look sits on.
Tip: Choose a bronzer with a slight sheen rather than a flat matte one, since a little glow is what makes it read seventies instead of modern sculpting.
2. Sweep on golden shimmer eyeshadow
The seventies eye was all about warm, gleaming shimmer, so pack a golden-bronze shade across your whole lid, pressing it on with your finger for the most intense payoff. Then take a soft brown and blend it through your crease so the color has some depth and looks slightly smoky at the edges.
Add a dab of pure gold or a lighter shimmer to your inner corners to catch the light and make your eyes look brighter and more awake. Keep the overall effect warm and glowing rather than dark and heavy, and finish the shape by smudging a little of the bronze along your lower lash line too.
Tip: Do your eyeshadow before your base, or lay a tissue under your eye, because shimmery gold fallout is messy and hard to remove once it lands on your cheeks.
3. Groom the brows and define lashes
The seventies brow was natural and softly arched, so this step is quick: brush your brows up and out, and fill only the sparse spots lightly with a pencil to keep them looking full but not drawn on. The goal is groomed and healthy rather than the bold, blocky brow of later decades.
For the lashes, curl them first to open up the eye, then add one or two coats of brown or black mascara, wiggling the wand at the root for a little lift. Keep everything glowy and open rather than heavy, since the shimmer on your lids is meant to be the star.
Tip: A brown mascara reads softer and more period-accurate than jet black for a daytime seventies look, while black works better for the full Studio 54 evening version.
4. Add a warm peach-bronze blush
Smile and add a warm peach or bronze blush to the apples of your cheeks, then blend it up along your cheekbones toward your temples so it lifts the face. Layering it slightly over the bronzer you already applied ties the two together into one seamless, warm glow.
Keep the shade warm rather than cool pink, since peach and terracotta tones are what make this feel seventies rather than modern. If you have a cream and a powder version, cream first and powder on top will give you the longest-lasting, most natural flush.
Tip: Tap a tiny bit of the same blush onto the tip of your nose and your chin. That barely-sunburned warmth is very true to the era.
5. Finish with a glossy lip
Finish with a glossy peachy-brown or warm nude lip. Dab the color on with your finger or straight from the bullet, then press your lips together to spread it evenly.
Add a touch of clear gloss or lip oil to the center of your lower lip so it catches the light and looks fuller. Keep the shade warm and soft rather than dark, since that is what keeps it sun-kissed seventies instead of tipping into a bolder decade.
Tip: For a lip that lasts a long night out, blot with a tissue and reapply once before you add the gloss on top.
See the look on your own face
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Frequently asked questions
What did 70s makeup look like?+
70s makeup was warm and glowy: bronzed, sun-kissed skin, golden or bronze shimmer eyeshadow, soft natural brows, warm peach blush, and glossy lips. The disco side of the decade added more shimmer and sparkle, while the daytime look was softer and more bronzed.
How do you do a disco makeup look?+
Build a warm, glowy base with bronzer, add golden or metallic shimmer across the lids, define the lashes, and finish with a glossy lip. The key is shine and warmth rather than heavy dark makeup.
What colors were used in 70s makeup?+
Warm earth tones ruled the 70s: gold, bronze, copper and terracotta, plus peach and warm brown on the cheeks and lips. Jewel tones like teal and blue shimmer also showed up for a bolder disco eye.
How can I try the 70s look on my own face?+
Tap any try this look on your face button on this page to upload a selfie and preview the full disco look on yourself before you recreate it.
