By the 1950s, fake eyelashes became a staple in Western culture. Eye Makeup manufacturers evolved with growing demand. They swapped hair for the more readily available plastic in the 1950s. After this, the materials began to get even more advanced, and the trend grew.
Women in the Middle Ages used false eyelashes to accessorise their outfits and show off their own beauty. In ancient times, it was thought that the mouth represented the womb, and the eyes represented the head.
False eyelashes continued to decline in popularity during the 90s. Consumers were more drawn to light mascara, frosted lips, and infamous blue eyeshadows. However, false lashes started to become more popular with some celebrities during this time – think Anna Nicole Smith, Cindy Crawford, and Pamela Anderson.
In the 70s, artificial lashes fell out of favor—natural lashes were en vogue. But by the 90s, false lashes had made a comeback.
The false eyelash trend continued into the '90s, with some lash wearers toning down their look and opting for a more natural style. The natural look was in keeping with the overall trend for minimalism that emerged during this decade.
In 1911, a Canadian woman named Anna Taylor patented false eyelashes in the United States.
By the 1970's a more Natural Beauty look was becoming in Vogue so the use of eyelashes slowly declined, & by the 1980's false lashes were rarely used at all.... but boy oh boy, false lashes definitely made a strong comeback in the 2000's and on.
In the 1960s, full, dramatic lashes surged in popularity. Women started applying mascara to both top and bottom lashes, and false lashes created a bold, wide-eyed effect. Colored lashes and those in a variety of lengths and thicknesses heightened the drama, even going to extremes with embellishments.
False eyelashes were available in the 1950s, but had not reached the prevalence they would reach a decade later in the 1960s. In the 1950s, women mostly still relied on eyeliner and mascara for thicker lashlines.
Dramatic Winged Eyeliner
While the cat eye makeup trend may have started in the '60s, women in the '70s embraced statement eyeliner and opted for bold and dramatic eye looks too.
In the 1960s, liquid eye liner was used to create thick black and white lines around the eyes in the make-up fashion associated with designers like Mary Quant. The '60s and '70s also saw new fashion trends which made use of eyeliner, eyeshadow and mascara in new ways.
1990s makeup overview
While natural and grunge looks were popular through the early to mid '90s, styles became brighter and more glittery as the end of the decade approached. Color palettes ranged from burgundies and browns for eyes and lips to pastel blue shadow paired with frosted lips.
Makeup trends in the 1970s ranged from all-natural to bright glam Disco styles. For most looks, the base consisted of sheer barely-there foundation with pink blush and lightly filled in eyebrows. Depending on the desired style, eye shadow and eyeliner left more room for expression, like in Disco and Punk looks.
Fake eyelashes were patented by Canadian inventor in 1911
The first cosmetic mascara was invented in the Victorian era by Queen Victoria's perfumer Eugene Rimmel. Canadian inventor Anna Taylor secured a U.S. patent for “artificial eyelashes” similar to those used in cosmetics today on June 6, 1911.
Eyelashes are a first line of defense for your eyes, keeping airborne dirt, dust, lint and other debris from reaching the delicate eye tissues. With eyes open, eyelashes catch some airborne debris, but when closed, eyelashes form a nearly impenetrable barrier against foreign irritants in the eye.
Marilyn liked the volume and length of fake eye lashes, but she also wanted to look natural. She managed to achieve the best of both worlds by cutting fake eye lash strips in half and only applying them to the outside corners of her eyes.
In the 1930s and in 1940s, at the top of the makeup fashion, these curlers were very popular and not expensive. The eyelash curler was patented April 7, 1931 and the images drawn in the patent application look very much the same as the eyelash curlers seen on the market today.
Because the actress was a master at day-to-day glamour. Audrey famously used a pin to separate each of her lashes after applying mascara to get her trademark lush and defined eyelashes.
Eyeliner. The most popular eyeliner style was a fully lined eye in black with a winged upper lid. The mod look took this further by adding white liner behind the black on the upper lid or to wear white liner by itself on the lower lid.
Some women may wear them to enhance their natural lashes, while others may use them to create a more dramatic look. False eyelashes can be a part of makeup, like mascara, but they are not always necessary. It is up to each woman to decide if she wants to wear false eyelashes and how she plans to use them.
Eyeliner and mascara
Heavy eyeliner was standard throughout the decade. The raccoon look? Totally normal for the 1980s. Matte black liner was applied to the top and bottom of the eye, then smudged to create the desired rocker style.
It's proof that '70s makeup can be simple and timeless, too. Replicate her look with a long-wearing, smudgeable black eyeliner and a coat or two of lengthening mascara.
Lipstick. Deep fruit colours like plum, mulberry and cranberry were fashionable in the early 1970s. Pastel shades like peach, raspberry and pink were worn throughout the decade.
GLOSSY PEACH
After the matte lipstick trend of the 60s, the 70s saw an influx of lip gloss in peachy shades or a clear finish as well as a more dewy finish on the skin. For a simple, modern finish and to allow the gloss to stand out, use muted tones on lips, cheeks and eyes.
The 60s and 70s
During the 70s shimmer was the go-to look as pearl was added to everything from blushers to eye shadows – and of course lip glosses. Perfect for the disco era, lip gloss reflects the light.