70s makeovers: How women got that pretty retro look

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70s makeover: Step-by-step guide to a new you (1978)

From the scrubbed to the sensational look, with expert tips on how to do your own makeover

Step-by-step guide to a new you (1978)

It’s true, of course, that not everybody can face the world like our model — without a bit of makeup and with her hair simply anchored behind her ears — and still look pretty good.

But if a little professional expertise can make the amazing transformation opposite, think what it could do for the rest of us! Our experts started their you-can-do-it-too demonstration by setting our model’s fine, straight hair on rollers, to give it body and wave, and sweeping it to one side in a lovely line that follows her face shape.

70s makeover Step-by-step guide to a new you (1978)


Vintage makeup how-to

It’s easy to do your own makeover, using these 14 beauty techniques.

But before you start, study your face to determine which features to enhance, which to de-emphasize. Should you be playing up your cheekbones or lips; reshaping a round face, a square jaw? Here’s how.

MORE: How to use makeup crayons to get a vintage ’70s look (1974)

’70s makeover steps 1-6

Shape brows, brush brows, Moisturize, Cover under-eye circles, Camouflage expression lines, Contour before applying foundation

Get a '70s makeover


’70s makeover steps 7-14

Accent cheekbones & slim jawline, Dot on foundation, Color eyelids, Pencil on color, Brush on mascara, Outline lips, Color in lips, Gloss lips

Step-by-step guide to a new you


1970s makeover: Fine, flyaway hair (1978)

Tame it with the right cut and perm

Bridget Demski was wearing her fine hair in a long, limp style that exaggerated the length of her face, the width of her cheeks. But she was afraid that, cut shorter, it would be unmanageable, and require constant care.

We showed her how having it trimmed with a layer cut, permed for body plus wave — the answer for any woman with hair like Bridget’s — would let her wear the shorter, more flattering style shown here.

An assistant in Good Housekeeping’s Fashion Department, Bridget is now able to manage her hair in just minutes, loves the easy new style. The rest of her makeover? Mostly a change in eye makeup.

1978 fine flyaway hair


Makeover #12: Making the most of your eyes

Path Thomee, secretary to Good Housekeeping‘s Editor-in-Chief, applies makeup more expertly than many women, and yet our Beauty Clinic noticed that she wasn’t using it to make the most of her best feature — her lively brown eyes.

Pat’s high cheekbones and full cheeks tended to draw attention away from her eyes, actually made them look smaller, and her all-one-color eye makeup was compounding the problem by de-emphasizing rather than dramatizing her eyes.

A topknot hairstyle, trim and comfortable for the office, was a problem, too. As you can see here, what she needed was a softer style to frame her face, add eye-level interest.

Makeover: Making the most of your eyes (1978)

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