Supermodel Resource

Skincare was considered essential in the 1990s and models with flawless skin were given preference. It was also the decade where less was more. Minimalism was the key.  Companies like Yves St Laurent and Marks and Spencer launched ranges of skin care and make up products which became  popular because of their sheer accessibility and price.

A whole breed of super models also emerged in the later 1990s. Some of them were Mini Anden, Tricia Helfer, Devon Aoki etc.

In the 1980s, make up made a come back. Models sported a natural lighter look rather than a heavily painted face. A red dress need not be matched wit bright red lipstick. When we talk of fashion in the 1980s, we cannot not mention Princess Diana. More than models, it was she who had a strong impact on the fashion of the decade, with her love of the color red and well – cut suits. Power dressing become popular.

Young fifteen year old models were no longer in demand. It was the era of mature women and realistic personalities. Skinny models gave way to fuller more sensuous bodies. These models were greatly sought by brands to model for skin care and anti- ageing products. 

Hair was given a lot of importance. The actors of Dynasty and Dallas became role models in this field with everyone trying to emulate their styles.

The natural look came into vogue in the 1970s with all models looking real and true to life. Heavy eyeliners and painted eyelashes became totally passé and the softer natural look was considered fashionable. Models, in the early 1970s, used a white highlighter on the brow and soft color eye shadow instead of the eyeliner. Pearly liquid eyeshadows were newly introduced that later also came back in 2001. Models sported foundation without any loose powder and this lent them a sheer effect. Lipliners were all the rage throughout the 1970s.

Farrah Fawcett Major (Charlie’s Angels series) popularized the roughly cut flicked blonde hairstyle. The hair flicks were done by blow drying, tongs and heated rollers. Some other styles like the Afro perms also came into fashion as these were simpler and the hair only needed to be washed and forked with a special kind of lifting and separating comb.

Gala, a make up company had introduced pale shimmer shades of lipsticks in the late 1950s. This really caught on in the 1960s especially with the younger generation. Max factor launched a color called ‘Strawberry Meringue’ which was a pastel shade of pink and had a pearly sheen. Young girls with red lips were looked down upon and so these softened pink colors were favored by teenagers as it was accepted by their parents and society.

Loads of magazines started giving make up tips and step by step instructions of how to use lip brushes to correctly apply lipstick. Young girls began experimenting by blending colors on their own, often first using the Max Factor Pan Cake as a base for their lips. Models sported these shades of pink and peach in lipsticks and nail polishes and the young generation followed suit.

Elizabeth Taylor became very popular with the release of Cleopatra. Her eyes were cause for much admiration. Eyeliner and socket lines became all important. Some other popular models who captured the essence of 1960s fashion were Twiggy (Leslie Hornby), Jean Shrimpton and actress Julie Christie.

Quant introduced a rage of amazingly affordable cosmetics with innovative blushers and highlighters. Twiggy with her hollow cheeks and wide eyes became a prototype. Qualt was given a whole new haircut by Vidal Sassoon that defined a particular 60s look.

The 1950s saw color films emerge and with that the cosmetics industry grew. The 70 mm cinema screens showed the larger than life portrayals of stars with their unblemished picture perfect appearances. Make up artist Max Factor was inspired to come up with a daily use version of a type of foundation called ‘Pan Cake’, which was a special kind of make up that evened out and hid skin imperfections. He also introduced a line of lipsticks and eye shadows in excitingly new colors.

In the late 1950s, titanium began being added to make up products that resulted in dimming their brightness and that lent the lips a pale shimmer. This idea was later extended to nail polishes of colors like pink, sliver among others.

SPECTACLES: The 1950s also saw a new accessory emerge – surprisingly, it was spectacles! Yes, spectacles were all the rage in that decade. The more elaborate ones encrusted with colored stones or scattered with glitter dust. The outer corners also had exaggerated wings similar to butterfly wings.

HAIRSTYLES: in the early years of the 1950s, the youth preferred the ponytail, which later gave way to the French braid. Elizabeth Taylor and Queen Elizabeth II popularized the permanent wave in hairstyles.

Hair laquer sprays came into vogue and was now accessible to the common woman. As a result of this, complex and high hairstyles became popular. The later 1950s saw a range of outrageous hairstyles like beehives, backcombed bouffants and French braids.