How to transform into a Perfect Pinup!

Have you ever liked the vintage aesthetic and always wondered how to do that amazing hair and nail that winged liner?? A Vintage themed party could be your calling!

Let me introduce myself, I am Dianne, a Sydney Based Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist specialising in Pinup / Vintage. Born and raised in musical theatre, I have had a passion for all things creative from a young age. Drawing together passion for Film & Television production and Pinup Styling, Makeup Artistry was the perfect way to combine the two and move into my dream career.

It all started when I moved into a house full of women! My amazing female housemates were a little alternative and not overly vintage, however we would go out to a Rockabilly event each month and all get dressed up together. The event became a regular thing and I started to experiment more with my hair styling and trying to achieve that perfect winged liner.

After focusing on teaching myself how to do vintage hair styling and makeup I realised that I was sick of my corporate job and wanted to pursue a new career, so I quit my corporate job and started a makeup course and the rest is history!

So how do you approach vintage makeup?

Model @scarletsoda

Model @scarletsoda

Let’s start with the famous Marilyn Monroe look. Monroe was an American actress, model, and singer. Famous for playing comic "blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950’s. Her draw and allure is still strong today, and numerous people have impersonated and dressed as her for Halloween parties and photo shoots.

Foundation was very matte at the time, so her base would have been set with a translucent powder. Blush used was more of an orange undertone and also added to the tip of her nose to make the appearance of the nose shorter. Monroe’s makeup artist used Vaseline as a highlighter on her cheekbones and cupids bow, however for longevity its best to use a modern powder highligher on these areas.

Eyebrows were shaped like peaks which Monroe believed helped minimize the wideness of her forehead. For the eyes a subtle brown was used on the outer lid, and white used on the eye lid and inner corner of the eye, finished with that famous winged liner. Sadly there is no easy way to do a winged liner, however I suggest to draw a guideline on the outer corner on the eye to make sure the angle and length matches on each eye before filling in the rest of the liner over the lash line. Practice makes perfect!

Lashes were also important for the Marilyn look. Monroe wanted more of a natural look so her makeup artist cut regular strip lashes in half and added them to the outer corner of the lash line to create a longer lash look that was more subtle. Final trick on the eyes, she used a brown eye shadow under the lower lash that would mimic a shadow from her top lashes for the illusion of a longer lash. Lastly lips, use a rich blue based red for that Holllywood glam finish!

Pinup to me has been such a powerful tool as well as a large part of my confidence, and the most rewarding thing for me now are my clients. To be able to see a woman see herself for the first time in full pinup hair and makeup start to cry from happiness is absolutely priceless. I love being able to share my passion for vintage with others and see their own confidence and personality shine!

Interested in having your own vintage experience??

Contact me via my website – www.diannemurphy.com so we can chat about your idea and achieve your pinup dreams!