I did not have any! Maybe anti-inspiration? I wasn’t allowed to wear makeup growing up, and I didn’t really have an interest in it either (so it wasn’t a huge point of contention that I couldn’t wear it), but as soon as I tried it for myself, I fell in love!
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Pamela Anderson in her 20s to early 30s and the general 90s supermodel look. I loved the Alexis Vogel look – the lined and full lips, and I loved the eye looks but I didn’t like black liner in my waterline. Everything was very sultry-smoky and va-va-voom and I much prefer that over the colorful eighties. I never did do very well with a lot of the brights and bold colors that were in style during that period.
My cousin Debbie in Cali! Also, my Aunt Edna in VA. Both did more with their makeup than my Mom. But my Mom did wear it, just not as extravagantly as they did. Plus, they had hooded eyes like me, so their understanding of placement as well as wearing more than one eyeshadow really fueled my wanting to do more advanced eye makeup looks. It was a beginning.
Born in ’78, I entered junior high and my teens in the early 90’s. My mom started taking me to the Clinique counter for my makeup bc it didn’t break me out. I absolutely adored Cindy Crawford. I had a poster of her in my room and even owned her workout video (which I never really used). Her brows were always on point. She’d rock a neutral, smokey eye or a classic red lip. I actually just looked up some of her photos from back then. I’ve always played it somewhat safe with makeup and preferred a more natural makeup look. My older sister (now a MUA) loved Madonna. She was and still is bold, brave and creative with her looks. This really is a great question. It’s interesting to look back and realize who may have influenced your style preferences, even if you didn’t know it at the time.
This is my first time commenting. I really love all the work you do.
Avril Lavigne… I know, someone kick me in the face please.
For me it wasn’t people so much as my environment. I got into makeup just after I got sick, and I got sick shortly after I had moved to Vancouver from the Bay Area and had never had seasons before! The colors, the textures, it all led to me getting really into looks that echoed the seasons I was seeing for the first time.
My mum was my biggest inspiration she taught me what to do and advised me what to use. She still is my best friend today too and do each others makeup when I visit 😀
I got into makeup after my 24th bday. I got terrible acne all of the sudden and I started wearing foundation. Without any inspiration or information!!! Was pretty bad at it!! Later, around 2009 , I’d say it was Lisa Eldridge who virtually “taught ” me how to use makeup correctly. Until today she’s s great source of inspiration (and information) for me!!
I agree, Nati! I watch other YouTubers to pass time, but I watch Lisa Eldridge to learn proper technique. I owe much of my makeup philosophy to her!
My grandma and my older sis were my first inspiration. They wore makeup and I wanted to wear it too so I always would look at their stuff and try to steal it lol. As for outside of my inner circle, I was obsessed with Kate Moss. Still am. I grew up in the 90s do duh!
The 80s supermodels. I would spend hours looking through Vogue and trying to recreate the makeup looks the models had.
Oh, answering this question is such a joy. You, Christine!
I had tweeted about something like 6 years ago related to makeup and a girl was like “oh check out Temptalia.com she writes reviews so you know whether something is worth your money.”
I didn’t even know about beauty blogging before that! I remember all the MAC launches and wondering when I would ever affford any of it lol I bought my first ever MAC item because of a Temptalia Asks You about favorite summer lipstick and so many people said Ever Hip!
I still attribute Urban Decay Naked’s success to your rave review.
So then I watched frmheadtotoe and xteeener on YouTube a lot. I read so many blogs but after all these years, I only continually read Temptalia and Musings of a Muse. How fun that you’re friends!
Thank you, Christine!
Thank you, Joyce! 🙂 I am in very good company – I love Muse! She is one of best blogging BFFS!
Isabella is fun. Not quite as critical…in the good sense…as Christine, but a real good blogger. Also used to read Cora, from VintageorTacky, but she has concentrated on plus size fashion so much, that I often need to look at YT to see her m/u looks. Lisa, at times, and Wayne. Marlena, pre-geek, presented, reviewed, and ‘tutorialed’ fairly well, but she never had the discernment of Christine.
I’m dating myself here, but I was a very big fan of Viva Variety! when it was on Comedy Central. I was just getting into makeup and my mom got me neutral stuff from Almay. There was one episode of the show which featured the former Mrs. Laupin in blue eyeshadow with a grey or black eyeliner. I wanted that look, and I began to play with blue eyeshadow and charcoal grey eyeliner.
My mom and her friend! When I was a little girl, I used to watch them get ready to go out for dinner, and they were both very skilled at makeup application. After they were done and ready to go, I used to think they looked gorgeous! 🙂 When I was finally old enough to start wearing it, my mom was my teacher. I eventually learned different techniques as I grew older, but her lessons stuck with me throughout the years. She’s 80 now, and still makes every effort to look her best when she goes out for dinner! 🙂
I truly can’t remember a time when I didn’t love makeup! I was born in ’83 and I remember playing in frosty teal eyeshadow as a small child–i put it all over my lid and even in my eyebrows! Got into trouble for that one! I’ve always been drawn to “glamour”–full hair, smokey eye makeup and defined, glossy lips. It goes even further with stronger perfumes and bold jewelry. I LOVED watching Miss America when I was little! (Now that I’m older I’m opposed to the concept of beauty pageants and what they promote–but I still love “pageant” style in hair and makeup.)
Kevin Aucoin, 90’s Gwen Stefani, and Shirley Manson from Garbage. But I developed my own style pretty quickly.
Way Bandy & Kevin Aucoin. They perfected the natural/naked look in makeup in the 80’s.
My biggest makeup inspiration by far was the MAC livejournal community from about 2004-2008. There were a handful of really memorable, incredibly talented posters there who to this day influence my approach. It was an interesting time to come of age in makeup. The online beauty community as a whole was in its complete infancy and the professional level production that has become the standard today was very rare back then. Then of course there was emo and scene, which IMO had a far reaching influence in terms of popularizing colorful and full on looks even in casual settings. Cringey? You betcha, but also charming. IDK maybe all that is why I still favor imperfect looks, or maybe I’m just grown up and lazy 😛
I also lived for the face charts that MAC and UD (but especially MAC) would release with each launch. Those were a much bigger deal in olden times! haha.
In terms of celebrities: I had the Viva Glam IV ad with Mary J Blige, Shirley Manson, and Elton John tacked up like a poster in my room; it broke my heart that I didn’t look like Angelina Jolie and I copied her makeup on the regular; Britney Spears and Michelle Branch were eyeshadow role models even if I didn’t realize until years later; the Kevyn Aucoin books are always in a league of their own.
Loved that question and I can’t wait for everyone else’s responses!
First it was my grandmother, who was elegant, had lived in New York for much of her life, and used cosmetics and perfumes well and happily. As far as general/non-personal inspirations, I remember mostly those who used cosmetics sparingly (‘natural’ look) but still looked beautiful and striking; Lauren Hutton comes to mind. Also Diana Vreeland though as much for fashion and a daring spirit, as well as bold use of red.
Such a simple answer for me. It’s you, Christine!
I have bought such a lot of makeup simply because they were your favourites – Chanel Dragon (RIP) and Cle de Peau N2 off the top of my head. I trust your word like no other. You still are a huge inspiration to me!
Thank you, Sharon! <3
I didn’t really have any when I very first started wearing a little makeup as a pre-teen in the early 80s. My mom wore makeup, but not the style I am drawn to. I inherited my dad’s eye color and shape, and his lips as well, so what worked on my mom didn’t always work for me. She usually had very minimal eye makeup. I guess at first I got ideas just from looking at teen magazines and my mom’s fashion magazines. When I got to be around 12-13 (1982-83) I was more influenced by musicians and music videos.
Since I am in my 60’s my role models were the “supermodels” of the 60’s. I can remember seeing a picture of Twiggy on the cover of a fashion magazine and being absolutely mesmerized by her big eyes, thick lashes and drawn in lower lash line lashes. I also loved Cheryl Tiegs and new her sister personally. I lived in California at the time and Cheryl Tiegs was the quintessential California beach girl. Twiggy and Cheryl were at opposite ends of the makeup spectrum but I did my makeup like both of them at separate times. I never got my drawn in lashes to look anything like Twiggy’s and since I had small hooded eyes the effect was just not attractive. I see all the videos on You Tube with makeup gurus recreating their school looks. Even if I had a YT channel I am pretty sure I wouldn’t show the Twiggy look for all to see.
And who can ever forget Jean Shrimpton. She was the quintessential London girl.
I have no idea honestly. I didn’t truly get into make-up until my 20s. Before that it was light powder foundation, black honey almost lipstick and mascara. I remember admiring Jennifer Connolly and her full brows (still do), so I suppose movies – but only so much wanting clear skin and the opposite of whatever my hair was doing at the time. My preference remains the Audrey Hepburn polished sophisticate look. I may get a little bold from time to time, but it’s never anything crazy and wild.
Elizabeth Taylor in the late fifties/early sixties. Her coloring and features were similar to mine except I have dark green eyes.
No one really – I always knew I just loved wearing and experimenting with makeup from the age of about 12 years, not that I was allowed to. I just loved the feeling of adding colour to my face.
I didn’t really have any because I was more interested in covering up my acne than color. I did love lipstick as a child though as my grandmother would always give me her “sample” sized Avon lipsticks for dress up. I think the first time I really noticed makeup was on Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra and The Ten Commandments.
I’m not really sure who or what influenced my interest in makeup. No one in my family wore make-up. My friends didn’t either. I graduated high school in the 60s so there were no real outside influences either except Seventeen magazine. Maybe that, drama club, and art class was to blame. ?
Now I’m going back aways, I’m in my late 50’s. My Mom got me Way Bandy’s book one Christmas during the 70’s. I remember there was a mall in Queens, NY that had a store with rows and rows of eye shadows, blushes all open so you could sample anything you wanted (they didn’t know about germs in those days). They had pictures up on the walls with models wearing wonderful makeup. I felt like a kid in a candy store!
My inspirations came from magazines – and models like Twiggy. Oh and the sister of my friend who taught me to line my water line!
*Never replied before, but longtime lurker.
I was born in the mid 70s, so when I hit 14, my influences were Nina Hagen and Siouxsie Sioux (I was too young to experience the true wave of goth in the early 80s.) I would record tons of music videos and interviews with them and would STUDY their make up to recreate the looks for school. Took me one hour each morning just to do my make up, and 45 mins to do my teased Robert Smith mess of a hairdo – all for high school! I was a brave one back then.
Happy first comment, Dawn!!
My mother and my aunts. Me and my cousins used to play around with their makeup, high heels and fur stole. What fun we had. But really, I loved Cher, Marilyn Monroe,Ann Margaret and so many other 70’s models. Growing up in this era wasn’t easy, make up was limited. We had very little selections of make up to play with. But hey, look how far we have come. I watch so many you tube tutorials and I love playing with all different brands and textures of
make up. I am thrilled to have had this opportunity to create many different faces each and every day. Amen.
In my pre-teen to early teens it was Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Prince, and Boy George, but that was more of my crazy makeup for weekend play. In school I just wore eyeliner, at first, that was more Princess Diana with the blue eyeliner trend. Later teens it was Kevyn Aucoin and the beautiful makeup he did on the 90s super models.
Cher…love her eyes, Rachel Welch and Olivia Newton John. Beautiful, sexy and innocent. My kinda women.
My inspiration comes from everywhere…color combinations I see in nature, art, or just walking around, and it also came from my family. I remember watching in fascination when my mom did her makeup when I was the same age as my daughter is now, and I remember reading my grandma’s Avon catalogs (and let’s not forget the lipstick samples I would find at her house!). And strangely enough, my daughter’s obsession with glitter and sparkle has rubbed off on me when it comes to my taste in makeup!