How to Do 80s Makeup and Hair

Co-authored by Arthur Sebastian and Amber Crain

Last Updated: July 31, 2024 References

Big hair. Bright eyeshadow. Tons of blush. Hair and makeup in the 80s were bold and over the top in the best way possible! To help you create your 80s-inspired look, we've put together a list of the best hair and makeup tips we could find. We'll start by walking you through an easy tutorial for 80s makeup and finish up with a variety of awesome hairstyles you can choose from.

Here are 13 makeup tips to help you get that perfect 80s look.

1

Apply full coverage foundation all over your face.

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Use liquid foundation that matches your skin tone for a flawless base. In the 80s, the trend for skin was a velvety, flawless look that wasn't too matte or too glowy. Use a foundation brush or makeup sponge to buff your favorite full coverage foundation all over your face.^{[1]
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- For a smooth, pore-less look, apply primer before your foundation.
- Apply full coverage concealer under your eyes to cover dark circles. For a brightening effect, use concealer that’s 1 shade lighter than your natural skin tone.^{[2]
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2

Add bright pink blush to your cheeks.

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Bright pink blush was the standard for most 80s looks. Start high on your cheekbone and sweep the color along the bone and up, all the way to your temple. Once you hit your temple, use circular motions to blend the blush out toward your hairline.
- If it’s easier, start applying blush at your temple and brush it down along your cheekbone in a “C” shape.

3

Get a glam rock look with bold blue eyeshadow.

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Try vibrant blue or bright pink eye makeup for high drama. Use the most pigmented eyeshadow you can find! Cover your entire eyelid with medium blue or pink and blend it up to your brows. Brush the color under your eyes to define the lower lashes. Then, sweep a darker version of the original shade in your crease and on the outer third of your eyelid, blending out to your temples. Finish with bold pink lipstick.^{[3]
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- For a Blondie vibe, try mauve or dark pink eyeshadow. Her cheeks and eyes often matched, so you use your blush as eyeshadow! Finish with matte or frosted pink lipstick.
- For more glam rock inspiration, check out images of Grace Jones and glam metal bands like Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, or KISS.
- For super sharp, angled cheeks, contour your cheeks with bronzer before adding blush on top.

4

Use bright eyeshadow for an 80s pop star vibe.

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Mimic 80s pop icons with neon eye makeup and bright red lipstick. Bright orange, yellow, and neon are all great eyeshadow choices, especially if your inspiration is Cyndi Lauper. Use bright orange all over your lids and bright yellow right under your brow bones to make your eyes pop. Pop stars like Madonna and Cyndi Lauper usually rocked a bold red lip.^{[4]
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- For more 80s pop icon inspiration, check out images of pop stars like Pat Benatar and Boy George.

5

Stick with neutrals for a Molly Ringwald-inspired look.

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Use brown eye makeup and finish with a reddish orange or nude lip. To create Molly's look in The Breakfast Club, apply a medium brown eyeshadow on your lids and line your upper and lower lash lines with dark brown eyeliner. Finish the look with nude lipstick, like soft brown or natural rose, for a lowkey look.^{[5]
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Research source} To amp up the glamour a bit, use a classic red or burnt orange lipstick instead.
- Molly often sported glossy lips, so finish with a swipe of gloss over the lipstick.

6

Pick dark eyeshadow for a goth or punk vibe.

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Go with black, midnight blue, or deep purple eye makeup. Cover your lid in deep blue or a dark iridescent purple shade. Then, work a dark plum or indigo into your crease. Finally, define your crease even more with a gray or charcoal eyeshadow to create that a punk or gothic vibe.^{[6]
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- For lipstick, try a deep burgundy, purple, or black shade. A super deep brown would work great.^{[7]
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- For more inspiration, check out pictures of 80s icons like Siouxsie Sioux and Nina Hagen.
- If you're a guy, check out images of Robert Smith of The Cure for inspiration. He often wore dark eye makeup and messy red lipstick.

7

Finish with black mascara and bold eyeliner.

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Use any dark or bold eyeliner pencil in your lower water line. Black would be completely on point for any 80s look, but you can also use an eyeliner pencil that matches your eyeshadow to make the color even more dramatic.^{[8]
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Research source} Add 2 coats of mascara to finish your 80s eye makeup look.^{[9]
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- Blue and teal were especially popular eyeliner colors on the lower lash line, especially for glam and pop star looks.
- If you want a bright, wild look, try purple, green, or blue mascara.

8

Define your eyebrows with brow pencil.

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80s brows were usually dark, defined, and a little bushy. Pick a brow pencil that’s a shade darker than your natural brow. Using light, feathery strokes, fill in and define each eyebrow with your brow pencil for iconic 80s brows.^{[10]
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- Use a spoolie to comb through each brow and blend any harsh lines.
- You can also use brow powder or even eyeshadow for your brows—whatever you have on hand will work.

9

Crimp your hair for the ultimate mall vibe.

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Dry your hair completely before you get started. Clip most of your hair up on top of your head except the bottom layer. Grab a 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm) section of hair, slide it between the crimp plates close to your roots, and press down for 5 seconds. Release the hair, move down to the next section, and crimp again. Crimp each section top to bottom, then tease your hair gently and lock the style in place with hairspray.^{[11]
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- You can still buy crimpers online and at big box stores.

10

Dry curly hair with a diffuser for lots of volume.

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Use about a quarter-sized amount of hair gel and spread it all over your hair from root to tip. Fit your hair dryer with a diffuser, flip your head over, and gently scrunch your hair as you diffuse it. Once your hair is dry, flip your head back over and set your look with hairspray.^{[12]
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11

Curl your hair into ringlets to mimic an 80s perm.

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Use a ¹⁄₄ in (0.64 cm) curling wand to get super tight curls. Dry your hair completely and brush it out. Starting in the front, grab a 1 in (2.5 cm) section of hair and wrap it tightly around the curling wand. Wait for 3-4 seconds and release the curl. Move to the next 1 in (2.5 cm) section and repeat. Continue making tight ringlets all over your head. Give your hair a little tease and set it with hairspray.^{[13]
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- To minimize damage from teasing your hair, work a volumizing product into your hair first, like sea salt spray or dry shampoo. That way you won't have to tease your hair as much.^{[14]
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12

Tease short hair for tons of volume and height.

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Use a comb or pick to backcomb (tease) your hair. Work with small sections of hair at a time, starting at the roots and working your way down to the ends until you achieve plenty of volume. Generously apply hairspray after you finish each section and give your head an all-over misting of hairspray at the very end.^{[15]
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13

Try a high ponytail for a simple look.

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This is a cute, simple look for both straight or curly hair. You can also combine this with crimped or curled hair. Gather all of your hair on top of your head either in the center or off to the side a little. Wrap a hair elastic around your hair to hold it in place. Then, wrap a scrunchie around the base to hide the elastic, tease your ponytail, and set it with hairspray.^{[16]
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- Add a flashy headband to kick this look up a notch.

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It is ok if I have very short hair?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Of course! If you have enough to tease, just tease your hair with a comb or pick to create lots of volume. Then, apply plenty of hairspray to keep the style in place all day.

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Do you have to curl your hair?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Nope! You can pull it up in a high ponytail for a simple solution. If you have shorter hair, tease it to create a ton of height and volume, then lock the look in place with a generous amount of hairspray.

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Can I use different shades of eye shadow?

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Yes, but make stick to neon or light colors to give it more of an 80s look.

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Tips

Whether you prefer a more neutral, tamer look or a bolder, brighter style, there's an '80s look for you!

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Make sure to add earrings that are huge and bright, and rock lots of bright necklaces and bracelets. The '80s are all about color.
Need inspiration? Look at photos or videos of Madonna or Whitney Houston and copy their looks!

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