Cleopatra eyeliner, bold new brows, and lips so red they make the heart race (literally) — there's precious little that's muted in makeup right now.
Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra, 1963
RUNWAY REVIVAL: Alexander McQueen, Louis Vuitton, Versace, Karl Lagerfeld, Anna Molinari, MaxMara
THE CLOSE-UP: Taylor's skin is perfection, her lips nude. Focus is on the black precision eyeliner — worn alone or with accents of turquoise, aqua, silver, and sapphire to enhance her famous violet eyes.
BACKSTAGE BUZZ: "It's all about hypnotic, mesmerizingly beautiful eyes," says Charlotte Tilbury, makeup artist at the Alexander McQueen show.
YOUR TAKE: Start with fine black liner along your top lashline (add more if you dare) as close to your eyelashes as possible. Cream liners create a rich, glossy finish, but for novices, a pen liner is easier to maneuver. Craving color? Use a navy liner or a soft wash of blue over your lids.
Veronica Lake as Joyce Harwood in The Blue Dahlia, 1946
RUNWAY REVIVAL: Gucci, Valentino, J. Mendel, Tuleh
THE CLOSE-UP: Lake's long, billowy waves frame dark, sultry eyes and intense garnet lips.
BACKSTAGE BUZZ: "Female icons of the '40s were strong and independent yet always flawless," says P&G Global Creative Design Director Pat McGrath, who channeled the decade behind the scenes at Gucci and Valentino.
YOUR TAKE: Modernize the postwar waves with simplified makeup — skip the eyeliner and go for the drama of false eyelashes, with a slick of ruby gloss over deep-red lip liner.
Raquel Welch as Constance de Bonancieux in The Three Musketeers, 1973
RUNWAY REVIVAL: Bottega Veneta, Behnaz Sarafpour
THE CLOSE-UP: A romantic braid-cum-hair band complements her maiden-pure sheer makeup.
BACKSTAGE BUZZ: "Can you say creamy, dreamy, and ethereal?" enthuses Tilbury of the makeup at Bottega Veneta.
YOUR TAKE: Use pale pink and peach to highlight cheekbones, nose, and forehead. For an angelic glow, add a little opalescent lotion (like MAC Strobe Cream) to décolletage and arms.
Alicia Silverstone as Cher Horowitz in Clueless, 1995
RUNWAY REVIVAL: Michael Kors, Stella McCartney
THE CLOSE-UP: As if! Classic California girl — long, flowing hair and bronzy-peach eyes, cheeks, and lips.
BACKSTAGE BUZZ: "This babe is always healthy, warm, and glowing. She embodies Michael's American fantasia," says Shiseido makeup artist Dick Page, who painted the faces at Michael Kors.
YOUR TAKE: Update this schoolgirl look with sheer colors and creamy textures on cheeks and lips; save rich metallics for eyes only.
Ingrid Bergman in Joan of Arc, 1948
RUNWAY REVIVAL: Lanvin, Burberry Prorsum, Romeo Gigli, Tracy Reese
THE CLOSE-UP: The heroine's strong, sometimes asymmetric bangs show off bold brows and a neutral face.
YOUR TAKE: Use the monotone palette as an opportunity to play up your features with textures — go for a velvety shadow on the eyes, a translucent powder on the skin, and a dewy balm on the lips. Fill in your brows just slightly with a powder that matches your natural hair color and set them with a wax or gel for a subtle sheen.
Milla Jovovich as Leeloo in The Fifth Element, 1997
RUNWAY REVIVAL: Marc Jacobs, BCBG Max Azria, Love Sex Money
THE CLOSE-UP: The sci-fi stunner works magic with monochromatic eyes, cheeks, and lips.
YOUR TAKE: Choose one flattering shade — bronze for redheads, peach for blondes, berry for brunettes — and play with various tones and textures to accentuate your features. But do it in moderation — save the most intense color for either eyes or lips.
Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's, 1961
RUNWAY REVIVAL: Bill Blass, Atsuro Tayama
THE CLOSE-UP: The original uptown girl — flirty eye makeup, a pinch of cheek color, and pretty lips with a pristine updo.
BACKSTAGE BUZZ: "I call these 'loose cat' eyes," says makeup artist Romy Solemi at Bill Blass.
YOUR TAKE: Today's cat eyes shouldn't be too dark or precise, or they will look costume-y. Smoke them up with graphite-colored shadows instead of black and finish with a silver highlighter near the inner corners. Go wild with the mascara.