As Only Celluloid Can Deliver - Film Noir Makeup Tutorial

It was a night like any other. The dark alley, the lights of the bar sign were flickering outside. He was drinking a glass of scotch..or was it whiskey, when she walked in. He lit another cigarette, while she was approaching. Her face framed by the cigarette smoke, she leaned in and whispered… “I have a new tutorial on this makeup look!”

Excuse my attempt at a joke, but that scenery was what got me started on this makeup look! So if you want to look like you just popped out of a film noir story, follow the steps below!

Step 1

Prep your face by using a primer. I used Guerlain’s L’Or Primer, but you can use anything you might have. Add concealer wherever you think you might need it. I used Maybelline’s Age Rewind Eraser around my eyes, around the nose and mouth. I also added a bit on the forehead, just for good measure, you know. For foundation, I used the most lightweight one I had, and that was Make Up For Ever’s Water Blend Foundation. 

Step 2

This is an important step in order to get that film noir glow on your face! This may make the look less wearable in real life, but I promise, it will look amazing in pictures! Take some translucent loose powder (I used Deborah Milano) and some kind of oil that is safe for your face. I used 100% organic argan oil. Also, look for a shimmery white eye shadow you don’t mind ruining. Mix them all together in a separate container until you get to a creamy consistency. Take the mixture on your palms and gently dab it on your face. It’s important not to drag it like you would a foundation, because you have to get it in your pores as smoothly as possible.

Step 3

In order to give your brows that round shape, use an angled brush and some black eye shadow. For this I used the black color from the Meet Matte Trimony palette by TheBalm. If you have thicker brows than mine (which is most probably the case), you can block them out by using a glue stick and translucent powder. 

Step 4

Now moving over to the eye makeup. I used the same palette but this time, the color of choice was the dark brown one. Take a flat eye shadow brush and start defining your crease with small strokes. Once done, take a fluffy brush and blend it out upwards towards your brow. In order to give it some dimension, I added a concealer on the crease. Next, I used the Lancome Gradiose Liner to give myself a really thin cat eye. I added some mascara and for some extra sass, I glued in two rows of false eyelashes. One thing that is essential for this look was NYX’s Lid Lacquer. What this does is make your crease look really glossy. If you cannot find this product, you could also use some Vaseline, but not too much, because it’s gonna ruin your whole eye shadow work. 

Step 5

For the rest of the face, I used the Matte Trimony palette’s black color mixed in with the light beige for contouring. I contoured the hollows of my cheeks, under the jaw line and a bit on my temples. In order to glow a bit more, I also added the Mary Lou Manizer highlighter on the top of my cheeks. To make the whole look come together in absolute drama, I applied NYX’s Liquid Suede lipstick in shade “Alien”.  

You are done! You can now stand on the balcony overlooking the city, showcasing your figure in a velvet dress and stilettos. Release the smoke from you lungs into the crisp autumn air and wait for him to gently touch your neck, as he leans in for a kiss.