What Makeup Era Matches Your Inner Personality?

By: Talin Vartanian
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
What Makeup Era Matches Your Inner Personality?
Image: Peter Zelei Images / Moment / Getty Images

About This Quiz

Celebrities, YouTube stars and the rest of us use makeup and hair products on a daily basis to achieve a look of sophistication and elegance. It's a form of artistic expression that utilizes colors, textures and fancy beauty brands. But long before our time, several eras shaped and defined beauty standards for the future. These standards were inspired by Hollywood actresses, earlier eras (like the Edwardian era) and movies. So today, we're going to take a trip down memory lane with a few vintage beauty rules and techniques!

Back in the early 1900s, Mary Pickford showed off a makeup look that highlighted her natural beauty. Light lip dyes and face powders were popular since they emphasized a woman's feminine facial features. But you wouldn't find any eyeliner or mascara just yet, because these products didn't become well-known until the 1920s.

The flapper era was all about powder compacts, bright lipsticks and colored eyeshadow, which helped to make a woman feel more lively and confident. Makeup then evolved into light liquid foundations, tubes of mascara and dark lip liner. So no matter what makeup products you use today, remember that they're all evolutions of earlier beauty products!

Now, let's find out what your signature makeup era is with this beauty quiz!

Smooth Skin
RUNSTUDIO / Moment / Getty Images
Which of these would you try, to maintain a smooth complexion?
Lemon juice and vinegar
I prefer a natural complexion.
Vanishing cream
Light powder

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Getting a manicure
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How would you wear your nails to an enchanting vintage party?
I'll keep my nails bare.
Simple moon manicure
Colorful moon manicure
Solid, brightly-colored nails

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Buying Lipstick
Flashpop / DigitalVision / Getty Images
If you lost your favorite tube of lipstick, what would you use instead?
Lip dyes and/or tinctures
I would buy a new tube of red lipstick ASAP.
Lip liner
I have many tubes of orange lipstick in my bag, so we're good.

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Woman applying makeup
Mariana Alija / Moment / Getty Images
Which of these historical makeup looks do you prefer?
Rosy cheeks and a pale face
Bold red lips and dark eyes
Colorful eyes with a natural glow
Bright lips with natural eye makeup

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Woman applying makeup
moodboard / Cultura / Getty Images
Would you ever want to try black cake mascara?
Huh?
Of course!
Hmm ... maybe ...
I prefer tubes of mascara.

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Ava Gardner
Unknown via WikiCommons
Which of these actresses from the past would help to inspire your makeup looks?
Ellen Terry
Lillian Gish
Jean Harlow
Ava Gardner

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Woman plucking eyebrow
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Which of these historical makeup trends do you like the most?
Pure white powder for the face
Cupid's bow lip
Pencil-thin eyebrows
Arched eyebrows

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Washing Face
Michael H / DigitalVision / Getty Images
Back in the day, face washes were made from soaked flowers. Would you ever want to try this?
Of course!
I'll just make my own face wash.
Yes, but without the flowers
No thanks

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Makeup Products
Irina Marwan / Moment / Getty Images
What vintage makeup brand would you choose?
I'm not a makeup brand person.
Max Factor
Tangee
Besame Cosmetics

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Woman Applying Makeup - Vintage Style
lechatnoir / E+ / Getty Images
Your romantic date would surely be impressed by which of these vintage hairstyles?
Barley curls
Finger waves
Sculpted waves
Rolled curls

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Applying Makeup
Guido Mieth / DigitalVision / Getty Images
What part of your face do you like to enhance the most?
My complexion
My eyes
My eyebrows
My lips

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Compact Powder and Concealer
Irina Marwan / Moment / Getty Images
How about a powder from the past to enhance your facial features?
Rice powder
Loose face powder
Ivory-tinted powder
I prefer a light liquid foundation.

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Woman wearing glitter
Keith Clouston / Cultura / Getty Images
Be honest here: how do you personally feel about glitter in makeup?
I know nothing of "glitter."
I prefer a matte look.
I love glitter!
A small amount of shimmer is more appropriate.

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Applying Rouge / Blush
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How would you rate your skill level when it comes to the "tri-dot system"?
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Expert

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Applying Makeup
Clarissa Leahy / Cultura / Getty Images
Which of these vintage makeup rules do you believe in?
Groom the eyebrows with your finger.
Use a lighter shade of powder.
Contour the eye using an eyeliner pencil.
Use a darker shade of foundation.

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Applying Perfume
Visoot Uthairam / Moment / Getty Images
Your inner personality is best matched to which of these fragrances?
Vivaudou's Mavis Talcum Powder
Roger & Gallet Le Jade
Bourjois Perfume
Coty Emeraude

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Red Lipstick
Veronique Beranger / DigitalVision / Getty Images
If you were shopping at a vintage makeup store, which of these products would you buy?
Venetian talc
Cleansing cream
Noir red lipstick
Pancake foundation

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Rouge
Moyo Studio / E+ / Getty Images
What's the best way to apply rouge to your face?
Apply it everywhere!
In a circular fashion
In a triangular fashion
Right on the apples of the cheeks

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Vintage Clothes in Closet
JAG IMAGES / Cultura / Getty Images
Which of these dresses from the past suits your personality?
Pioneer dress
Flapper dress
Plaid shirtdress
Long-sleeve maxi dress

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Gorgeous Woman
Martin Novak / Moment / Getty Images
What does your ideal makeup look say about you?
That I'm elegant
That I'm confident
That I look like a Hollywood celebrity
That I look like a retro pin-up model

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Beautiful Smiling Happy Woman
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How would you describe your inner beauty?
Feminine
Fierce
Glamorous
Classic

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Beauty Treatment Cucumber Eyes
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Which of these old-school beauty treatments would you like to try?
I don't need special beauty treatments.
Wearing a rubber mask
Using a variety of sliced fruits as a mask
Wearing a heated mask

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Harvested Vegetables
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Diets were once a big part of one's beauty routine. Which of these historical fad diets would you want to try?
Chewing food (really) thoroughly before swallowing
Smoking cigarettes to reduce one's appetite
Eating/drinking only bananas and skim milk
Eating a smaller quantity of food

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Women Wearing Hats - Fedoras
Jose Luis Pelaez Inc / DigitalVision / Getty Images
Which of these vintage hats would make you feel more fashionable?
Bonnet
Cloche hat
Knitted cap
Fedora

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Friends Doing Makeup Together
Klaus Vedfelt / DigitalVision / Getty Images
How much time would you spend doing your makeup in the powder room?
Less than 20 minutes
Between 40 and 60 minutes
Over an hour
Between 20 and 40 minutes

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White Face Cream
Bruno Gori / Cultura / Getty Images
Which of these vintage skincare products would you be interested in?
Honey salve
Cold cream
Vanishing cream
Setting lotion

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Woman brushing hair
Charday Penn / E+ / Getty Images
All you want for Christmas is which of these historical hair tools?
A simple hairbrush will do.
I don't need hair tools.
Horn comb
Roll & Go

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Applying Face Powder
Image Source / Image Source / Getty Images
How do you apply your face powder?
With my hands
With a large powder puff
With a small powder puff
With a regular makeup brush

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Applying Lipstick
Kathrin Ziegler / DigitalVision / Getty Images
What lipstick color do you prefer more: cherry red or orange red?
I prefer more neutral lip colors.
I could pull off either of these.
Cherry red
Orange red

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Gorgeous Woman
Tim Robberts / DigitalVision / Getty Images
Which of these life quotes resonates with you the most?
"There comes a time in every woman's life when the only thing that helps is a glass of champagne." — Bette Davis
"Nobody gets anything for nothing." — Gloria Swanson
"Life would be so wonderful if we only knew what to do with it." — Greta Garbo
"I think the most important thing a woman can have — next to talent, of course — is her hairdresser." — Joan Crawford

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