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 PG 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.