Beauty Boss From Whitney to Stranger Things, how to get the ultimate ’80s look
Opeyemi Adeyemo, founder of OPV Beauty, shares how to bring ’80s colour into your modern make-up bag
Big hair, bright outfits and bold colours became the look du jour in the 1980s – and now, thanks to the popularity of shows such as Netflix’s Stranger Things, the decade of decadence is back in style.
From eye-catching shades to the perfect pout, here, make-up expert Opeyemi Adeyemo shares how to bring the best of the ’80s into the 21st Century.
Double trouble
“There used to be an unspoken rule that you couldn’t wear bold make-up on your eyes and your lips at the same time,” said Adeyemo.“It was either or – then the ’80s completely flipped the idea on its head and said: ‘Do both!’
“Neon shades pigmented on eyelids with a bright red or pink lip is a gorgeous pairing, and you can take a modern spin with eye shape.
“Play around with eyeshadow placement to create different shapes, like the siren eye, which is a big trend right now.To get the look, use a pressed glitter on your eyelid then deepen out the crease to create a smoke wing.
“For the lips, you can never go wrong with a red, and I love
the hints of gloss.”
The eyes have it
Make-up in the days of Madonna and Blondie meant using a kaleidoscopic of colour, so Adeyemo recommends adding super shades to your eyelids.
She said:“Think vivid pinks, purples and blues – and if you’re really up for experimenting, try all of them at once! Use a primer before applying any shadow to help with staying power and make the colour more pigmented, then press the shadow onto your eyelids and blend if you need to – this will stop the colour from coming out patchy, and prevent you using up too much product.”
Ice ice baby
Looking to be bold? Emulate a pop icon.
“Although mostly associated with the ’90s where it gained popularity,‘frosted lips’ actually started in the ’80s with Whitney Houston,” said Adeyemo.“For today, opt for newer, duo-chromed pigments that have better light
reflectivity, like OPV Beauty’s Metallic Liquid Lipstick (£10, opvbeauty.com), which is available in 14 shades.”
Blushing beauty
Adeyemo continued: “One of the most symbolic make-up trends of the ’80s is XXL blush, or ‘draping’. It’s not exactly subtle, but it is fierce and will make you look fresh and flush!
“The idea of draping is to eradicate harsh lines between cheekbones and contour, so choose a gorgeous blush pink that looks like a natural flush, and work your way up the side to the temples of your forehead. Use a face palette that includes bronzer, highlighter and blush in one.” As told to Alice Hinds