Victorian Makeup Tutorial – DIY rouge and lip stain, with beauty tips

victorian makeup tutorial

Victorian makeup tutorial for a natural day time alternative for Steampunks and Romantic Goths. Also works well with other vintage looks…

In the Victorian era, makeup was considered horribly scandalous and women were encouraged to pinch their cheeks or bite their lips before they entered a room to create a little more colour. For a while now, I’ve been meaning to create a nice Victorian makeup tutorial for a look that’s suitable for daytime wear and doesn’t involve drastic Victorian beauty measures. This makeup tutorial is what I came up with! Behold, a slightly more natural-looking alternative for all you Victoriandustrial fansSteampunks and Romantic Goths. If the 19th century isn’t your cup of tea then have no fear, this tutorial is also perfect for some vintage looks

To achieve a naturalistic Victorian makeup style, we must create two things before we begin: a liquid rouge and lip stain.

Victorian makeup

Victorian makeup tutorial – rouge, lips and eyes

How to make your own Victorian rouge makeup

For rouge:

  • 1 clear travel-sized bottle (You can find these in a chemist’s or most supermarkets or wholesale stores)
  • 1 tube of liquid foundation/tinted moisturiser in your natural colour
  • 10 drops of red food colouring

How to make it:

The Victorians did love their beauty balms! Now you can make your own, but with an extra rouge tint. Take your foundation, squirt about half of it into the travel bottle and set it aside. Next, open the bottle of red food colouring and VERY CAREFULLY add ten drops to the bottle. After you’re done, put the cap on the travel bottle and shake vigorously till the foundation changes colour.

Next, we’re going to test the rouge. Put a tiny dab of rouge on the back of your hand and rub. Look at the colour. Does it stain too much? Add a tad more foundation. Only a tiny amount of colour showing? Add a few more drops.

IMPORTANT: The ideal amount is anywhere from 10 to 13 drops. Trust me.

How to make your own Victorian lip stain

Before you create and apply your homemade lip stain you can, if you wish, first use a homemade lip scrub to make your lips beautifully soft and smooth. The cinnamon in the scrub will increase the size of your pout, too.

For lip stain:

  • 1 tin of lip balm (this can be any brand, but it MUST be in a tin)
  • Plastic knife
  • Plastic plate
  • 8 drops of red food colouring
  • 1 cotton swab

How to make it:

Using the plastic knife, carefully scoop out the lip balm out of the tin and onto the plate. Next, mashup  the lip balm so it’s very creamy in texture. Then add your eight drops of food colouring and mix so the colour is nicely integrated. Finally, take a cotton swab and put some of the balm on your lips to test the colour.

Again, you’re looking for a slight pigment change. If you want a bright cherry red, add about three more drops. When you’re happy with the colour you have, take the plastic knife and smooth your lip stain carefully into the tin.

Now that we have our homemade makeup items out of the way, let’s get on with the look, shall we?

Victorian makeup tutorial for face, lips and eyes

Beside the foundation, rouge and lip stain mentioned above, you’re also going to need:

  • Makeup sponges or cotton balls
  • Lipstick brush or cotton swab
  • Black, brown or clear mascara
  • Brown or charcoal eyeliner (optional)

Rouge application tips:

First, take your makeup sponge or cotton ball and apply the foundation all over your face, including your eyelid area. Be careful not to get any in your eyes!

Next, put a pea-sized amount of the liquid rouge into the sponge/cotton ball and dab gently into the apples of both your cheeks. After you’re done dabbing, blend the rouge by making make long, sweeping upward motions. Now look into the mirror. Are your cheeks a flushed pink? If so, then congratulations! If you got a little too much red on your cheeks for your tastes, don’t panic. Just add a tiny amount of foundation to both cheeks and blend as described above.

Lip stain application tips:

After your cheeks are done, take your lipstick brush/cotton swab and apply some lip stain to your lips for a pretty reddish tint.

Eye makeup application tips:

To accentuate your eyes, put a little mascara on the top lash to darken your eye lashes. However, if you’re like me and you can’t possibly live a day without eyeliner, put a little brown or charcoal eyeliner on the bottom (or on the top, if you prefer to wear your eyeliner that way) and gently smudge so that your eyes have a natural-looking smokiness to them.

Well, there you have it. I hope you’ve enjoyed my little Victorian makeup tutorial. Now you can create a wonderfully realistic Victorian makeup look with bright red lips and rosy cheeks – and without all those horrid beauty measures that the Victorians had to contend with, too.


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