15 Steps to a Perfect 70s Disco Makeup Look

01Prep and Prime Warm-Toned Skin {#step-1}

Close-up of a model pressing hydrating radiance primer with fingertips across the cheeks to prep skin for w…

Shimmer shows every flake, so start with a gentle exfoliation the night before and a moisturizer that's fully absorbed by the day of. Let hydration sink in for a full minute, then press — never rub — a satin or radiance primer over the center of the face where light naturally hits: forehead, nose bridge, and the tops of the cheeks. Reach for a glycerin- or squalane-based glow primer rather than a silicone blurring type, which can mute the sheen you're building toward. If your skin runs oily, use a lightweight mattifying gel primer only across the T-zone and keep the cheeks luminous, so the finish reads lit-from-within instead of greasy under warm bulbs. Combination and mature skin do best with a hydrating primer everywhere and a pinpoint of pore-blurring product on the nose. This layer gives bronzer and metallic shadow something to grip, and that grip is what stretches wear across hours of dancing. Ask your makeup artist for a "radiance-boosting, grip-style primer" if you're shopping at a counter.

02Build a Luminous Base {#step-2}

Model blending a glowy serum foundation with a damp sponge to create a satin skin base for retro disco makeup

70s beauty was all about skin that looked lit from within. Choose a foundation in the natural-to-radiant range and apply it sheer, building coverage only where you need it. A damp sponge bounced over the skin presses product into a second-skin finish; a dense brush buffs on slightly more coverage over redness or texture. Match the shade to your neck, not your jaw, and lean a half-step warm so the bronze that follows reads intentional rather than muddy. Spot-conceal under the eyes and around the nose with a creamy, hydrating formula one shade brighter, then tap the edges out so nothing sits in a hard border. Skip heavy full-coverage matte foundation and color-correcting layers here — the drama belongs on the eyes and lips, and a flat base kills the glow. If your skin is very dry, mix a drop of liquid illuminator into the foundation on the back of your hand. Base holds about 8 hours before it needs a blot; ask your artist for a "skin-finish" or "luminous" formula.

03Bronze the Face for Golden Warmth {#step-3}

Side profile of a model sweeping warm cream bronzer along the cheekbones and temples for a sun-kissed 70s glow

Warmth is the spine of this look, so bronzer does more work here than blush. Sweep a golden-toned product around the perimeter of the face — hairline, cheekbones, temples, and jaw — then drag the leftover on the brush lightly across the lids to unify the whole face in one tone. Choose a bronzer one to two shades deeper than your skin with a true warm undertone; matte or soft-satin textures flatter, while frosted or orange-based ones look dated. Fair skin glows in soft honey, medium in amber, olive in warm terracotta, and deep skin in rich caramel or copper-bronze. Build in circular motions with a fluffy brush so there's no cut edge, and mirror-check in daylight to confirm it melts rather than stripes. Pro tip: for a cream-on-cream disco finish, use a cream bronzer over your luminous base and set only the T-zone — that keeps the cheeks reflective. Ask your artist to "warm up the perimeter and lids, no contour carving."

04Place a Soft Peach Blush High {#step-4}

Close-up of peach cream blush blended high on the apples and cheekbones for a warm flushed disco finish

Over the bronze, add peach, coral, or warm-rose blush placed higher than usual — right on the apples and sweeping up toward the temple, so it reads flushed-from-dancing rather than doll-round. Match texture to your base: cream or liquid blush melts into a luminous foundation, while powder locks best over powder-set skin. Warm peach flatters fair and light-medium tones, coral suits medium and olive, and terracotta or berried-coral glows on deep skin. The trick is overlap — blend the lower edge of the blush into the top of your bronzer so the two become one continuous wash of warmth with no visible seam. Build in two thin layers rather than one heavy pass; you can always deepen the apple, but you can't easily lift a stripe. For round faces, extending the sweep more toward the temple adds length. Blush fades faster than bronzer, so a cream-then-powder sandwich holds longer. Ask your artist for a "lifted, high-placed warm flush."

Save this to Pinterest — the blush placement here is what gives the look its glow.

05Prime and Wash the Lids in Gold {#step-5}

Macro shot of a warm gold shimmer wash patted across a primed eyelid for luminous 70s eye makeup

An eye primer is non-negotiable for metallics — it gives shimmer a tacky base to cling to and stops it sliding into the crease by hour three. Once it sets, pat a warm gold or champagne shade across the entire mobile lid as your foundation color, using a flat shader brush and a press-and-roll motion rather than a sweep, which keeps the reflect intense and cuts fallout. Dampening the brush lightly amplifies the metallic payoff. This luminous base sets the disco tone and makes every layer above it read richer. For hooded eyes, carry the wash slightly above the natural crease so the color stays visible with eyes open; for deep-set eyes, keep the brightest gold toward the center to push the lid forward. Gold flatters most skin tones, but if you want something softer, a rosy champagne reads warm without full foil. Warm-brown eyes gain depth from antique gold; cool complexions can steer toward a peachy champagne. Ask your artist for a "foiled gold wash, patted not swept."

06Deepen the Crease with Warm Brown {#step-6}

Angled view of a warm chestnut shadow blended into the crease to add depth for retro glam eyes

Dimension comes from the crease, so work a warm brown — chestnut, terracotta, or bronze — into the socket with a fluffy blending brush and small windshield-wiper motions, starting with almost nothing on the brush and layering to depth. Thin passes are what separate a soft smoky gradient from a muddy smudge. Keep the shade warm; anything ashy or taupe-cool fights the palette and grays the whole eye. Set your crease color a touch below the actual crease so it stays visible when your eyes are open, then blend the top edge up into clean skin so there's no hard line, only gold fading to brown. For a cher makeup 70s effect, elongate the crease outward and lift it toward the tail of the brow for a stretched, editorial socket. Hooded and mature eyes benefit from a slightly higher, more diffused placement. Pro tip: tap excess off the brush onto the back of your hand before every dip. Ask your artist for a "warm, elongated cut crease, kept soft."

07Add Copper Shimmer to the Center {#step-7}

Close-up of a fingertip pressing metallic copper foil shimmer onto the center of the eyelid for a disco pop

This is the step that turns warm eyes into true dance-floor glam. Press a metallic copper or bronze shimmer onto the center of the lid, directly above the pupil, where it will flash with every movement under party lighting. A fingertip or a flat, firm synthetic brush and a straight patting motion give the most reflective, foil-like payoff — sweeping only knocks the sparkle loose. A whisper of setting spray misted onto the brush before you pick up the pigment turns a satin shadow into liquid metal and locks fallout down. Keep the shine concentrated in the center rather than spread wide, because a bright midpoint makes eyes look rounder, larger, and more awake, while an all-over foil flattens them. On deeper skin, a rose-copper or bronze foil reads especially rich; hazel and green eyes pop against warm copper. Let the earlier crease work stay slightly deeper at the outer corner so the center lifts by comparison. Ask your artist for a "foiled copper center, pressed damp."

08Sweep Color Along the Lower Lash Line {#step-8}

Detailed view of warm bronze shadow smudged along the lower lash line to frame the eye for 70s makeup

Framing the lower lash line wraps the warmth around the eye so the top and bottom stay balanced instead of top-heavy. Smudge a warm bronze or brown shadow along the lower lashes with a small pencil brush or a soft eye pencil you diffuse quickly, keeping it soft and blurred rather than a drawn line. Add a fleck of the center copper to the middle of the lower lash line for an extra light-catch that mirrors the lid. Placement should respond to your eye shape: for smaller or close-set eyes, concentrate the color on the outer two-thirds and leave the inner corner clean so you don't close the eye down; for round eyes, extend it slightly past the outer corner to lengthen. Connect the outer end of the lower line up into the outer crease so the whole eye reads as one shape. Pro tip: tightline a warm-brown pencil into the lower waterline for depth without harsh black. Ask your artist for a "smudged bronze lower frame."

09Line the Eyes with a Soft Wing {#step-9}

Three-quarter close-up of a soft brown-black wing being drawn along the upper lash line for retro definition

Skip stark jet-black liner — a brown-black, deep bronze, or espresso reads more era-authentic and blends into the warm shadow instead of cutting a hard graphic edge. Draw along the roots of the upper lashes first to fill any gaps, then flick a short, low wing from the outer corner, following the imaginary line that extends your lower lash line upward and out. Keep the whole thing slightly smudgy rather than razor-sharp for that lived-in, glowing 70s finish; a smudge brush softening the edge sells it. Tightlining the upper waterline makes the lash base look denser without adding weight. For hooded eyes, keep the wing thin and its tip above the hood line, then check the shape with eyes fully open so the flick doesn't disappear into the fold. Downturned eyes lift when the wing angles up more steeply. Pro tip: stamp the wing angle with a card edge, then connect it. Ask your artist for a "soft, low, smudged brown wing."

10Feather and Separate the Lashes {#step-10}

Macro image of a mascara wand feathering long separated lashes for a fluttery disco eye

Lashes define the decade, but the goal is long, feathery, and spiky, not a dense wall. Curl first with a full-crimp of the lash curler at the root, then coat with a lengthening (not volumizing) mascara, wiggling the wand at the base and combing cleanly through to the tips for separation. Let each coat dry for 30–60 seconds before the next so nothing clumps. For real disco drama, add spiky individual clusters or a lightweight strip lash, and place a few individuals on the lower line for that doll-like, spider-lash flutter Cher and her contemporaries wore. Apply lash glue with a thin line, let it go tacky for 20–30 seconds until the shine dulls, then set the band as close to your own roots as possible. A clean, dry spoolie combed through at the end re-separates the fringe and keeps it feathered. Ask your artist for "feathery, separated lashes with a few spiky individuals," and specify demi-wispies if you want lightweight strips.

Save this to Pinterest — pin it next to your favorite lash inspiration.

11Groom Full, Natural Brows {#step-11}

Close-up of a spoolie brushing full natural brows upward, softly defined for 70s makeup and hair harmony

The decade favored fuller, softly groomed brows with a natural arch, so skip anything sharply sculpted or over-drawn. Brush the hairs up and outward with a spoolie to reveal the real shape, then fill only sparse gaps with light, hair-like flicks using a fine pencil or brow pen a shade close to — or slightly lighter than — your natural color. A tinted or clear brow gel locks the fluffy texture in place while keeping movement. Full, balanced brows anchor the strong eyes and warm cheeks so the face doesn't read top-heavy. If your brows are naturally sparse, build with feathery strokes across the front and body rather than blocking in a solid shape, and keep the front softest so it looks grown-in. Match undertone too: warm-brown or taupe-brown pencils suit this palette better than cool grays. This natural framing is what ties your 70s makeup and hair together. Ask your artist for "full, fluffy, brushed-up brows — natural, not carved."

12Highlight the High Points {#step-12}

Side view of a warm gold highlighter being tapped onto the cheekbone and brow bone for luminous disco skin

Layer glow onto the high points where light naturally lands: the tops of the cheekbones, the brow bone, the inner corners of the eyes, the cupid's bow, and a fine line down the nose bridge. Choose a warm gold or champagne highlighter — icy silver and pearl fight the golden palette and can look ashy over warm skin. On deep skin, a bronze-gold or copper highlight reads especially rich; on fair skin, a soft champagne keeps it from going brassy. Tap the product on with a small fan or a fingertip for the most skin-like, molten sheen rather than a sharp stripe, and keep it off the center of the cheek where it can emphasize texture. A liquid or cream highlighter pressed on before powder gives a wet, lit-from-within glow that suits disco lighting; a fine powder on top makes it catch harder. Pro tip: a dot of highlighter right at the center of the copper lid doubles the flash. Ask your artist for a "warm, molten gold glow on the high points."

13Line and Fill Glossy Lips {#step-13}

Close-up of a warm nude-rose lip liner shaping the lips before a glossy 70s disco finish

Reach for warm nudes, peaches, soft roses, and brownish nudes rather than bright reds — earthy tones feel most authentic to the era and let the eyes lead. Line the lips with a pencil matched close to your natural lip tone, tracing just to the edge (or a hair over the top bow for fullness), then fill the entire lip in with the liner as a base so the color grips even after the gloss migrates. Blurring the liner slightly inward before you add product gives a soft, blurred fullness rather than a hard ring. Cool or blue-toned lip colors clash with the warm face, so keep everything golden-warm. This filled-in base stops gloss from feathering and lets you refresh shine through the night without redrawing the whole mouth. For thin lips, keep the liner soft and add the shine to the center; for full lips, define the edge more crisply. Ask your artist for an "earthy warm-nude lip, lined and filled under gloss."

14Add Center-Lip Shine {#step-14}

Macro shot of clear high-shine gloss dabbed onto the center of the lower lip for a plump disco pout

Gloss is the whole point of a disco lip, so apply a warm-toned or clear high-shine gloss over your lined-and-filled lips, then dab a little extra in the very center of the lower lip to create a plump, light-catching pout. That center highlight is an optical trick — the concentrated shine reads as fullness and dimension. For staying power, build a sandwich: a longwear liquid lip or stain first, blotted, then gloss on top, so the color survives drinks and dancing while the shine refreshes independently. Avoid overly thick, sticky glosses that grab flyaway hair on a sweaty floor; a cushiony non-tacky formula wears more comfortably. This is the element most likely to fade, so it's the one thing worth keeping in your bag. Pro tip: press lips on a tissue after gloss, then re-dab only the center to keep shine without slip. Ask your artist for a "clear or warm high-shine center-lip gloss over a stain."

15Set Everything for the Dance Floor {#step-15}

Front-facing portrait of a model misting luminous setting spray over finished bronzed 70s disco makeup with…

Lock it all in with a fine mist of setting spray held about arm's length so it falls as a light veil rather than wet droplets. Choose a luminous or natural-finish spray, never a fully matte one, so you keep the glow you spent 14 steps building. Setting spray melds the cream and powder layers into one, dissolves any powdery edges on the crease and cheeks, and helps everything survive a hot, crowded room. Let it dry undisturbed without pressing your face. For extra staying power in the heat, dust a translucent powder only on the T-zone before you spray, leaving the cheeks reflective. Then pack a smart touch-up kit: blotting papers, your gloss, a mini highlighter, and a cotton swab for any lower-liner smudge. Pro tip: a second, lighter mist after the first fully dries deepens the melded, second-skin finish. Ask your artist for a "luminous, long-wear finishing mist." Your warm, shimmering, feathery-lashed look is ready for the lights.