American vs. German: The Difference in Cosmetic Application

Part of making a great impression is getting the right makeup look. You can have all the right clothes but if the makeup is off, then the whole look is off. To better illustrate this, I made up three looks: A distinctly American look, an Ideal German look, and then one that was in between.  I hope that by having these examples side by side you can see the difference between an American look and a German look for the 1940s. I will not go too much into the history and the "did they wear it or not" argument because that's already been covered here. Instead, today it about the practical application for reenactors. 

To start, the typical 1940s cosmetics look is a bright red lip with rouged cheeks and more than likely a light eye shadow (the 1940s was an emphasis on the lips more than the eyes). The Americans had more access to makeup and beauty products in the 1940s than German women did, and they took advantage of it. In fact, the US government even encouraged women to wear makeup to boost morale at home. This look is a typical American look that is seen very often at events and the bold application is very visible compared to the next look. There are some sources of German women wearing makeup as heavy as this, but they are rather rare. Next up is a makeup look that would have been more common if makeup was worn at all. 

Up next is a makeup look that would work for German wartime impressions. It is a very light application of cream rouge on the cheeks and lips. The goal here was to keep the makeup as light as possible.  If you do choose to wear makeup for a German civilian look, I would be cautious and apply it as light as possible for a more natural look. As the war dragged on, cosmetics manufacture really, really dwindled and I can only assume so did its applications among women. 

Based on primary sources, the ideal look among German women was no makeup at all. Ideology preferred a no makeup look and the war made getting cosmetics difficult for the majority. With that said, no makeup is the ideal and here you can really see the visible difference. When creating your impression, consider this look - no lipstick, no rouge, no mascara, no lip plumper. Not only is it period correct but it's also crazy easy! 

I hope this has been helpful! Sometimes seeing the side-by-side differences can be especially when you are new to the hobby and are not sure what an American look is compared to a German look. After this post, now you know! Not only that but the difference, visually, is quite distinctive and proves that proper cosmetic application can really make or break it. Of course, and to make things more complicated than they need to be, always consider your final impression because that will really dictate what direction you go in.