Amy Winehouse‘s powerful voice and tragic death made her an eternal icon. However, her signature makeup created a unique image we all remember when discussing the singer’s life and achievements.
Winehouse was exposed to music early on due to her jazz-loving father and London’s effervescent cultural scene. Her first album, 2003’s Frank, was greeted with critical and commercial success, quickly turning the British songwriter into an international sensation. She followed Frank with 2006’s Back to Black, whose titular single became one of her most beloved songs.
We can only imagine how incredible a third album from Winehouse would sound. Unfortunately, the star died in 2011 when she was only 27. It was no secret that the singer struggled with alcohol addiction, which would eventually claim her life. It’s a sorrowful story, but Winehouse’s songs remain extremely popular, standing the test of time as eternal monuments of her unique talent. In addition, Winehouse’s makeup helped to create a mediatic persona that’s highly recognizable and is still used to stamp all kinds of merchandising for music fans to keep.
How did Amy Winehouse use makeup to create a signature look?
Whenever Winehouse stepped onto the stage to give one of her breathtaking performances or showed up for an interview, the singer wore his signature makeup and hairstyle. Winehouse’s thick eyeliners extended beyond her eyelids, drawing curves on her face that helped to give her a distinctive look. The singer often wore bright red lipstick that helped reinforce the volume of her lips. Everything else was subtle, from the eye shadows to the base on her cheeks, which only drew more attention to her eyes and lips by contrast.
Winehouse was so careful about how she crafted her public image that there are few photographs of the singer with no makeup, especially from the years after she became a famous singer. Still, some paparazzi shots and candid pictures reveal her face when she was not wearing her eyeliner and lipstick. As it turns out, Winehouse was a beautiful woman with and without makeup.
Sadly, some pictures of her just before she died showed the grim effects of the addition, as dark circles carved canyons under her eyes, and her weight loss was perceptible regardless of her clothes. It’s heartbreaking to think Winehouse would be taken from the world so soon due to alcohol poisoning. Still, we are fortunate to have access to her magnificent voice.
The life and death of Amy Winehouse will be the subject of the biopic Back to Black, which will be released in theaters on May 10, 2024.