Not Twiggy, Not Jean Shrimpton: This Beauty Claims She Was The Real '60s Makeup Trendsetter

The 1960s is one of the most interesting decades for beauty. From teased-up beehives to bold eye looks, the era's full-glam is still beloved today for its standout aesthetic. Among the most iconic makeup looks from legendary '60s models was Twiggy's graphic eyeliner and drawn on lower lashes, as well as Jean Shrimpton's bold, editorial eyeshadow. While many attribute the popularity of dramatic 1960s' eye makeup to the two British models, Nancy Sinatra doesn't agree. The daughter of iconic crooner Frank Sinatra, Nancy cultivated her own legendary music and acting career; with her recognizable blond hair and trendy mod outfits, she was also a '60s style icon in her own right. 

Nancy took to X in September 2026 to set the record straight about who really started the bold eye makeup trend: She did. "I think I was the one who started the whole eye makeup craze in the '60s. Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy weren't doing it then. I created my look on my own, although Aida Grey modified my brows because I was doing them wrong," Nancy wrote. 

The "Bang Bang" singer went on to reveal that she regrets not capitalizing on her status as a beauty and fashion tastemaker. "If I had my wits about me in the '60s, I would have gotten involved in the fashion and makeup industry, since I was so closely identified with both," she explained. "I really didn't know how to market myself, and maybe I didn't have the right people around me at the time to help me turn it into something bigger." Nevertheless, as Nancy Sinatra's best-dressed moments in her 60s and beyond have shown, the star has been a style icon for decades, and has no interest in stepping back any time soon.

Alongside the throwback pics of '60s model Jean Shrimpton that completely capture the era — whom Nancy Sinatra named with Twiggy as a trendsetter of editorial makeup — are plenty of flawless portraits of Sinatra. Back in 1966, Sinatra admitted to The New Musical Express that when she was working as an actor, her makeup took up to two hours to complete (via The Guardian). As one of the decade's style trailblazers, she had fans writing to her after her "Movin' with Nancy" special aired in December 1967, all for makeup advice. While Sinatra wrote on X that she still has mixed feelings about the majority of her fan mail being about makeup, she has now posted her eye makeup routine for all to see.

"When I was young I used black eyeliner and lots of layers of Maybelline mascara in a small old-fashioned tube with a little separate brush applicator ... The secret is to create a large distance between the eyebrows and eyelashes. You do that with different colors," Sinatra wrote on X. "A little strip of white powder just under the eyebrow, a crescent of dark brown shadow in the crease, a lighter shade on the lid itself, and dark eyeliner at the lash line. Don't forget to blend!" 

The "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" singer also gave fans a few general beauty tips: Use one of MAC's neutral powders to blot but not "kill the all-over glow of the skin," always remove makeup at the end of the day, and reduce the amount of foundation worn as you get older. Whether or not you agree that Sinatra started the mod makeup trend, you can't deny her massive influence on music, fashion, and beauty throughout the 1960s.