Starry-Eyed Beauty, Zodiac Makeup, and the Astrology Craze of 1970
When American teenagers opened the February 1970 issue of Teen Magazine, they encountered more than just a glossy spread of makeup tips. They were stepping into a cultural moment where astrology, fashion, and beauty collided. In a colorful, eye-catching feature called “Starry-Eyed Beauty,” the magazine offered makeup advice for every zodiac sign — pairing close-up photographs of styled eyes with playful zodiac illustrations and detailed beauty instructions.
For young readers, this wasn’t just about eyeliner or shadow. It was about identity. In an era of social change, youth rebellion, and shifting gender roles, horoscopes and zodiac fashion gave teenagers a way to express themselves, claim individuality, and belong to something bigger.
By 1970, the United States was in the midst of dramatic cultural transformation. The optimism of the early 1960s had given way to the turbulence of Vietnam War protests, the counterculture, and the women’s liberation movement. For teenagers, these years brought both freedom and uncertainty — and many turned to astrology as a comforting guide in a world that felt unpredictable.
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Astrology Mania: Newspapers and magazines regularly ran horoscope columns. Linda Goodman’s Sun Signs (1968) became a publishing sensation, selling millions of copies and cementing astrology as part of mainstream youth culture.
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Fashion Meets the Zodiac: From jewelry charms to T-shirts, zodiac symbols appeared everywhere. Young people embraced them as both personal identity markers and fashion statements.
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Teen Identity and Self-Expression: For girls in particular, beauty and fashion were avenues of self-definition. Teen Magazine recognized this and combined the allure of astrology with practical makeup tips.
The “Starry-Eyed Beauty” feature reflected this cultural moment perfectly. By tying zodiac signs to makeup looks, Teen gave its readers permission to experiment — to see themselves as cosmic, stylish, and unique.
The Visual Design
The spread was one of the most striking in the issue:
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Twelve close-up photos of models’ eyes, each styled with eye shadow and mascara tailored to a zodiac sign.
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Pop-art zodiac illustrations beside each pair of eyes, rendered in bold, psychedelic colors typical of late-1960s and early-1970s graphic design.
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Clean, modern layout balancing photography on the left page with descriptive beauty text on the right.
The effect was both playful and aspirational. Readers could study their sign’s look and replicate it at home, using colors and styles that promised to enhance not only appearance but personality.
Zodiac Makeup Breakdown
Each zodiac sign came with specific beauty advice:
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Capricorn – Earthy greens and golds to reflect their steady charm.
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Aquarius – Bright aqua blues and seafoam shades for originality.
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Pisces – Soft greens and shimmering sea colors to mirror their dreamlike nature.
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Aries – Bold watercolor blends of orange, gold, and green to match fiery energy.
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Taurus – Gentle pinks and earthy greens, practical yet romantic.
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Gemini – Frosty blues and silvers to capture their playful duality.
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Cancer – Moody violets and silvery tones for emotional depth.
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Leo – Golds and bronze shades for glamour and sun-like warmth.
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Virgo – Cool greys and understated elegance, “less is more.”
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Libra – Balanced lilacs, silvers, and shimmering blues for harmony.
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Scorpio – Dark smoky eyes and metallic greys for intensity and allure.
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Sagittarius – Adventurous silvers and bold lash lines to reflect optimism.
This wasn’t just makeup advice — it was personality codified in cosmetics. For teens, it offered both guidance and fantasy, a way to look in the mirror and see their star sign reflected back.
Styling Credits
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Makeup: Yardley of London — a leading teen cosmetics brand known for its mod aesthetic and celebrity endorsements.
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Design: Christina, Christine’s Beautique, Los Angeles.
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Photography: Bud Fraker, famed Hollywood photographer who shot icons like Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe.
The inclusion of Yardley anchored the feature in brand authority, while Fraker’s photography elevated it beyond a simple how-to into the realm of glossy editorial art.
Teen Magazine was more than a publication — it was a mirror of American adolescence.
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It blended advice columns, fashion spreads, beauty tutorials, celebrity profiles, and music reviews into a package designed to speak directly to teenagers.
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It made readers feel seen and heard, publishing their questions, showcasing their style, and even involving them in contests.
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By the late 1960s and early 1970s, Teen tapped into astrology, food trends, and party culture as part of its editorial voice, ensuring that it felt current and essential.
The “Starry-Eyed Beauty” feature epitomized this blend. It was fashion and fun, but it also captured the spirit of an era where teenagers were encouraged to explore identity through personal style.
Why is this issue — and this feature — collectible?
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Cultural Snapshot: It captures the exact moment when astrology peaked in popularity, linked to beauty and fashion.
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Visual Appeal: The spread is colorful, stylish, and quintessentially 1970s, making it highly desirable for collectors of graphic design and fashion history.
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Brand Significance: Featuring Yardley of London ties it to one of the most iconic cosmetic brands of the youth market.
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Photography: Bud Fraker’s involvement adds historical weight, as his Hollywood photography is celebrated in its own right.
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Rarity: Teen magazines were often discarded after use, so surviving issues in good condition are valuable to collectors.
Owning this issue means holding a time capsule of beauty culture in 1970 — a moment when zodiac signs and eye makeup merged to define teenage self-expression.
Vintage teen magazines like Teen endure because they are more than paper. They are artifacts of youth culture, gender roles, and generational aspirations.
For today’s readers, they offer:
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A nostalgic return to the optimism and experimentation of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
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Insight into how teenagers were marketed to — and how they shaped culture in return.
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A visual archive of trends that still inspire fashion and beauty today.
In an era where astrology has once again surged in popularity among Gen Z, looking back at Teen’s zodiac makeup advice feels both retro and surprisingly current.
If you’re searching for “Teen magazine February 1970,” “vintage Teen magazines,” “1970s Teen magazines,” “collectible Teen magazines,” “astrology Teen magazine feature,” or “buy original Teen magazines,” this issue is a must-have.
It doesn’t just offer makeup tips. It offers a window into how teenage girls in 1970 defined beauty, personality, and style through the stars.
From the 1950s through the 1980s, every issue of Teen captures a slice of youth history. Whether you’re a collector, cultural historian, or nostalgic fan, these magazines remain essential artifacts of American teenage life.
The “Starry-Eyed Beauty” feature in Teen Magazine’s February 1970 issue was more than a beauty tutorial. It was a cultural statement, fusing astrology, makeup, and teen identity into a single vibrant spread.
For teenagers paging through the magazine in 1970, it offered both guidance and glamour: a way to look in the mirror and see themselves not just as students or daughters, but as stars in their own right.
More than fifty years later, this issue remains highly collectible, reminding us that teen culture has always been about more than surface style. It has been about dreaming big, experimenting with identity, and finding meaning in the everyday rituals of beauty and fashion.