From the bee-stung red lips to her signature platinum curls, Marilyn Monroe was – and still is – the ultimate icon of bombshell beauty; she had a taste for glamor that resonates with so many of us today. On what would have been her 98th birthday, Fashion takes a look at the star’s Old Hollywood beauty routine.
She stayed out of the sun
“Personally, I’m against a deep tan because I like to feel blonde all over,” Monroe explained why she stayed out of the sun – despite the fact it was fashionable in California. forget the bronzers and fake tanners that many of us swear by these days.
She liked a very specific shade of blonde
If you’ve ever wondered what hair color Monroe requested when she graced the colorist’s chair, you probably wouldn’t guess that it was a “pillowcase white.” According to author Pamela Keogh, Monroe had her hair bleached. every three weeks with a selection of hairstylists, including Pearl Porterfield (who also cared for Jean Harlow’s light blonde hair) and Kenneth Battelle. To avoid overwashing it (which can ruin the color), she swore by a makeshift dry shampoo—Johnson’s Baby Powder—which she applied every two days to keep her hair looking fresh.
A handy makeup artist trick for plump lips
How do you create the full, pouty lips that Marilyn was so famous for? A clever use of lipstick, no less. Her makeup artist applied up to five different red shades — darker, plum on the outside and lighter inward — to create the illusion of dimension and plumpness. This is a smart tip that many makeup artists still use today.
She knew the importance of sleep
Monroe, a woman who enjoyed her sleep, slept between five and ten hours a night in a wide single bed. On Sunday? “[Itâs] my only day of total free time. Sometimes it takes me two hours to wake up, enjoying every last moment of drowsiness,” she said in an interview with Procession magazine.
What she wore to bed
Monroe famously wore no clothes to bed, claiming that pajamas and “creepy nightgowns” disrupted her sleep. What she did wear, however, was five drops Chanel No.5a perfume she would also have added to her ice baths.
Yes… ice baths
While Wim Hof and countless athletes have since popularized ice-cold showers and baths, Marilyn led the way. It is said that she took ice-cold baths to keep her skin firm and toned.
