The Look of Marilyn Monroe

Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly, Rita Hayworth…these lovely ladies had classic beauty. The old Hollywood glamour make-up look seems to be making a comeback with celebs. Kat Von D, Anne Hathaway, Katy Perry and Gwen Stephanie make it part of their signature look. But unless you’re an A list celeb, this look is generally used for special events. Few people pull this off as an everyday look. So how do you pull off vintage Hollywood red carpet glam without it looking street corner harlot? Here are a few tips:

1. Those ruby red lips: Anyone can pull off ‘the red lip’, regardless of your skin tone. The Hollywood stars of yesteryear had flawless skin to complement their crimson pout but the key to getting this makeup look on point is to choose a color that matches your skin tone. Apply concealer around the outside of your lips to further define them. Honeybee shades to try: Desire, Risqué, Vintage Merlot, Burlesque.

2. Flawless skin: Unless you were born with a porcelain complexion, you may have to use a combination of foundation, concealer, and pressed powder to get that picture perfect look. Start with moisturizing your face, then use concealer to hide any blemishes or dark circles. Next, apply foundation and powder for a flawless finish. Our Pressed Powder Mineral Foundation has buildable coverage, so if your skin is pretty decent to begin with, you may be able to get that hi-def matte look with just one product.

3. Cat Eyes: Always a classic, this makeup look is becoming more of an everyday phenomenon. Check out our May 15, 2013 blog article for details on creating this look.

4. Well-defined brows: Perfectly groomed and defined eyebrows accentuate the eyes and give them a polished look. It seems that all the starlets had a well-defined, dark brow back in the day. Pluck, trim and shape your brows to a perfect arch. Then use a dark brow powder or liner to fill in and shape your eyebrows. Our JobaColors Eye Liner in Brown Sugar is often used for this purpose.

5. Keep eye shadow neutral: Don’t overwhelm your otherwise flawless makeup look with overpowering eye shadow. Use a cream or vanilla color on your eyelids so they aren’t competing with the rest of your face. A neutral palette will also draw more attention to the natural color of your eyes. Our Cosmopolitan Eye Shadow Palette is a good choice, or consider PowderColors shades Flirtatious and Chai.

6. A healthy glow: After achieving that flawless foundation, use a rosy powder blush on the apples of your cheeks. This will give you a nice glow and balance out your vintage inspired makeup look. Think porcelain doll, but don’t overdo it. You just want a hint of color. Try our Healthy Glow Mineral Blush in Kitten or Cherub.

7. Big lashes: It’s not too difficult to create the look of false eye lashes, without actually having to deal with the glue and sticky strips. First, use an eye lash crimper to curl your lashes. Then apply your first coat of mascara, working product from base to tip. Use a spooly or eye lash comb to separate any clumps. Once the first coat is dry, apply a second coat, focusing mainly on the tips of the lashes. If your lashes are long enough, you can even go for a third coat, remembering to remove any clumps.