Marilyn Monroe's signature red lips were famously achieved with five coats of Guerlain's Rouge Diabolique lipstick. Although the original lipstick is no longer sold, many people report this red beauty from Besame to be a pretty close dupe. You'll find it to be a flattering shade of red for you too.
Get The Iconic Look
One of the most distinctive features of Marilyn's look is her ever-present red lipstick. Red lipstick is known to provide a confidence boost, and it was Marilyn herself that stated, “Give a girl the right lipstick and she can conquer the world”.
But what were the exact lipsticks that Marilyn Monroe wear? Believe it or not, her possessions were up for auction in 2016 — and it included a used Revlon lipstick in the shade Bachelor's Carnation.
Five Shades of Lipstick
Marilyn famously used five lip products to create her signature pout. Using darker colors towards the edges of the lips and lighter colors in the middle created a contoured effect. Then, she'd finish with a bit of white highlight in the middle of the lower lip and a coat of gloss.
Screen icon Marilyn Monroe famously said in an interview in 1952 that she wore "five drops of Chanel No. 5" and nothing else in bed.
Monroe loved wearing basic colors: beige, black, white and nude tones. The last time she wore red was at the 1958 “Gigi” movie premiere in Hollywood because the event called for wearing the color.
The classic red shade Marilyn so often wore on her nails was revealed to be the Revlon colour 'Cherries a la Mode' which the brand has since sadly discontinued.
Marilyn may have had a milky complexion, but every skin tone can benefit from avoiding the sun's harmful rays. “I'm personally opposed to a deep tan because I like to feel blonde all over,” Monroe reportedly once said.
In roles like Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Chérie in Bus Stop, the red lipstick was the ideal accessory to underscore her characters' femininity and seductiveness,” reads an excerpt from Red Lipstick: An Ode to a Beauty Icon by Rachel Felder (2019).
-Contour did not start with the Kardashians! -Marilyn used blush to contour her face shape since the 1950's. -In addition to sculpting the cheeks, Marilyn would add a touch of blush to the tip of her nose. -This added warmth to the face and slightly slimmed the nose.
Very little is known about the Royals and their beauty choices as they can't be seen to endorse products. However, it wouldn't be a stretch to say the Queen did have two lipstick brands she stayed loyal to for nearly 70 years: Clarins and Elizabeth Arden.
She would overdraw her her pout, then fill in the lips with a lighter lipstick for dimension. Famous for her signature red pout, Marilyn Monroe is practically the queen of overdrawing. Her lip contouring method consisted of applying darker reds on the outer corners and lighter hues brushed on the middle of the lips.
Marilyn Monroe who was born Norma Jeane Mortenson was an American model and actress. Although she was famous for playing “blonde bombshell” characters she was naturally a redhead.
The movie shows us a young Monroe before she legally adopted her stage name in 1956, and in those scenes, we see her with her natural hair color. Given Monroe's title of "blonde bombshell," maybe people are surprised to learn that the star's real hair color was more of a light brown.
To avoid washing it too much (which can affect the color), she swore by a makeshift dry shampoo—Johnson's Baby Powder—applying it every two days to keep her hair looking fresh.
Marilyn's sister, provides insights and confirms her blue eyes in her book. The official autopsy report confirms Marilyn Monroe's blue eyes, providing conclusive evidence.
It is the biggest small spot the world has ever seen. The infamous Marilyn Monroe beauty mark remains one of her biggest features remembered 50 years after her death.
Laszlo's instructions were as follows: In the morning, Monroe was to thoroughly wash her face and neck in warm water with Active Phelityl Soap (now known as the Phelityl Cleansing Bar), followed by Erno Laszlo's Shake-It Tinted Skin Treatment in Neutral all over the face.
The actress used a stick shadow Elizabeth Arden in White Lustre all over her lids up to the brow bone. As for skincare, Baroque in Babylon did a full inventory of Marilyn's top shelf, including Erno Laszlo Active Phelityl Cream which was found at her bedside. Half a century later, and this woman is still spellbinding.
Marilyn Monroe's toenail polish is highlighted in a number of portraits of her from the 1950s.
Marilyn Monroe's Iconic Hairstyle: To achieve Marilyn Monroe's famous hairstyle, you'll need to use hot rollers to create perfect curls. After that, you can add volume with teasing and hairspray and add shine with an oil or serum, like the Iles Formula Finishing Serum Haute Performance.
The shadow side of Marilyn wasn't glitzy and glamorous at all. In fact, her personal wardrobe was minimal as she would revisit a few staple pieces over and over again. Capri pants, boatneck lined shirts and neutral toned duster coats were some of her favorite go-to looks.
The backless, flesh-colored, sheer, form-fitting dress was inspired by a sketch by Bob Mackie. In addition to Marilyn Monroe's legendary beauty, thousands of crystals hand-sewn into the ensemble ensured that all eyes were on the Hollywood star. The dress was so tight that it had to be sewn before her appearance.
Monroe's famous sleepy bedroom eyes are actually a makeup trick, using eye shadow and white eyeliner to elongate the lower lash line to help eyes appear bigger and brighter.