In the spirit of Oscars season, we’re celebrating classic beauty movements and the movie moments that made them.
When these visions stole the silver screen they didn’t simply spark transient trends; they inspired true beauty movements that continue to be reinvented to this day…
The movie: Cleopatra (1963)
The scene-stealer: The film was nominated for nine Academy Awards, won four and should have been given another simply for the epic magnificence of Elizabeth Taylor’s eyes. Though perhaps not as authentic as historians would like, Taylor’s 1960s-tinged twist on the queen of the Nile instantly captivated an audience still in awe of colour and ignited a love for liner that still enthrals make-up artists today. Designer Alexander McQueen channelled her onto his Autumn/Winter 07/08 catwalk (pictured) and created the Egyptian-themed MAC for McQueen make-up collection in 2007.
The scene-stealer: Holly Golightly may be a more famous character, but it was Oscar-winning Princess Ann that transformed Audrey Hepburn from ingénue to icon. The signature short, chic fringe and gamine eyes became emblems of an era and Audrey’s glossy, heavy brows have since been revived by beauties from Brooke Shields to Hilary Rhoda. To this moment, however, no-one quite balances fully dressed lips with super styled brows quite as elegantly as Audrey.
The scene-stealer: Before Vivien, Rita and Marilyn, there was Marlene. And when Dietrich poured her fiercely female form into a tuxedo, she not only earned herself an Oscar nomination, she created a melange of the masculine and feminine which can be traced all the way to Diane Keaton in Annie Hall and the bowler-hatted Keira Knightley of Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle campaign. The secret of Marlene’s androgynous sexy? Ultra female signs, like velvety skin and arched eyebrows, ooze through the masculine hallmarks, leaving absolutely everybody intrigued. Oh, and those cheekbones.
The scene-stealer: While men were driven crazy by the curves barely restrained by Raquel Welch’s animal skin bikini, beehived 1960s women coveted her wild copper mane and glistening, sun-kissed skin. Raquel’s Loana is still worshipped as one of the sexiest screen goddesses of all time – not to mention the template for every swimsuit shoot since – and those untamed, voluptuous tresses have lived on as a symbol of sexy for superbabes from Cindy Crawford and Stephanie Seymour through to Gisele.
The scene-stealer: Mia Farrow’s pretty pixie cut has as much of a cult following as the classic horror flick that launched her. Is it the way the close crop accentuates her elfin frame and the innocent orbs of her eyes? Perhaps the bareness of a tomboy style spotlights the blossoming beauty beneath. Whatever it is that made us fall in love with Mia in Rosemary’s Baby, it’s worked the same magic for celebrities including Kate Moss (circa 2001), Winona (post-Johnny, pre-court), Natalie Portman and Michelle Williams.
The scene-stealer: Before there ever was a Pob, there was the Mia, via Uma. The second Mia Wallace slipped onto the screen with her blunt, jet black bob and dangerously dark nails, we knew she was trouble – then “in two shakes of a lamb’s tail” we manicured with Chanel Le Vernis in Black Satin and practiced being magnetically mod-cool. The vibe has never since fallen from vogue.
Icon Essentials:
Chanel Le Vernis in Blue Satin, 37icon update: a gloriously dark midnight blue, this month’s new Blue Satin is set to be the It colour of early 2008.
Andrew Collinge Simply No Kinks Straightener, $12.99
The beauty buff’s film guide
Oh, Miss Scarlett! – In Vivien: The Life of Vivien Leigh, Alexander Walker writes that The Gone with the Wind heroine’s make-up, which she would touch up every few minutes, included “fuchsia-red Elizabeth Arden lipstick“.
Stars and black soap – Marilyn made Chanel No. 5 famous when she revealed she wore only this to bed. But Marilyn was also dedicated to skincare by Hungarian dermatologist Dr Erno Laszlo. Erno Laszlo’s Black Soap was also a staple for Audrey Hepburn and Greta Garbo.
Bette Davis Eyes – Bette emphasised the most famous doe eyes in history with Max Factor eyeliner. Rumour has it that she could pull off her signature make-up move sans mirror.
Max & the movies – Max Factor was the make-up maestro of Hollywood’s golden age. In 1914 he created ‘Flexible Greasepaint’, the first make-up ever made for the movies, he was responsible for Clara Bow’s heart-shaped mouth, formed Joan Crawford’s ever-emulated full lip and painted the face of almost every major movie actress of the era. In 1930, he invented lip gloss.
Jean Harlow hair – Jean’s glamorously platinum locks are said to have been created with a blend of peroxide, ammonia, Lux soap flakes and household bleach!
Images courtesy IMDB.com and McQueen for MAC Cosmetics
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