Vaseline was a big part of Marilyn's makeup routine. She not only used it as a primer, but as highlighter, too!
A small container of Elizabeth Arden “Pat-A-Crème” Fashion Makeup, an Elizabeth Arden eyebrow pencil in black, and an Elizabeth Arden mascara wand in dark brown.
Marilyn Monroe's signature red lips were famously achieved with five coats of Guerlain's Rouge Diabolique lipstick.
Marilyn Monroe's bespoke skin-care routine from March 1959. Starting from the top, Marilyn's morning skin routine began with cleansing using Erno Lazlo Active Phelityl Soap and warm water.
To get her signature on-camera glow, Monroe would apply thick layers of Vaseline or white Nivea Creme under her makeup, while dermatologist Erno Laszlo kept her well stocked in his Phormula 3-9—a reparative botanical balm, specially created to heal a scar of hers—and Active Phelityl Cream, an all-purpose moisturizer.
Get the Monroe glow
She was also a fan of cold cream, like Pond's, and other iconic products we still use today, including Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream and Nivea Creme, and even olive oil, which she also reportedly applied to her skin to offset dryness.
Marilyn Monroe famously told interviewers that she wore Chanel No. 5 to bed (and nothing else), but it wasn't her only favorite. Like millions of other women, Monroe was a fan of Chanel No 5. However, in 2002, it was revealed that she also had a secret penchant for Floris Rose Geranium.
Marilyn's famous beauty mark was on her right cheek above her lip. She used to highlight the mole slightly with makeup. While she was alive and thriving in Hollywood, all the young girls and women of America went crazy following the beauty trends she set.
Marilyn Monroe's look was iconic, there's no doubt about it—a bold lip, big lashes, defined brows, and a beauty mark on her cheek. Of course, she didn't achieve that level of glam on her own. Marilyn's personal makeup artist, Allan “Whitey” Snyder, was responsible for creating the starlet's look.
Use Three Kinds of Eyeliner
So, Marilyn used three different colors of eyeliner to get it just right. For the upper lid and wing, she used black liner. For the lower lash line, she used brown, and in the water line, she used white to make the eyes look even bigger.
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.
Hollywood icons Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor used a common grooming tool to battle unwanted facial hair: a razor. Aesthetician Kate Somerville tells Style.com that the stars shaved their faces in order to obtain completely bare skin with the added bonus of exfoliation.
Her makeup tricks, including a glazed skin tip
But Marilyn was already ahead of the curve half a century ago. Rather than use a glittery highlighter, she preferred Vaseline under foundation for her glow in front of the camera.
Contrary to the claim stated in this episode and popular over the Web, Marilyn Monroe did not wear cosmetic contact lenses to change the color of her eyes from brown to blue. Her eye color was naturally blue. This is confirmed by the official Marilyn Monroe website and by her autopsy report.
More importantly, Monroe's appearance in Levi's® jeans helped popularize the denim pants — women wanting to dress as Marilyn bought their own blue jeans.
Jeans might seem like no big deal today, but back in the 1950s, Monroe set trends with everything she wore. "She was among the first to wear jeans," film producer Sam Shaw writes in the 1987 book Marilyn Among Friends.
Riding bicycles, walking, and romps on the beach were other favorite activities Marilyn did to stay in shape. She confessed to a 1952 LIFE interviewer that she worked out 10 minutes every morning with small weights.
To avoid washing it too much (which can affect the colour), she swore by a makeshift dry shampoo – Johnson's Baby Powder – applying every two days to keep her hair looking fresh.
Royal Jelly: Cleopatra used royal jelly in her beauty rituals to moisturize her skin. Royal jelly is collected from bees. It nourishes skin with essential vitamins and minerals and thoroughly moisturizes the skin. It also adds elasticity and boosts collagen production.
Each morning after I brush my teeth, wash my face and shake off the first deep layer of sleep, I lie down on the floor beside my bed and begin my first exercise. It is a simple bust-firming routine which consists of lifting five-pound weights from a spread-eagle arm position to a point directly above my head.
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.
Marilyn Monroe's Personal Erno Laszlo Beauty Products
From the estate of Marilyn Monroe, this collection includes one container of Erno Laszlo cream, one container of Erno Laszlo face powder, one container of Erno Laszlo 'blush' cream and a bottle of Erno Laszlo fluid.