As one of the most iconic women of all time, interest in Marilyn Monroe's beauty regime is hitting an all-time high with the launch of the Netflix biopic Blonde. While her trademark icy blonde pin curls and bee-stung lips have taken up column inches over the years, what's less known is that the ‘50s screen siren was already tapping into beauty trends that are going viral on TikTok today.
Incredibly, Marilyn Monroe’s beauty regime was the perfect cross between Old Hollywood and techniques that have found their way into our daily regimes in 2022, such as lip contouring and slugging with Vaseline. Here's everything you need to know…
How Marilyn looked after her skin
A mantra for many run-from-the-sun beauty editors is to avoid UV damage if you don't want your skin to be etched with wrinkles and patches of uneven pigmentation. This was something Marilyn was also religious about, albeit for slightly different reasons. “I’m personally opposed to a deep tan because I like to feel blonde all over,” she once said.
Marilyn was also a regular client at dermatologist Erno Laszlo's practice. He was famous for his strict approach to cleansing, which required 30 splashes of warm water to the face, and Marilyn is said to have used his Phelityl Cleansing Oil. According to facialist Nichola Joss, the reason cleansing oils are so effective at removing makeup (much of which is oil-based) is because they are lipophilic. “Oil attracts oil, so excess sebum and makeup dissolve better with an oil-rich cleanser,” she says. They're also especially good for dry skin, which Marilyn reportedly had, as they're packed with soothing oils and humectants so skin never feels tight or uncomfortable.
The star then followed up with the Erno Laszlo Active Phelityl Intensive Cream, an all-purpose moisturiser. Nivea Creme and Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream were other favourites she purportedly slathered on for juicy skin.
Well before ice globes became popular, it's said the Marilyn would take ice-cold baths to keep her skin firm and tight. Experts agree that a little chill can coax skin into revealing a tighter, smoother version of itself. “Cryotherapy gives a cold shock to the skin’s surface, which dramatically improves blood flow to the targeted area,” says Ada Ooi, facialist and founder of 001 Skincare. “More nutrient-rich blood means toxins are flushed away and water retention is reduced, leaving skin looking plumper and more radiant within a matter of minutes. Freezing temperatures also cause muscles to temporarily contract, giving them a firmer, lifted appearance.”
Her makeup tricks, including a glazed skin tip
Respectively, ‘glazed donut skin’ has clocked up over 58 million views on TikTok and ‘slugging’ a further 25.4 million. 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. It's a trick not unlike that favoured by Hailey Bieber, who recommends patting the Peptide Glazing Fluide from her Rhode Skin collection over cheekbones with a sponge.
Likewise, makeup artist Nam Vo is a fan of tapping the Pat McGrath Divine Skin Rose 001 The Essence on to the high points of the face for a glassy, light-reflecting effect.
Proving just how relevant Marilyn's makeup regime is today, her eyeshadow trick recently went viral under the hashtag #marilynmonroemakeup. As it turns out, Marilyn's famous sleepy bedroom eyes are the result of pairing eyeshadow with white eyeliner to elongate the lower lashline. Celebrity makeup artist Clarissa Luna, who works with Megan Fox, previously told GLAMOUR: “While the cat flick on top is meant to elongate the eye and give a fuller lash line, the bottom line is meant to create a shadow from the lashes, drawing the eyes down. The white liner on the waterline is meant to make the eyes look big and bright.” In addition, she recommends using a brown or taupe shade of eyeshadow to create this shadowy effect.
As for Marilyn's legendary pout? Her make-up artists reportedly applied multiple shades of red lipstick – dark berry reds on the outside and lighter pillar box hues on the centre – for a pillowy effect. For similar results, “use a lipliner to really define the lip and then add a pop of lighter red colour to the middle to create a multi-dimensional lip,” says Rachel Hardie, lead artist at Nars, who notes that the brand's Inappropriate Red Lipstick is a timeless vampy red.
Marilyn's favourite fragrance
When it comes to her beauty habits, Marilyn is probably most famous for saying in an interview: “You know, they ask me questions. Just an example: What do I wear to bed? So I said ‘Chanel No. 5’ because it’s the truth!” With over 80 ingredients made up of notes such as sandalwood, vetiver, May rose, jasmine and aldehydes to add a champagne-like fizz – a first at the time of its creation – Chanel No.5 Eau de Parfum remains the epitome of low-key elegance to this day.
Her favourite shade of blonde
In her own words, "pillow case white" was the hair colour Marilyn favoured for her pale blonde locks. According to Vogue, the author Pamela Keogh noted that Monroe had her hair bleached every three weeks and swore by dry shampoo— baby powder on her roots.
Halley Brisker, hair stylist to Ana de Armes, who plays Marilyn in Blonde, notes that while blonde hair colours are eye-catching, it's important to mitigate the damage that bleach wreaks on hair. “Dying your hair with permanent colour or bleach can have a big impact on the health of your hair, so it pays to have processes in place that can help to keep your hair feeling and looking healthy when doing so," says Halley. “I would always recommend ensuring that you are using some form of bond repair shampoo and conditioner before and after to ensure you are helping to repair structures in need of attention.” Try the Olaplex No.4 Shampoo and No. 5 Conditioner bundle.
"Also avoid any intensive heat processes like straightening or tonging for up to a week after going blonde,” he continues, adding that supplementing with biotin can improve strand strength and reduce breakage. The Viviscal Maximum Strength hair supplement is his go-to.
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