From the bee-stung red lips to her trademark platinum curls, Marilyn Monroe was—and still is— the ultimate bombshell and beauty icon; she had a penchant for glamour that resonates with so many of us today. On what would have been her 98th birthday, Vogue takes a look at the star’s Old Hollywood beauty routine.
She stayed out of the sun
“I’m personally opposed to a deep tan because I like to feel blonde all over,” explained Monroe of why she stayed out of the sun—despite the fact it was in “vogue in California.” So forget the bronzers and fake tans many of us swear by today.
She liked a very specific shade of blonde
If you’ve ever wondered what hair hue Monroe requested when she graced the colorist’s chair, you probably wouldn’t guess it was “pillowcase white.” According to the author Pamela Keogh, Monroe had her hair bleached every three weeks with a roster of hairstylists, including Pearl Porterfield (who also tended to Jean Harlow’s pale blonde hair) and Kenneth Battelle. 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.
A nifty makeup artist’s trick for plump lips
How to create the full, pouty lips Marilyn was so well known for? A clever use of lipsticks, no less. Her makeup artist would apply up to five different red hues—darker, plummy reds on the outside, and lighter towards the inside—to create the illusion of dimension and plumpness. This a clever tip that many makeup artists still use today.
She knew the importance of sleep
A woman who enjoyed her sleep, Monroe took between five and 10 hours of shut-eye a night in a wide single bed. On Sunday? “[It’s] my one day of total leisure. I sometimes take two hours to wake up, luxuriating in every last moment of drowsiness,” she said in an interview with Pageant magazine.
What she wore to bed
Monroe famously didn’t wear clothes to bed, stating that pajamas and “creepy nightgowns” disturbed her sleep. What she did wear, however, was five drops of Chanel No.5, a perfume that she is also said to have added into her ice baths.
Yes… ice baths
While Wim Hof and numerous athletes have since popularized ice-cold showers and baths, Marilyn was well ahead of the curve. It is said that she used to take ice-cold baths to keep her skin firm and tight.