by Brooke Varney
As a young child, as much as I loved and admired Britney Spears’ crimped hair and crop tops, my mother never let me replicate either trend, much to my dismay. However, I was also obsessed with celebrities that not many other children of the nineties looked up to like I did. I was mesmerized by Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face, Grace Kelly’s beauty alongside the equally striking Carey Grant in To Catch a Thief, and even tap-danced to Marilyn Monroe’s “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes for one of my dance recitals. It goes to show that there truly was never a time period filled with more beauty and elegance than the fifties and early sixties. A time when old hollywood starlets were dripping in diamonds and glamour, women around the world envied and vied for the secrets to their flawless looks. Now that I’m older, I not only wish I could be half as fabulous as my idols, but am on the hunt to track down the beauty products to recreate their signature looks, but also the actual products they used.
Audrey Hepburn
When asked what her tips for beauty were, Audrey Hepburn famously said, “For attractive lips, speak words of kindness, for lovely eyes, seek out the good in people…” Although this is certainly true, Miss Hepburn had many more beauty secrets. After realizing the toll years of constant styling had taken on her hair, Audrey sought the help of famous stylist Philip Kingsley, who developed the Elasticizer Pre-Shampoo Treatment. The product adds suppleness, bounce, and shine to the hair, restoring even the most damaged of locks. Audrey was also a muse of Givenchy, who developed a fragrance just for her, L’Interdit Givenchy. With top notes of aldehydes, spices, mandarin orange, peach, bergamot and wild strawberry, it’s perfect for any woman looking to smell classically sexy.
Grace Kelly
Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco truly lived every girl’s dream. Beautiful, royalty, and an Academy Award-Winning actress to boot, she was truly one of a kind. Her signature fragrance was a gift from her husband on her wedding day, which is available to everyone today in the form of Creed’s Fleurissimo perfume. Made to complement the royal bouquet as Grace walked down the aisle, it contains notes of tubereuse, Bulgarian rose, violet and Florentine iris. If it can make us feel even a little bit like a princess, count us in.
Ava Gardner
Miss Gardner’s flawless skin secret was not her’s alone. Legendary starlets including Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Marilyn Monroe all credited Erno Laszlo’s skin products as being life-changing, specifically the Sea Mud Deep Cleansing Bar. Suitable for combination and oily skin, the soap cleanses without stripping skin of natural oils, helping skin maintain its natural glow while maintaining healthy hydration and softness.
Sophia Loren
To this day, Sophia Loren is still strikingly beautiful and healthy. When asked what her beauty secrets are, among tips such as getting plenty of sleep and avoiding stress, she also credits olive oil for her ageless complexion and skin. Along with drizzling it on food, she also pats it on her face and adds two tablespoons to a bath for silky-soft skin. For a more manageable way to add olive oil to your beauty routine, try Bobbi Brown’s Beach Body Oil, which also contains other oils including avocado, jojoba, and sesame. Vitamins C and E are added to moisturize skin, along with a light, beachy scent.
Marilyn Monroe
One of the most universally recognizable women in history, Marilyn Monroe has been a beauty inspiration to women for decades. Her signature red lips were famously achieved with five coats of Guerlain’s Rouge Diabolique lipstick. Although the original lipstick is no longer sold, Guerlain’s KissKiss Shaping Cream Lip Colour in 320 Red Insolence is almost an exact dupe. The lipstick leaves lips luxuriously creamy and plumped, enough to have anyone’s pout envy even Miss Monroe’s.