12 Old Hollywood Beauty Secrets That Made Our Hair Stand on End
Many of us have dreamed of looking as flawless as Marilyn Monroe or Audrey Hepburn at least once. But we rarely consider that it took them much effort to achieve a perfect red-carpet look. And sometimes, actresses had to take risks. We got curious and found out what bizarre and even dangerous beauty tricks movie divas of the past used.
Shaved their eyebrows off
CAP / SFS / Capital Pictures / East News
Curved eyebrows with exaggerated height were considered fashionable in the 1930s. Actresses removed their hair and drew the desired eyebrow line with a pencil to get this look.
For example, Marlene Dietrich shaved her eyebrows off completely. She opted for arched lines and also tried to place them above her natural eyebrows to make the eyes appear more open.
Some women encountered unpleasant consequences of the procedure. For example, Lucille Ball was asked to shave her eyebrows off for the role in “Roman Scandals”. However, they never grew back.
Used shampoo with hops and barley malt
Columbia Pictures / Collection Christophel / East News, Album Online / East News
Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn were particularly fond of this method. The actresses used shampoo with hops and barley malt to make their hair look thicker, fuller, and healthier. The actresses used it even though it left a strong smell on their hair.
Got rid of extra pounds with the help of colon cleansing
Paramount Pictures / Collection Christophel / East News
Actress Mae West often resorted to colonic irrigation. She believed this method removed toxic substances from her body, helping her maintain a slim figure and clean and glowing skin.
Some modern celebrities, such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Paris Hilton, also use this method. However, we must consider that there is no scientific evidence that this procedure has any real effect. Moreover, colon cleansing can be dangerous to health, so using it without consulting a doctor is not recommended.
Tried to make their chin more defined
Mary Evans / AF Archive / Mary Evans Picture Library / East News
Actresses always had to be sure that their skin was tight. They paid special attention to the chin. For example, Joan Crawford constantly chewed gum, believing it strengthened the lower jaw. And Marilyn Monroe, according to some reports, even resorted to plastic surgery. She inserted bovine cartilage into her chin.
Constantly wore tight underwear and bras with molded cups
Mary Evans / AF Archive / Cinetext Bildarchiv / Mary Evans Picture Library / East News
Actresses created curvy body shapes with the help of special underwear. Women wore bras with pointy pads, high-waisted panties with an elastic band around the waist, and corsets that narrowed the waist and hips and lifted the breasts.
Such underwear was worn regularly. And some actresses barely took it off. For example, Marilyn Monroe always slept in a bra to keep her breasts firm.
Separated their lashes from each other with a pin
Audrey Hepburn loved this trick. She achieved her famous doe eyes look in a rather dangerous way. She applied mascara and then separated her lashes with a pin to avoid clumps.
Removed freckles with electricity
This device was used for freckles removal.
Clean and glowing skin without a single spot was considered the ideal of beauty. That’s why actresses had to get rid of freckles. They used a special appliance for this purpose — a high-frequency violet ray powered with an electric current.
Used food as beauty products
Image supplied by Capital Pictures / EAST NEWS
Hair, face, and body masks made of food products were often used. For example, Rita Hayworth dabbed her hair with olive oil, wrapped it under a towel for 15 minutes, and washed it with lemon juice. Joan Crawford washed her hair with raw eggs. According to the actress, she learned his trick from Katharine Hepburn. Joan Blondell (in the photo above) applied a face mask made of cottage cheese.
Dyed their hair with unsafe chemicals
CAP / SFS / Capital Pictures / East News
Actresses used different methods to lighten their hair. Sometimes, the products they used to achieve platinum blonde hair were not the safest option. For example, Jean Harlow opted for a vicious mix of hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, and washing powder.
Were exhausting themselves with rigid diets
Collection Christophel / Collection Christophel / East News
Old Hollywood stars exhausted themselves with strict diets that would allow them to shed a few pounds in a couple of days from time to time.
For example, Susan Hayward (in the photo above) sometimes ate only two eggs and three tomatoes daily. And Norma Shearer occasionally removed meat, fish, eggs, and cheese from her diet and ate primarily fruits and vegetables. When it was time to film a movie, Jean Harlow refused almost all the food and ate only vegetables and light salads.
Shaved their face
Metro Goldwyn Mayer / Collection Christophel / East News
Movie divas wanted to achieve a flawless complexion. That’s why many of them got rid of any, even the tiniest hair on their face. It’s known that Elizabeth Taylor regularly resorted to shaving.
Applied vaseline
Many Hollywood stars used petroleum jelly for both facial care and makeup. For example, actress Bette Davis put a layer of it under her eyes at night to protect against puffiness and dark circles. Marilyn Monroe never left the house without petroleum jelly on her eyelids. She borrowed this trick from Greta Garbo, who rubbed it on her eyelids before applying eyeshadow.
Actress Doris Day covered her body with petroleum jelly. She applied it before going to bed once a month. To boost the effectiveness of this method, Day would put on pajamas, socks, and gloves and go to bed dressed that way.
Since time immemorial, women have dreamed of looking flawless. Cleopatra, Nefertiti, and other famous beauties had their own beauty secrets. However, sometimes they were very unusual or even unhealthy.
Preview photo credit AF Archive / Cinetext Bildarchiv / Mary Evans Picture Library / East News, CAP / SFS / Capital Pictures / East News
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