Hefina teaches us how to embrace our inner Vintage Glamour icon
In the name of all things vintage, this article discusses beauty treatments and the hacks that were popular amongst our old-fashioned icons. With these homemade traditions, you yourself can channel your inner Marilyn Monroe or Grace Kelly all from the comfort of your room.
Strawberry Face Masks- Believe it or not, in the 1960s, this was all the rage. Hollywood stars would mash up strawberries and apply them to their faces, using it as both a cleanser and a natural pinky/red colourant. It also added a sweet, fresh scent to their appearance. However, as strawberry season isn’t quite here, you can always use household replacements such as bananas or avocado to recreate this beauty hack.
Homemade face scrub- Katharine Hepburn was known to keep her skin clear and vibrant to achieve her classic look both off and on screen. To do this she mixed both lemon and sugar together to create a natural exfoliant for the face; another old-fashioned face treatment to consider, extremely cheap but perfectly effective.
The Hollywood locks treatment- To get those luscious locks that actresses such as Rita Hayworth famously kept, this simple hack can replicate this look. All you need is oil and lemon juice. Firstly, wash your hair thoroughly, then follow by soaking it in oil. Once you’ve left it for a good 15 to 25 mins, your hair will need rinsing with lemon juice and running water. Hollywood icons would use any household oil to complete this hack, but for a 21st century slant, I would recommend coconut oil. It promotes natural growth and thickening- also helping to remove excess dirt from your hair follicles.
Rag rollers- Like me, you may not have time to give your hair attention when you have an early start on your timetable- therefore, this old trick is the perfect solution. The 50’s were dominated by thick curls, yet the hot rollers they would use were often too expensive/uncomfortable- instead they used fabric. By wrapping wet hair around the rags and sleeping with them in, you’ll get either tight or loose curls (depending on how tight you wrap them around the rag); perfect for a casual trip to town or a Hollywood glamour look for the SU.
Marilyn’s signature sultry eye- As you all know, Marilyn’s blue eyes caught the attention of many around the world; to highlight her eye shape she would apply white eyeliner to both her lash and water line. Putting emphasis on her winged tips, and creating a bolder look. This beauty hack has made a popular comeback; but in the upcoming spring months, try using pastel colours rather than white to give a unique twist to this look.
These beauty hacks were extremely popular in the world of 20th century Hollywood, however the re-emergence of these treatments suggest they’re timeless traditions that can be used by anyone, on any budget. The look of the classic beauty icon is highly sought after, but don’t be enticed into changing your image to look like them; like Marilyn Monroe once said, “A smile is the best makeup a girl could wear”- natural and cost-free, embrace the wise words of Marilyn and smile. Always.