Recreating Marilyn Monroe's Makeup - HELP!

Ode to Joy

Well-known member
I found a very good tutorial (click here) that explains how Marilyn did her makeup, but I have problems understanding a part of it.

Can you please help me?

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Quote:
(....)
Tip # 3: Eyes eyes eyes!

So, Marilyn would call her own eye make-up "the Greta Garbo eye". She took cues from the sultry star from the Golden Era, and tried to re-create that look. Here is how she did it!

greta_garbo_cover_2.jpg

Greta Garbo

(.....)

♠ Lower lash-line: This is the secret of all secrets to achieving the Marilyn eye. Take the pencil and start at the beginning of where your iris starts and line out and downward (not too far downward but just enough to look like it's a line created by the shadow of your top lashes). This may sound silly but once you get it down it creates the illusion that you have a lower lashline that is to die for! It also opens up your eyes a tremendous amount!
♠ Lastly, the gap between the two lines you created on the outer edge of the eye should be about a millimeter wide. So in that gap use a white highlighter pencil (any white eyeliner pencil will do) or brush (like Benefits High Beam) and sweep a little white line in.


So, how do I do this lining of the lower lashline that it appears like a shadow and not like a liner?
And where exactly do I sweep a white line in?
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Thank you!
 

OfficerJenny

Well-known member
I'm not 100% sure but I'd say don't use a black or dark brown pencil. Use something just darker then your skin tone, to really give that shadow effect. I'd lightly apply the liner then blend it really well, so it looks as natural as possible.
 
Kevin Aucoin's book has an illustration and discussion step by step of the look. I think it is in Face Forward or Making Faces.
 

Ode to Joy

Well-known member
the youtube video was very helpful, i understand everything now, except how to create the shadow with eyeliner... how do you line your lower lashline? i have many lashes there, I need to find a way to get behind them to line...
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kimmae17

Well-known member
if you look at marilyns (in first pic) eye, the underneath part has a line that looks like it could be a lower eyelash or a shadow of her upper lashes, thats what is drawn on i guess.
 

Monsterbilly

Well-known member
Hope this helps:
marilynrs7.jpg

The red is for eyeliner and the blue is for highlighting.
To draw the line below the eyes, you can use dark eyeshadow (such as dark brown or black) with a eyeliner brush, you can use a actual eyeliner, but smudge a little bit so that you don't end up with a harsh line, eye pencil... pretty much whatever you prefer.
You start drawing the line downward, following the eye shape, and when your natural eye line goes upwards, you don't follow, keep going in the same direction.
I even saw that is some Marilyn's makeup, she just draws a straight line like this:
marilyntj1.jpg

But i think that's only in the 60's look.
Hope that helps, sorry if my english isn't that good
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Luceuk

Well-known member
I found this a while ago, don't know if it will be any help but thought I'd upload anyway

 

Ode to Joy

Well-known member
Ok i have managed everything of the techniques now except one: lining the waterline with a bright color and then with a dark one that creates the shadow effect where the lower lashes begin.
Can you help me again? You guys are awesome!!
 
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