Because Old Hollywood never goes out of style.
Never skip sunscreen
“Despite its great vogue in California, I don’t think sun-tanned skin is any more attractive than white skin, or any healthier, for that matter,” Marilyn Monroe told Pageant magazine in 1952. No matter what skin color you were blessed with, don’t fight it. Embrace your natural complexion—and a bottle of sunscreen. These sunscreen myths make dermatologists cringe.
Find your signature scent
Monroe famously claimed she slept in nothing but Chanel No. 5. You might prefer to wear your perfume fully dressed and out in public, but choose one product as your go-to fragrance. Once you embrace your scent, you’ll feel confident and put-together every time you spritz it on.
Wash your hair less
To keep her bleach-blonde tresses from fading, Marilyn Monroe resisted washing, which would have faded the color. Between shampoo jobs, she was said to have applied baby powder on the roots of her hair, but you can substitute your daily suds with dry shampoo. Don't miss these ways you're showering wrong.
Mix and match lip color
Monroe used five different lipsticks and glosses to create her pouty look. Darker reds went on the outsides of her lips, lighter ones on the inside, and highlighting products on the top and bottom. Experiment with layering a couple different colors to add dimension to your lips, or create your own signature color by combining lipsticks you already have. Avoid these makeup mistakes that make you look old.
Let your cat-eye be imprecise
Winged eyeliner sounds intimidating, but Marilyn Monroe’s cat-eye was often more sultry and smudged than the sharp, defined cat eye you might usually attempt. Use a heavy hand when lining the tops of your lids, then soften up the look for the wings. Use an angled brush to lightly flick out black eyeshadow that can blend seamlessly into the rest of your eye makeup. These bad habits make your makeup look sloppy.
Keep your skin hydrated
To get glowy skin, Monroe slathered on thick layers of Vaseline or Nivea Cream under her makeup before getting in front of the camera. She was also a huge fan of moisturizers, olive oil, and lanolin. Keep your skin soft, and you might find it radiant enough to skip makeup. This is the skin care advice dermatologists hate.
Squeeze in exercise
Marilyn Monroe started her mornings with a chest workout routine, she told Pageant. Working out as soon as you get up makes you more likely to go through with your exercise session, because if you wait until after work, you might be tempted to veg on out and watch Netflix instead. Take Marilyn’s lead and find a weight routine you can do from your bedroom so you’re less likely to snooze through it.