Tag Archives: beauty tips

Photoplay Jan. 1948: Happy New Woman

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“With these resolutions, ring in the new … to enhance your beauty the whole year through.”

“Happy New Woman” by Anita Colby (Scanned by Comet Over Hollywood)

For the new year, let’s enhance your beauty routine a la 1948:

Linda Darnell’s slogan is “care in color.”

Beverly Tyler lives by “cleanliness.”

Lizabeth Scott likes the streamlined, uncluttered look

Paulette Goddard says to stay alert.

In a January 1948 Photoplay article, Anita Colby, Photoplay beauty editor and feminine director at Selznick Studios, shares how to be a new woman in the new year with some help from Hollywood actresses.

Colby says to get rid of things that may be a result of carelessness in your appearance: figure bulges; makeup colors that don’t go with your skin, eyes or hair; or sagging and uneven hemlines.

The article “Happy New Woman” includes 12 tips inspired by Linda Darnell, Beverly Tyler, Lizabeth Scott and Paulette Goddard:

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BeautyScope: Arlene Dahl’s beauty tips for Scorpios

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Arlene Dahl in the 1950s

Known for her striking beauty and shock of bright red hair, actress Arlene Dahl often played elegant or feminine women in films.

Starting in films in the late-1940s, she rose to fame when she signed with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Dahl acted in everything from musicals, film noir and adventure films. Dahl was also publicized for her six marriages, including to Lex Barker and Fernando Lamas, and she is the mother of actor Lorenzo Lamas.

But behind the glamour and publicity was also a businesswoman. In addition to acting, Dahl went into the beauty businesses and founded Arlene Dahl Enterprises in 1954 and developed a lingerie and cosmetic line. Dahl also worked as a beauty consultant.

In addition to all this, she wrote. Dahl started a beauty advice column in 1950 and turned to publishing full-length beauty books in the 1960s, which include “Beyond Beauty,” “Arlene Dahl’s Key to Femininity” and the “Beauty Scope” series.

The “Beauty Scope” series combined Dahl’s love of astrology with beauty and gave advice about how women could achieve their full beauty potential through their zodiac sign.

Dahl was dedicated to making decisions based on astrology and consulted with Carroll Righter, according to her introduction to “Beauty Scope.”

“He (Righter) became a great friend … Frequently, I consulted him on major career decisions, especially when I was offered roles in two good motion pictures at the same time, or when I was undecided whether or not to combine writing with my acting commitments,” she wrote.

Before the books, “Beauty Scope” started in 1963 as a syndicated column. The books were published in 1969.

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Beauty Tip #27: The 1940s Snood

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This is the twenty-seventh  installment of the monthly classic actress beauty tips that I have read about and tested.  

For me, the 1940s is the best fashion era.

Carole Lombard sporting a snood.

Carole Lombard sporting a snood.

The clothing, the makeup and the hairstyles all leave me drooling. One of my favorite 1940s fashion styles that I see in the movies is the “snood.”

A snood is head scarf, usually netted in the 1940s, that fits almost like a hood. Hair is fitted inside a sort of a sack that sits on the back of the head.

Snoods were worn in the Middle Ages, 1860s and were again reintroduced during World War II, not only for fashion but to keep hair from getting caught in machinery while doing war work.

The first time I wore my snood.

The first time I wore my snood.

As my hair has been getting longer, I was trying to figure out different ways to style it and keep it out of my face, so I decided to bring my classic film tastes and love for 1940s fashion into my life and bought a snood.

While some snoods tie, mine is elastic.

To wear it, I brushed my hair back away from my face, pinned it in place behind my ears with two bobby pins on each side, and put my hair inside the snood. I set the snood about half way back on my head.

While I was worried about looking like a lunch lady with a hair net, I’ve gotten several compliments on the snood and only a few from friends, jokingly saying I look like a sheep herder.

To review: I love wearing my snood and it successfully keeps my hair out of my face while giving me both a modern, yet vintage look. The one I bought was only $5 on ebay, but I plan to buy more decorative snoods in the future.

Here are some other classic actresses sporting the snood look:

Barbara Stanwyck with Henry Fonda in "The Lady Eve" (1941) wearing a snood.

Barbara Stanwyck with Henry Fonda in “The Lady Eve” (1941) wearing a snood.

Ginger Rogers in "The Major and the Minor" with a snood.

Ginger Rogers in “The Major and the Minor” with a snood.

Ann Sheridan in "Thank Your Lucky Stars" (1943) with a snood

Ann Sheridan in “Thank Your Lucky Stars” (1943) with a snood

Stop by back in January for another classic actress beauty tip.

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Actress beauty tip #21: Fashion copied from films

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This is the twenty-first installment of the monthly classic actress beauty tips that I have read about and tested.

First, I would like to apologize for not posting a beauty tip in February-it’s the only month I’ve missed a beauty tip and I don’t plan on making it a habit.

March’s beauty tip is going to focus on fashion I have copied from films. For the time being I’ve run out of regiments to test, but I’m still digging around for some.

However, fashion, hairstyles and jewelry are just as important to a film star’s beauty as how she washes her hair or face.

As many of you know, “West Side Story” (1961) is one one of my all-time favorite films. The music, the colors, the sadness, all make the movie perfect, but another thing that has drawn me to the movie are the beautiful outfits.

Who can forget the purple dress Anita wears to the dance and the white dress Maria feels makes her look like a baby? But my favorite three are the yellow dress Maria wears while singing “I Feel Pretty,” the blue dress Maria wears as she waits for Tony after the rumble and the orange dress we get a brief glimpse of Anita wearing in the dress shop when she catches Maria and Tony together.

Anita warning Maria she must be home in 15 minutes-both wearing two of my favorite outfits in "West Side Story."

I buy several vintage clothing items on Ebay that reminds me of classic films: peasant blouses, fiesta skirts, silky formals, pinafore dresses, flashy earrings.

But I rarely find anything in a contemporary clothing store that reminded me of an outfit I’ve seen in a movie. The only other time I’ve seen something similar to a film outfit was a white dress in Dress Barn that made me think of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.”

Then one day I was in TJMaxx and sticking out of the rack I saw a sleeveless orange dress. I immediately thought of Anita in “West Side Story” and bought it.

Bought this dress at TJMaxx because it reminded me of my favorite movie.

To review: Fashion is important to me, but particularly if it reminds me of something I’ve seen in a movie. The best places to find movie like clothing is on ebay or stores like vintagevixen.com, but sometimes you can get lucky!

UNRELATED REMINDER! Comet’s Gone Too Soon blogathon is on the 9 and 10th. Follow this link for more details and a list of who bloggers are covering- https://cometoverhollywood.com/2012/02/03/upcoming-comet-blogathon-gone-too-soon/ Further updates will come this week.

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Actress beauty tip #20: Jane Powell exercises

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This is the twentieth installment of the monthly classic actress beauty tips that I have read about and tested.

Jane Powell in 1954. Had a great figure then and still does!

Since the holidays are over  (no more sweets and heavy foods to slow me down) I’m ready to start exercising even more.

From past posts, many of you know I’m partial to Jane Fonda exercises, along with contemporary workouts like Jillian Michaels.  But recently I’ve been trying to find new exercises.

Keeping in tune with my 1980s Jane Fonda workouts, I’ve had my eye on an exercise tape actress and singer Jane Powell released in 1986 called “Jane Powell’s Fight Back With Fitness.” After letting it sit in Ebay watch list for months, I finally bought it last week for $6.

Jane Powell’s 1986 workout video

The exercises are for people with arthritis. I knew this when I bought the tape, but I still was interested in watching the tape and figured some of the exercises could still work for me.

Well….I was a little wrong.

The first 24 minutes of the video is breathing and stretching and the last 22 minutes consist of some floor work.

I mainly just watched the warm up portion because the exercises weren’t really for me. For example, some of the exercises involve touching each finger to your thumb, or breathing deeply and stretching your arms up to open your ribcage.

While I didn’t participate the whole time, I could tell that these would actually be very good exercises for someone with joint problems.

I did join in for leg and stomach exercises during the 22 minutes of floor work. While Jane Powell only did five slow reps, I would pause the tape and do several more.

Aside from exercises that weren’t appropriate for my physical level, it was a really fun work out tape.

Jane Powell in her 1986 video.

Jane is adorable and sometimes counts in a sing songy voice, so we get just a taste of her operatic voice. She wears a bright, sunny yellow leotard and is very sweet to the people exercising with her-understand their limitations and complimenting them the whole time.

To review: For those who are looking for an exercise video to get ripped and toned, this isn’t for you. But for a film fan who wants to see one of their favorite musical stars in another medium, it is a lot of fun.

Jane Powell is 57 in this video and looks wonderful-and looks great today as well!  I think it’s good that she did a workout video taking into consideration that some people aren’t able to do more strenuous exercises.

Check back for February’s beauty tip!

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Actress Beauty Tips #4: Nivea moisturizing

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This is the fourth installment of our monthly classic actress beauty tips that I have read about AND tested.

Lana Turner in “The Postman Always Rings Twice” (1946)

Lana Turner was one of the most beautiful women in films, and she also had flawless skin. For being rich and glamorous, Lana had surprisingly modest beauty regiments.

Along with using inexpensive Boraxo powdered soap as an exfoliant, Lana used Nivea Creme lotion to moisturize. According to her daughter Cheryl Crane’s book “LANA: The Memories, the Myths, the Movies,” Lana used the creme right after she got out of the shower to keep her skin soft, flawless and smooth. Marilyn Monroe also used Nivea Creme.

In some posts I give a “how to” portion but there is really no rhyme or reason on how to use Nivea. From what Crane says in the book, Lana would apply the creme all over her body right after getting out of the shower.

I started using Nivea in December after reading Lana used it and think that it is better than any other moisturizer or lotion that I have ever used. I have an issue with very dry ankles, elbows and knees and no other lotion has made them as smooth as Nivea does.

I will say, Nivea Creme is rather thick and sticky. It takes a little longer than a regular lotion to rub in and also takes longer to wash off of your hands. However, it will last all day once you put it on. I even feel like it helps reduce leg shaving.

I use the traditional Nivea Creme along with a Nivea chapstick and Nivea Soft, which is the same as Nivea Creme, just lighter and less thick and sticky.

To review: Ask anyone I know, I call Nivea the miracle lotion. I am a huge fan. I figured if Lana used it, it had to be good and I was right.

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