Tag Archives: classic actress beauty tips

Actress Beauty Tip #30: Marilyn Monroe breakfast

Posted on by

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

Since I’ve started these beauty tips, I’ve tried some crazy things. Some include washing my hair with champagne and bathing in milk.

When I was living at home, my parents didn’t mind as long as I cleaned up after myself.

However, I get the feeling that I would have been scolded for Beauty Tip #30.

Recently, I’ve been reading columns by NY Magazine diet columnist, Rebecca Harrington. Harrington read about what Greta Garbo, Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe ate and tests it for about two weeks to see the results. Most of the foods are revolting, have complicated recipes and Harringon’s accounts are hilarious.

To celebrate Marilyn Monroe’s birthday, I decided to try one of her diet tricks.

Every morning, Monroe had warm milk with a raw egg in this, according to Harrington.

An article about Monroe's diet routine in Pageant magazine, Sept. 1952

An article about Monroe’s diet routine in Pageant magazine, Sept. 1952

“To my surprise it was utterly delicious,” she said in her column. Reading this I thought, “Hm. Milk and eggs are actually two things I have at my house. I’m trying to lose weight. I should try this.”

My goal was to drink the milk and raw egg concoction for a week and see what weight loss results I had. I lasted two days.

I didn’t stop because I was hungry or that it tasted bad. The combination is actually pretty good -really only taste the milk- and I stayed full for hours after drinking it.

My issue was looking at the drippy, gooey consistency of the raw egg in my milk and that I was basically drinking salmonella-in-a-cup.

It also dawned on me that drinking a raw egg is just plain stupid. The health benefit of drinking a glass of milk and eating a hard boiled egg is probably about the same and it’s safer.

To review: The milk and raw egg combination kept me full and  tasted fine, but the fact that I was drinking a raw egg (salmonella in a cup) unnerved me. I can stay just as full and healthy by drinking a glass of milk and a cooked egg.

Check out the Comet Over Hollywood Facebook page for the latest updates.

Actress beauty tip #28: Norma Shearer complexion

Posted on by

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

Healthy, clear skin is something I struggle with on a daily basis. I’ve tried numerous products from exfoliates to acne cream.

Norma Shearer, Mae Murray and Viola Dane in a 1925 Beaute Craft article.

Norma Shearer, Mae Murray and Viola Dane in a 1925 Beaute Craft article.

But according to a 1925 article in Beaute Craft, clear skin revolves around exercise and diet. To testify to this are actresses Norma Shearer, Mae Murray and Viola Dana.

Oddly enough, the article by Pauline Black, correlates bad skin to…constipation, which is connected to poor eating habits.

Black says Shearer gets her clear skin from good diet. Murray’s credits proper exercise and fresh air, and Dana gets her clear skin from correct food and exercise.

Viola Dana, Norma Shearer, Mae Murray

Viola Dana, Norma Shearer, Mae Murray

 

Black gives suggestions in the article to remedy problems:

Breathing: “No normal woman remains healthy for very long if she does not practice deep breathing, using the entire lung capacity and exercising abdominal muscles as well.”

Water: “Drink enough water. Two glasses immediately upon rising in the morning. A glass after each meal. A glass between meals. A glass upon retiring at night. Some people cannot drink much water easily. You should learn, or drink milk…”

Food: “Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits…Raw cabbage with a little cream dressing is excellent once a day…I would say stop eating meats, eggs, fish and cheese for a few weeks. Give your your digestive apparatus a rest as far as heavy foods are concerned.”

Exercise: “Walking is excellent exercise. Blessed is that girl or woman who has to walk a mile or even two a day to and from work or school.”

For myself, drinking more water and eating well has helped clear up my skin. Lately I’ve been drinking roughly 70 fluid ounces of water a day and have seen major improvements. For diet, the article suggests cabbage, I have been eating kale lately along with fruits and have seen improvements from that as well.

To review: Though the article (found scanned on Beauty is a Thing of the Past blog) gives odd suggestions and reasoning for clear skin, drinking water and eating better has shown improvements with my skin. I have been exercising for several months but change in diet has given me the best improvements.

Check out the Comet Over Hollywood Facebook page 

Actress beauty tip #19: Golden hair

Posted on by

Marlene Dietrich and her beautiful, golden hair.

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

During the holiday season, glitter and sparkle seems to be all the rage.  Garland, holiday dresses, sequined shoes.  Well why not add some shine to your hair?

As I’ve highlighted in a prior tip, Marlene Dietrich is well known for her eyes. Another noteable feature is her shining, golden hair.

According to the book Max Factor: The Man Who Changed the Faces of the World, Max Factor would sprinkle real gold dust over Marlene’s golden locks and wigs to add extra shine and sparkle.

Since I don’t see myself stumbling over gold dust, I decided to buy the next best thing- lose gold powder.

I know it exists, but I was about to give up hope at Wal-Mart when I came across some. It’s made by Hard Candy and is called “Show Girl loose glitter” with the name of “Vegas Baby.”  It was a very funny name, but it served it’s purpose.

My hair with a hint of sparkle.

“Vegas Baby” had a tiny little brush that you use to apply, but that took too long on my hair. I ended up turning it over and sprinkling it like a salt shaker.

I’m not sure what real gold dust looks like in hair, but the loose glitter showed up just fine.

To review: The glitter showed up and added some extra shine to my hair, but I’m not sure if I would wear it to the grocery store or to work. It might be something to add to an evening look or for a holiday party.

Stay tuned for January’s beauty tip!

Check out the Comet Over Hollywood Facebook page  or follow on Twitter at @jnpickens.