Monthly Archives: October 2018

cosmetics in photography

Joey in My Mirror at Hornstr. (1992)

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The haunting beauty of Joey recurs in many portraits by Nan Goldin. This one, taken in Berlin in 1992, is often paired to a similar picture, taken in New York in 1999. It’s not a coincidence that in both pictures a Clarins product makes its appearance, but this shouldn’t come as a surprise: products by the French brand were incredibly famous in those years. Personally I was very familiar with Eau Dynamisante and with the glass bottle with white cap seen above.

It’s the liquid foundation Le Teint Mat Multi Éclat. My sister loved it! It was a staple in her make-up case.

beauty accessories in movies, bodycare in movies, hair brushes in movies, nail polish in movies, skincare in movies, soaps in movies

Molly’s Game (2017)

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molly's game_bornunicorn (3)There are many beauty products and make-up items on Molly Bloom’s bathroom counter. Among them (from left to right):

elizabetharden_refiningtonerlotion_bornunicornElizabeth Arden refining toner lotion (now discontinued)

nuxe_huileprodigieuseseche_bornunicornNuxe Huile Prodigieuse multi-purpose dry oil

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A Mason Pearson hair brush

chanel_nailpolishes_bornunicornSome Chanel nail polishes

chanelbodycream_bornunicornChanel fresh body cream

lancometoniquedouceur_bornunicornLancôme Tonique Douceur hydrating lotion

pecksniffs_almondandsheahandduo_bornunicornThe Almond & Shea hand care duo by Pecksniffs, which includes a moisturising hand & body lotion and a nourishing hand wash in pump bottles.

cosmetics in tv shows

American Horror Story S08E06 (Return to Murder House)

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americanhorrorstory_s08e06_bornunicorn (2)Constance Langdon (Jessica Lange) is a character from Season 1 whose return in Season 8 has been much awaited and anticipated. She was “born to be a mother”, as shown by her decision to commit suicide in the Murder House, so as to spend eternity with her beloved children (who already live in the house). She gives lots of importance to appearances and to her own look, so it’s not surprising that she re-applies her lipstick before dying.  The shade she’s using is a nude beige, reminiscent of the 1960s/1970s (decades in which she was young and desirable).

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juliehewettnudelipstick_bornunicorn.jpgThe gold tube is visible on a coffee table in the living room where her nephew Michael (Cody Fern) finds her lifeless. It’s a lipstick by Julie Hewett. The exact shade is hard to identify: it could be Annette, Biba, Simone or Odessa.

 

perfumes in movies

Evil Under the Sun (1982)

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vlcsnap-2017-11-26-01h12m19s709Souffle de Mer is the fictional perfume that can be seen in Arlena Stuart Marshall’s bedroom. Its bottle doesn’t remind me of any real product, but the name is appropriate, since the film is set at an exclusive Adriatic island resort.

As Allison pointed out in the comments, in the film the French name of the perfume is translated as Breath of the Sea, a poetic rendition of the literal translation Sea Air.

perfumes in movies

Written on the Wind (1956)

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The dresser in the picture above is packed with perfume bottles. Among them, I’ve been able to identify the following (from left to right):

fabergetigress_bornunicornFabergé Tigress, launched in 1938. It’s the bottle with the fake fur stopper. Another bottle can be seen on the right, the stopper having a different fur pattern.

caronbellodgia_bornunicornCaron Bellodgia, created by Ernest Daltroff and launched in 1927. There are two bottles of it.

bourjois_maisoui_bornunicornBourjois Mais Oui, launched in 1938. There are two bottles with the signature fan-shaped stopper; one of them is in its open box.

guerlain_mitsouko_bornunicornGuerlain flacon bouchon coeur. Impossible to tell which fragrance it contained.

cosmetics in tv shows, vintage beauty products

American Horror Story S04E06 (Bullseye)

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When Elsa Mars (Jessica Lange) announces she will move to Hollywood for a fresh start, her “freaks” give her a precious gift: a set of Westmores of Hollywood beauty products.

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The set is made of three golden bottles and a round box. The gold bottle on the left surely contains body powder, while the box contains face powder. The three bottles look like factices, while the box is emblazoned with the Westmore logo.

Ethel Darling (Kathy Bates) explains these products are “the best” and she’s right. The brand was founded in 1917 by George Westmore, an English wigmaker who established Hollywood’s first make-up department; he became the forefather of a dynasty of make-up artists who left an indelible mark in the history of cinema.