All posts by Born Unicorn

Pedantic archivist of beauty products in films and tv shows

Eartha Kitt’s Dressing Room (1953)

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The singer and actress Eartha Kitt started her career in the early 1950s, when she performed in New Faces of 1952, a musical revue with songs and comedy skits at the Royale Theatre on Broadway, New York. In the picture above, taken on February 1953, Kitt was portrayed with her cat Jinx.

ivorysoap_bornunicornA stack of Ivory soap bars can be seen on the shelf by the mirror.

Picture source.

Mr Selfridge S02E08

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Several Caron bottles can be seen in the beauty department. Two types of bottles are displayed: one is made all of glass, with tall rectangular stopper; the other is made of dotted glass with gold fluted stopper. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to tell what scents they contain. On the contrary, we know the black bottle in the box is Nuit de Noël, a floral fragrance created by Ernest Daltroff and launched in 1922.

Marc Almond’s Dressing Room (2016)

wp-1457544346539.jpgMarc Almond posted this picture on his Instagram account. He was in France to appear in the tv show Les années bonheur and took a selfie in his dressing room.

simple_kindtoskinmicellarcleansingwipes_bornunicornparisberlin_lefluideliquidfoundation_bornunicornparisberlin_lapoudreexm_bornunicornOn the table there are Simple Kind to Skin micellar cleansing wipes and two products by Paris Berlin, a brand of professional make-up. One is La Fluide liquid foundation (you can see the box in the transparent plastic bag); the other is – I think – the loose powder, judging from the shape of the box on the right and from the round pot in the bag.

Mr Selfridge S02E01

mrselfridge_lheurebleue_bornunicorn (1)Kitty Hawkins (Amy Beth Hayes) and the girls at the cosmetics counter are ready to welcome Delphine Day (Polly Walker), a businesswoman and nightclub owner who’s the talk of the town: sexy and independent, she’s presenting her novel at Selfridges. Lots of Guerlain flacons bouchon coeur can be seen, including a giant factice bottle.

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mrselfridge_lheurebleue_bornunicorn (3)When Delphine stops by the counter, Kitty asks her if she wants to try a “new scent,” which happens to be Guerlain L’Heure Bleue.

guerlain_vintagelheurebleue_bornunicornThis is historically accurate: the Jacques Guerlain creation was launched in 1912, two years before 1914, year in which this episode is set.

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mrselfridge_lheurebleue_bornunicorn (5)Delphine can’t help but loving it!

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mrselfridge_lheurebleue_bornunicorn (7)Kitty, who’s a skilled sales assistant, explains the composition of the perfume, a “floral bouquet” with notes of “bergamot, aniseed and a velvety base of vanilla and tonka bean.”