All posts by Born Unicorn

Pedantic archivist of beauty products in films and tv shows
stars' vanities/make-up cases/cabinets in real life

Ava Gardner’s Dresser (1949)

Leave a comment

This portrait of Ava Gardner was taken in the late 1940s in the bedroom of her Nichols Canyon cottage in Los Angeles. Besides the Degas print on the wall and some framed family photos, what has caught my attention are the perfume bottles on the dresser. I have identified three of them.

One of the first bottles from the left is Lanvin Arpège extrait, with the square bakelite stopper. This fragrance was created by Paul Vacher and Andre Fraysse and launched in 1927.

There’s also a flacon bouchon coeur by Guerlain. It has been used to house several fragrances but this one is likely to be Mitsouko, one of Gardner’s favourite scents. This chypre fruity fragrance was created by Jacques Guerlain and launched in 1919.

On the far right there’s Fleurs de Rocaille by Caron. Housed in a beautiful urn-shaped bottle designed by Félicie Vanpouille, this floral aldehyde fragrance was created by Ernest Daltroff and launched in 1934.

Thanks to Barbara Pfouts for submitting this post.

stars' vanities/make-up cases/cabinets in real life

Kate Moss’ Bathroom (2017)

Leave a comment
katemossbathroom

I’ve always loved bathrooms and I’ve seen many beautiful ones in my life, but very few of them can equal the poetic atmosphere in Kate Moss’ bathroom in her London house. The bespoke wallpaper with anemone pattern by de Gournay is its strongest point, but charming additions are the vintage crystal chandelier from James Worrall, a Drummonds claw-foot tub and framed black-and-white photographs.

katemossbathtub_bornunicorn

On the marble washbasin there are several products – two bath oils, one fragrance and a skincare item.

The bottles with colourful ribbons are Penhaligon’s bath oils. The one on the left is Victorian Posy, a chypre floral fragrance launched in 1979 and now sadly discontinued; the one on the right is Vanities, another discontinued fragrance.

The white jar is Cosme Decorté AQ Meliority repair cleansing cream.

The bottle with ball-shaped stopper is Balenciaga L’Essence eau de parfum, a green floral fragrance created by Olivier Polge and launched in 2011.

katemossbathroomcabinet_bornunicorn

There are lots of bottles in the mirrored cabinets above the washbasin.

On the top shelf on the left there’s a factice bottle of Prada Infusion d’Iris eau de toilette, created by Daniela Andrier and launched in 2010.

On the middle shelf on the left there’s Fracas by Robert Piguet, created by Germaine Cellier and launched in 1948.

Lalique Songe is shown in a 2005 limited-edition bottle.

The bottle with peach pink ribbon is Penhaligon’s Ellenisia, a discontinued floral eau de parfum launched in 2005.

The massive green bottle in the mid shelf in the central section is Sommerso, a beautiful Murano glass creation by Michele Onesto.

On the bottom shelf in the central section there’s Christian Dior Dune, an amber woody fragrance created by Jean-Louis Sieuzac, Nejla Barbir and Dominique Ropion and launched in 1991.

On the same shelf there are a flacon bouchon coeur by Guerlain and two bottles of Chanel No. 5 eau de parfum.

On the middle shelf on the right there are some Etro bottles, possibly Heliotrope eau de cologne (old packaging), and two fragrances by Byredo.

Picture source.

Thanks to Anna for the Murano glass bottle id.

perfumes in movies

Die Hard (1988)

Leave a comment

Right after meeting his estranged wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) at her workplace, the Nakatomi Corporation in Los Angeles, NYPD detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) freshens up in an office bathroom. It’s nice to see there are two interesting fragrances by the washbasin.

There’s a huge splash bottle of Givenchy Gentleman eau de toilette, a 1974 fragrance created by Paul Lèger.

There’s also a regular bottle of Giorgio Beverly Hills Pour Homme, launched in 1984.

bodycare in movies, perfumes in movies, skincare in movies

Bones and All (2022)

2 Comments

There’s a small glass bottle of Oil of Olay beauty lotion on the dressing table in the house of one of Sully’s victims.

The pineapple-shaped bottle is Avon Pineapple Petite. It’s impossible to tell what fragrance it contains because the American brand has often used the same bottle to house different scents.

Behind Pineapple Petite there’s a rare bottle of Jonteel fragrance. This is part of a line produced by Langlois and discontinued in 1941; as explained by Grace at Cleopatra’s Boudoir it included “perfume, toilet water, face powder, vanishing cream, cold cream face powder, soap, cold cream, wool powder puffs, and talcum powder.”

Other two Avon products are on the dressing table, too: they are Lemon Velvet and Lily of the Valley cream sachet jars.

Thanks to Alessandra for submitting this post, to Caroline Louise for the Jonteel id and to Kelly in the comments for the Avon cream sachet id.

haircare in movies, perfumes in movies, skincare in movies

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (2010)

Leave a comment

When Alex (Guy Pearce) opens his bathroom cabinet, we can see several beauty products.

A bottle of Redken Align 12 straightening lotion can be seen on the top shelf.

Redken Ringlet 07 curl-perfecting lotion for medium hair can be seen on the second shelf.

The blue tube on the same shelf is definitely a Kiehl’s product. Reading the front label is impossible, so my guess is that this is Facial Fuel energizing moisture treatment for men.

The bottle on the bottom shelf is Tom Ford Extreme, a woody earthy fragrance launched in 2007.

Next, there’s a bottle of Dermalogica special cleansing gel.

The pump bottle on the second shelf and the tube on the bottom shelf are Redken products, possibly from their men’s line (old packaging).

Thanks to Alessandra for submitting this post and to lepetitcivet for the Tom Ford id.

stars' vanities/make-up cases/cabinets in real life

Marianne Faithfull’s Dresser (1995)

Leave a comment

Royall Lyme Bay Rhum eau de toilette and Roger & Gallet Jean Marie Farina Extra Vieille eau de cologne can be seen on a busy dresser in Marianne Faithfull’s house, This picture from 1995 was taken by Mark Arbeit.

Thanks to Jane Daly for the Royall Lyme id.

Picture source.

haircare in movies, perfumes in movies, vintage beauty products

Saturday Night Fever (1977)

1 Comment

What would Tony Manero wear before dancing the night away at 2001 Odyssey? The screencap above gives us a couple of options, both by Fabergé.

The bottle with big gold stopper is Macho, an amber fougère fragrance launched in 1977. The “powerful new scent for men by Fabergé” seems to suit Manero’s bold and independent personality.

On the boy’s dresser there’s also a bottle of Vitalis Super Hold hairspray.

The second fragrance option is a classic – Fabergé Brut spray cologne housed in the signature tall bottle made of green glass. This aromatic fougère scent, created by Karl Mann, was first launched in 1964.

beauty accessories in tv shows, cosmetics in tv shows, hair brushes in tv shows, nail polish in tv shows

The Crown S05E07 (No Woman’s Land)

6 Comments

I am disappointed by the selection of beauty products that the show’s prop masters have put on Lady D’s dressing table. In general, this vanity looks sad (which makes sense) and old (which really doesn’t). None of the products and perfumes she used has been featured here, not even Penhaligon’s Bluebell, one of her signature scents [1].

The lipstick in the gold case is by Clarins. It’s sitting on a round compact probably by Christian Dior.

The white box with a funky red pattern is an Avon nail polish. This was a weird decision: what is a product from the 1970s doing here? Did the prop masters know this was Lady Diana’s vanity? Or they believed it belonged to one of her old relatives?

There’s also Braun Independent cordless styler.

On the far right there’s a nice aqua box by Estee Lauder. Although probably not totally accurate, at least it seems plausible.

[1] This particular detail hurts the most. Why were other Penhaligon’s perfumes featured in Seasons 1 and 2 and not here, where one authentic touch was so much needed?

Thanks to Scentimentalist for the Braun, Clarins and Dior id.