All posts by Born Unicorn

Pedantic archivist of beauty products in films and tv shows

Yves Saint Laurent (2014)

yvessaintlaurentmovie_bornunicornvlcsnap-2017-08-13-01h19m30s446Two YSL perfumes can be seen in the bathroom of the house the designer (Pierre Niney) shares with his partner Pierre Bergé (Guillame Gallienne).

yslperfumes_bornunicornIn the first picture there’s the iconic silver, black and turquoise metal bottle of Rive Gauche, created by Michael Hy and launched in 1971. In the second, a bottle of Pour Homme can be seen in the background; this was launched – again – in 1971.

Judi Dench’s Dressing Room (1985)

Gemma Levine took this backstage picture in 1985: Judi Dench was getting ready to perform as Amy O’Connell in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of Harley Granville-Barker’s Waste at the Lyric Theatre in London.

diorissimo_houndstooth_bornunicornOn the shelf in front of her there are many bottles; among them, the unmistakable houndstooth pattern characterising Dior cologne and eau de toilette bottles. There’s no way to tell exactly what scent this was, but we know that this bottle was used for classic creations like Miss Dior, Diorama, Diorella, Diorling and Diorissimo. I can see her wearing the lily-of-the-valley triumph that is Diorissimo. What’s your guess?

Picture source.

Joey in My Mirror at Hornstr. (1992)

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.

Molly’s Game (2017)

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

masonpearson_boarandnylonbrush_bornunicorn

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.

American Horror Story S08E06 (Return to Murder House)

americanhorrorstory_s08e06_bornunicorn (1)

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).

americanhorrorstory_s08e06_bornunicorn (3)

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.

 

Evil Under the Sun (1982)

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.