Category Archives: cosmetics in movies

John Wick (2014)

One of the opening scenes is set in the protagonist’s bathroom. He’s standing alone in front of the mirror, but he’s looking at the other side of the counter, where many beauty products are. A close-up on this side shows us that it used to be Helen’s, his dead wife.

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jomalone_bornunicornIn the central part of the counter I’ve spotted a bottle of Kiehl’s Creme de Corps, Marvis toothpaste in Cinnamon Mint and some Jo Malone perfumes.

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narslipsticks_bornunicornThere are other products around the washbasin, among which a small bottle of L’Occitane Verveine shower gel (old packaging) and a NARS lipstick.

The Hangover (2009)

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Tracy (Sasha Barrese) is getting ready for her wedding, while waiting for her fiancé to get back from Las Vegas. On her dressing table there are several MAC products, among which:

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Prep+Prime Fix+ setting spray

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Charged water cleanser from the Mineralize skincare line

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Studio face and body foundation

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Lipgelée lip colour

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185 kabuki brush

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Zoya nail polish bottles in red and pastel shades

Imitation of Life (1959)

imitationoflife_bornunicorn (1)Lora Meredith (Lana Turner) has finally achieved her dream of being a famous Broadway actress, but her life is still inextricably connected to Annie Johnson, her maid, who helps her backstage, too. Lora’s dressing room is not particularly fancy, but some objects on her table are.

caronbellodgia_bornunicornThe big bottle on the left is Caron Bellodgia, a floral fragrance created in 1927 by Ernest Daltroff. This bottle with a prism-shaped stopper was designed by Félicie Vanpouille Bergaud.

lucienlelong_openingnight_bornunicornThe other bottle is Opening Night by Lucien Lelong. Originally launched as Orage in 1935, it was re-named for the English market. The original bottle had a pyramid shape, but in 1938 this one (designed by Philippe Hiolle) was introduced on the market.

imitationoflife_bornunicorn (2)As for the make-up, one item is immediately recognizable – Max Factor Pan Stik, the revolutionary foundation in stick form launched in 1947.

maxfactorpanstick_lanaturner_bornunicorn1.jpgLana Turner was among the Hollywood stars who served as testimonials for Max Factor products. The ad above is from 1951.

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caronbellodgia_bornunicornLater in the film, Caron Bellodgia can be seen on Sarah Jane’s vanity. I can imagine Lora giving a bottle of her perfume to her maid’s daughter, because she really cares about her. Despite providing for both of them all through the movie, there’s an undercurrent racism in the actress’ attitude towards the girl: she often reprimands her for rejecting her “blackness”, but ends up with reinforcing her being “different”.

Under the Skin (2013)

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clinique_intensechubbystick_heftiesthibiscus_bornunicornWhen the Female (Scarlett Johansson) visits a mall, she stops at the Clinique make-up display. She first holds a lipstick, then a Chubby Stick Intense lip colour in a red shade.

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cliniquemascara_bornunicorncliniqueeyepencil_bornunicornThe display contains Superbalm moisturizing lip glosses and lipstick testers, Quickliner eye pencils and High Impact mascaras.

undertheskin_mall_bornunicornStill at the make-up department, the camera pans over another counter, where a sales assistant applies a product on a customer. All the skincare is by Clarins.

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clarins_serumcapitallumiere_bornunicornAmong the products, there’s a set box which includes a pump bottle of Huile Très Démaquillante cleansing oil; there are also the eye make-up remover Démaquillant Express and the serum Capital Lumière.

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smashbox_foundationbrush_bornunicornThe final stop of the camera is at a Smashbox make-up counter, where a make-up artist is applying some foundation on a customer using the buildable foundation brush.

Freak Show (2017)

freakshow_bornunicorn (1)Billy Bloom’s vanity is pretty busy with cosmetics and accessories. In the screencap above, the face powder situation is out of control: it’s basically everywhere on the table.

velourlashes_bornunicornThe center-stage position goes to a pink box contaning Velour lashes.

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milanilipstick_bornunicorn.jpgThere are also a MAC hot pink lipstick and a Milani pink lipstick.

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lorealvisibleliftblush_bornunicornThe round compact on the upper left is L’Oreal Visible Lift blush.

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mac_singleeyeshadow_bornunicornOn the table there are some MAC Pro palette refill pans in their black envelopes and a single eyeshadow.

avonmesmerize_bornunicorn.jpgThe perfume in the blue bottle is Avon Mesmerize For Her, a woody aromatic fragrance launched in 1992. Billy uses it all through the film.