Category Archives: skincare in movies

Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios (1988)

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Lucía (Julieta Serrano) is a woman with a troubled past: abandoned by her husband Iván with a child (Carlos, now grown-up and interpreted by Antonio Banderas), she’s spent a long time in a mental institution. Now she’s living with her parents, who try to support her and her extravagant looks.

In this scene, she’s applying her eyeliner. On her dresser there are many beauty products, among which the unmistakable golden spray can of L’Oreal Elnett Satin hairspray.

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But there’s also another interesting product – a white jar with pink lid, which screams “Christian Dior skincare”.

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It’s impossible to say exactly what product this was, but was for sure part of the Hydra-Dior collection.

womenonthevergeofanervousbreakdown_bornunicorn (1)It’s not a coincidence that later in the film we see several products from the same line on Pepa’s vanity. Pepa (Carmen Maura) is the former mistress of Iván. She’s another woman “on the verge of a nervous breakdown”, just like Lucía: they’re in love with the same man (who has dumped both of them for another lover) and happen to use the same skincare.

Jade (1995)

jade_bornunicornMatt exposes Trina’s affairs by displaying pictures of them on her vanity. It’s a cruel and dramatic scene, but it gives us the chance to see some of the beauty products she uses.

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annickgoutal_grandamour_bornunicornThe bottles of perfume are by Maitre Perfumeur et Gantier (the one at the centre of the vanity) and Annick Goutal (on the mirrored tray on the right).

chanel1970smakeup_bornunicornThere’s also a Chanel toning lotion. Something similar can be seen in a 1970s ad: at the time the product was called Lotion Tonique Refraichissante.

jade2_bornunicornIn the picture above there’s another Chanel product – the make-up remover Démaquillant Douceur, in the squared bottle used in the 1990s.

The Boys in the Band (1970)

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Michael (Kenneth Nelson) buys some toiletries for Donald (Frederick Combs), so he can have his own toothbrush, soap and hairspray without using his host’s.

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The “sandalwood soap” Michael buys is by Elizabeth Arden. In the cabinet there’s also a Bain de Soleil spray sunscreen (or after-sun lotion).

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dickinson's witch hazel_bornunicornIn the bathroom we can also see a bottle of Dickinson’s witch hazel.

Friends with Money (2006)

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Olivia (Jennifer Aniston) is always tight on money: she used to work as a school teacher but now she’s a maid and doesn’t earn much. When she finishes a sample tube of moisturiser, she goes through her bathroom drawer to see if there’s anything else she can use.

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On the bathroom counter we can see a bottle of Bulgari Eau Parfumée au thé vert Extreme, a stronger version of the classic citrus green fragrance created by Jean-Claude Ellena and launched in 1992.

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In the drawer there’s a Givenchy compact, probably containing pressed powder.

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There are also two Lancôme products: one is a sample jar of Résolution D-Contraxol, the anti-age treatment Olivia is obsessed with; the other is a carded sample of Miracle, a fresh spicy fragrance created by Alberto Morillas and Harry Fremont and launched in 2000.

Bonjour Tristesse (1958)

bonjourtristesse_bornunicorn (1)After a night of partying and reminiscing, Cecile (Jean Seberg) finally returns home, removes the elegant Givenchy dress she’s worn so far and puts her make-up off.

pondscoldcreamvintage_bornunicornTo do so, she uses a traditional product like Pond’s cold cream.

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lucienlelong_gardenia_bornunicornIn front of her there are several beauty products, but the most intriguing object is the octagonal box on the right side of the vanity. Even if the label is not visible, this is definitely the box of Lucien Lelong Gardenia, a soliflore perfume launched in 1936. Too bad the wonderful fluted bottle is not out of the box.

Irma Vep (1996)

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cetaphil_oldpackaging_bornunicornWhile wandering through the corridors of her hotel, Maggie Cheung – in Irma Vep black latex attire – enters a room where a semi-naked woman (interpreted by Arsinée Khanjian, credited as l’américaine) is talking on the phone. Maggie goes into her bathroom and steals a necklace. On the marble counter there are some beauty products, too. For example, a bottle of Galderma Cetaphil cleanser in the old packaging (blue label and white lettering).

clarinseaudynamisantevintage_bornunicornThere’s also a box of Clarins Eau Dynamisante, a wonderfully fresh fragrance created by Jacques Courtin-Clarins and launched in 1987. This is the original packaging.

Dove non ho mai abitato (2017)

drhauschkabodylotion_bornunicornThere’s a tube of Dr. Hauschka body cream in Francesca’s bathroom. The tube with the red band contains creams in different scents – almond, lavender sandalwood and rose. The front side of the tube can’t be read, so it’s impossible to tell exactly what cream it is.

larocheposaythermalwater_bornunicornThere’s also a spray can of La Roche-Posay thermal water.