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

Phoebe Bridgers’ Bathroom (2021)

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The 63rd edition of the Grammy Awards took place on March 14th, 2021 in the middle of the pandemy that has torn the world as we knew it apart. I usually don’t care for these events, but I rejoiced at seeing this picture on the Instagram feed of the American singer/songwriter/guitarist Phoebe Bridgers, who got nominations in the Best Rock Performance and Best New Artist categories.

Besides the fantastic skeleton dress she was wearing (more about it later), I was attracted by the beauty products on the washbasin.

There are two bottles of pure-castile soap by Dr. Bronner’s in Lavender and Hemp Rose.

Another Dr. Bronner’s product can be seen on the soap dish: it’s the organic sugar soap in Lavender.

Last, a small can of Barbasol Soothing Aloe shaving cream is next to the castile soap bottles.

This dreamy Goth dress, designed by Thom Browne and featured in the spring 2018 collection, was paired to Ashley Zhang pearl earrings. Bridgers has often shown her love for the classic Halloween skeleton costume (it’s basically her trademark stage outfit), but the luxury version of it truly is a thing of beauty.

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

Selena (1997)

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In 1997 Jennifer Lopez scored the acting role of a lifetime starring as the Tejano Queen Selena Quintanilla in the biopic Selena by Gregory Nava.

In this behind-the-scene shot, she was retouching her lipstick using the mirror of a classic Chanel glossy compact. I’ve always thought the compact contained a face powder or a blush, but Nun Ya in the comments made me notice it probably containing Selena’s signature lip colour.

Chanel Ligne et Couleur des Lèvres was a lip colour duo where one colour was used to line lips and one to colour them. Selena famously wore Brique, from the 02 colour combination which included the lip liner Indice, too.

Now discontinued, this product is still in the minds and hearts of Selena’s fans.

The Chanel lip duo is displayed among other Chanel make-up items and fashion accessories at the Selena Museum in Corpus Christi, Texas.

bodycare in movies, skincare in movies

Madame Sousatzka (1988)

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There’s a glass bottle of Oil of Olay beauty lotion on a shelf in Jenny’s bathroom.

The green box on the same shelf contains Badedas bath gel, a gift that Jenny (Twiggy) receives from Ronnie.

The bottle on the washbasin is Vaseline Intensive Care lotion.

Thanks to Lee in the comments for the Vaseline id.

haircare in movies, perfumes in movies

Days of Being Wild (1991)

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On Mimi’s dressing table there are three interesting items.

After untangling the aqua stopper mystery, now I can identify this in no time: it’s Richard Hudnut Tres Flores/Three Flowers brilliantine.

Behind it there’s a spray bottle of Caron Nocturnes de Caron eau de toilette without the black stopper.

The tall bottle with an intricately decorated front label is Murray & Lanman Florida Water cologne.

Thanks to Oliver Seeger for the Caron id.

bodycare in movies, perfumes in movies

Le dernier métro (1980)

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Marion Steiner is a strong woman: she’s the owner and leading actress of the Théâtre Montmartre in Paris during WWII. She’s also exceptionally beautiful and elegant, despite the harsh living and working conditions of that historical period. Still, it’s quite surprising to see an incredible array of Lanvin Arpège [1] products on her dressing table. This choice is historically accurate: the Lanvin perfume, created by Paul Vacher and Andre Fraysse, was launched in 1927.

Starting from the left, there’s a tall faceted bottle of Eau de Lanvin Arpège.

Next, two small bottles with square stopper of Arpège.

The only non-Lanvin product is Caron Narcisse Noir in the original bottle with engraved black stopper.

The black rectangular half-open box contains Lanvin Arpège soap. The packaging of the box seen in the movie is slightly different from the one above, though: the box in the movie has faceted – not rounded – edges.

The round box contains Arpège dusting powder.

Last, Arpège in the classic boule noire with ribbed stopper.

The same objects appear in a scene where Marion (Catherine Deneuve) is sitting at her vanity. In this case, another bottle of Eau de Lanvin Arpège can be seen in front of the mirror.

[1] Other Lanvin perfumes were launched before 1942 (year in which the film takes place) – Mon Péché in 1924, Scandal in 1931, Rumeur in 1934, Pretexte in 1937. The same bottles were used for most of them, so those seen on Marion’s table could contain one of them and not Arpège. Arpège was the most popular, though, so I guess it was easier to find in war times.

perfumes in movies, shaving products in movies, teeth care in movies

The Apartment (1960)

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There are several interesting toiletries in C.C. Baxter’s bathroom, starting from those seen on the lower shelf.

The spray can on the left is Gillette Foamy shaving cream.

The bottle on the right is very peculiar: the stopper is shaped after a Medieval crest. Even if the front label cannot be read (so it’s not possible to say exactly what product it is), it’s a cologne or an after-shave lotion by Kings Men, a brand whose imagery was a reference to Medieval English and Scottish traditions.

In another scene, a “bottle” reading “Tooth Paste” can be seen on the washbasin. It’s Colgate dental cream with Gardol, available in tube or in a pump bottle which reminds me of shaving cream.

A growing archive of beauty products and perfumes in movies and tv shows