perfumes in movies

Bitter Moon (1992)

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When Mimi (Emmanuelle Seigner) follows Oscar at a house party after their break-up, she’s wearing a drab dress and looks very depressed. He mocks her by advising to put some make-up on. She follows the advice by powdering her face.

In the bathroom where Mimi powders her face there are three great perfumes. The first on the left is Hermès Calèche, created by Guy Robert and launched in 1961.

The bottle with drop-shaped stopper is Van Cleef & Arpels First, created by Jean-Claude Ellena and launched in 1976.

Last, Caron Nocturnes de Caron in the fascinating black bottle with round glass stopper. This floral perfume, created by Gerard Lefort, was launched in 1981.

haircare in movies, perfumes in movies, skincare in movies, teeth care in movies

Été 85 (2020)

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David (Benjamin Voisin) and Alex (Félix Lefebvre) are recovering after being attacked by bullies at a local fun fair. They’re cleaning themselves up in David’s bathroom.

The first bottle I can see on the left side of the bathroom shelf is Boucheron Pour Homme eau de toilette. I don’t think David wears it, so it’s likely to be something his late father used to wear.

There’s another perfume bottle, and this definitely belongs to David’s mother, the outgoing Mrs. Gorman. It’s Fabergé Babe, a floral fragrance launched in 1977 and famously advertised by Margaux Hemingway.

In the screencap above there’s also a tube of Colgate toothpaste.

On the shelf there’s also a bottle of Pétrole Hahn Vert hair lotion and a box of Nivea Creme.

perfumes in movies

Conte d’hiver (1992)

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Félicie works as a hairdresser. One of her clients is reading a magazine while having her hair washed. The back cover of the magazine features an advert that will surely send a thrill of excitement down your spine: the ubiquitous Guerlain Samsara!

The nose who created one of the greatest Oriental fragrances was Jean-Paul Guerlain. Launched in 1989, it was housed in a beautiful pagoda-like red bottle with gold accents.

perfumes in movies

Parenti serpenti (1992)

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If you asked me what is the ultimate Christmas Italian film, I would surely choose this one. Despite being a brutal depiction of the petty intrigues and toxic relations among the members of the same family, it’s a comedy, so the line between laugh and darkness is very very thin.

I’ve watched it many times, but I’ve never noticed an intriguing detail in Milena’s bedroom: the iconic silver, black and turquoise metal bottle of Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche on her vanity. Milena, as most of her relatives, masters the art of simulating and pretending, and rarely shows her real self. Using a very trendy perfume is in tune with the character, who wants to appear different from what she really is.

Thanks to my friend Rocco for the id.

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

Vivien Leigh’s Dressing Room (1960)

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I’ve already written about Vivien Leigh touring the U.S. in 1960. The English actress starred in the play Duel of Angels by Christopher Fry alongside her partner Jack Merivale.

The picture above is a bit blurry, but there’s one object that clearly stands out.

It’s a Guerlain flacon lyre containing perfumed talc. Too bad it’s impossible to read the front label, so we will never know what the talc was scented like.

cosmetics in movies

Mùi đu đủ xanh (1993)

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thescentofgreenpapaya_bornunicorn (2)

Mui (Tran Nu Yên-Khê) started working as a maid when she was 10. Now she’s 20 and her life is about to change: she’s fallen in love with the man she works for, a pianist she’s known since she was a child. This man is still engaged, though. One day, Mui finds a red lipstick on the man’s bed, an object which makes her discover the power of seduction.

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The sleek tortoiseshell black case contains Shiseido perfecting lipstick. The packaging is typical of the late 1980s/early 1990s: for example, it appears in the advertising campaign of the Eclat Futur 1991 collection.

This choice is not accurate from a historical point of view: Shiseido lipsticks had a very different packaging in the years in which this part of the film is set (the 1960s).

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In any case, it’s a lovely make-up moment. The bright red shade that Mui wears has a metallic sheen which beautifully matches her silk blouse.

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