“Celebrities have always been the ultimate beauty blueprint,” Jasmine Hyman writes for Cosmopolitan. “From the hairstyles and haircuts that we show our stylists, to dramatic Met Gala red carpets, celeb glam moments continuously shape how we think about beauty. The most iconic celebrity beauty moments aren’t just trends—they’re cultural resets and timestamps, identifying any given era with just one glam moment.”
Jasmine goes on to rank Marilyn’s ‘red lip and blonde bob’ in fifth place among 33 of the most iconic celebrity beauty moments of all time (with Audrey Hepburn’s microbangs also listed, and Pamela Anderson’s messy blonde updo taking the top spot.)
Over at Vogue, meanwhile, Audrey Noble goes deep into the history of Hollywood glamour – and speculates on how Marilyn’s beauty brand would play out today.
“The allure of the Old Hollywood Glamour aesthetic is what Rachael Gibson, the writer known as the Hair Historian, calls a ‘specific vision of femininity’ that people are drawn to … ‘That kind of escapism and glamour is such an important part of why we resonate with this trend,’ she says. ‘It kind of harks back to something which is probably made up and not actually how life was for people. If you were a poor woman in America who didn’t have much going on, but you were able to do this look with your hair, that’s going to make you feel good, empowered, and beautiful. So that’s a nice thing.’
And though evoked a sense of effortless glam, the style itself is anything but. Gibson points out that these looks require time and effort to pull off … These styles also required products that weren’t readily available back then. Take Jean Harlow’s pin curls, which Gibson says many tried to replicate with dangerous household chemicals … It was all about what would look good on film rather than what was actually attainable.
When it comes to makeup, celebrity makeup artist Nick Barose notes that the style has become softer, as different lighting and camera techniques dictate what appears best in film. The evolution of red carpet appearances has led to a need for celebrities and their makeup artists to find ways for makeup to look good in all lighting conditions. ‘If you look at Marilyn Monroe in some of her films, for example, a lot of times in close-ups, you can see that her face was lighter than her neck. This might have worked in the early days because it made her face pop, but if I created a makeup look like this today, I’d receive comments like “Her makeup artist needs to be fired” all over my social media,’ he says.
As technology improved, so did the products. The creation of liquid foundation that provides coverage while still appearing natural—as well as contouring techniques—has truly been game-changers, Barose says. Red lipstick, which he calls the ‘epitome of Old Hollywood glam,’ has also evolved and now comes in different finishes and shades to match every skin tone. Even false lashes, like his favorite Lash Lash NYC in Marilyn [used by Ana de Armas for Blonde], have come a long way for you to add drama without being too obvious.
Celebrity hairstylist Gregory Russell loves a ‘very polished’ but also ‘simpler’ approach to his modern spin on Old Hollywood hair when it comes to styling his clients … The key to his looks is always prepping damp hair with a mousse (he likes the Pureology Style + Protect Weightless Volume Mousse) and finishing the ends with an oil.
For makeup, Barose tries not to be too literal with his interpretation of glam, too. For example, he says he’ll tone down brow arches with something like the Chanel Stylo Sourcils Haute Précision Microfine Defining Eyebrow Pencil by making them fuller and straighter to give it a less retro feel.
All experts agree: Old Hollywood Glamour is timeless, and there will always be some sort of tie-in with its classic signifiers. ‘To me, Old Hollywood Glamour covers many decades of styles but always includes a glamorous set of waves or curls, whether it’s finger waves, a deep side parting of cascading waves, or a center part with brushed out shiny curls,’ says Russell.
For 2025 (and beyond), he thinks more fantasy and glamour will be infused into the classic brushed-out wave and that we’ll lean more into volume and texture. Barose sees more experimentation with the makeup, whether that means more fuchsia and more purple in place of a red lip or leaving the brows au naturel instead of with a ‘perfect’ arch. As with most trends, the best way to update them is to put your own unique spin on it.”
The Marilyn Report 