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The lips of Sugar Kane in Some Like It Hot leave a carmine kiss on the viewer, even though the film unfolds in black and white. That is because Marilyn Monroe’s lipstick was one of the most carefully studied chromatic experiments in the history of cinema and make-up. Defined by an orange undertone that leaned toward coral, the shade created for her by Allan “Whitey” Snyder, the makeup artist who accompanied Marilyn from her first screen test to her final public image, was designed to make her mouth appear darker and fuller in black-and-white films, while giving her complexion a softer, more ethereal quality in Technicolor. Among the admirers who have long regarded this nuance as a kind of cosmetic Holy Grail is Lisa Eldridge, who now brings this icon back to life through a dedicated collection.
Lisa Eldridge and Her Connection to Marilyn Monroe
The celebrated make-up artist has always shown a particular fascination with the great Hollywood star, so much so that in 2012 she dedicated one of her most viral tutorials to Marilyn’s look. Eldridge began with the skincare staples Marilyn was known to favor, including Nivea, Vaseline, and Erno Laszlo, before moving on to the lips: an elaborate construction of pencil contouring, contrasting lipstick, and a final touch of lip gloss.
Over time, however, the high number of discontinued products has turned Marilyn’s original beauty look into something of a mirage, both for industry insiders and for the countless fans the actress continues to captivate, even among younger generations. This is why Lisa chose to create a limited-edition capsule in collaboration with The Marilyn Monroe Estate. The approach behind the products was genuinely philological and archival: Eldridge did not set out simply to pay homage to the actress, but to restore, with remarkable purity, certain key elements of her vanity case in their original shades.
Lisa Eldridge x Marilyn Monroe: All the Products
The Lisa Eldridge x Marilyn Monroe collection launches in conjunction with the centennial of the actress’s birth. At the heart of the line are, of course, the lipsticks. The Rouge Experience Refillable Lipstick comes in the shades 629 Norma Jeane, a vibrant orange-red inspired by a nuance once owned by the actress, and 601 Amagansett, a brighter, more sophisticated carnation pink.
The formula has a creamy, luminous texture with a soft-focus effect designed to visually smooth the lips, while the refillable aluminum packaging adds a precious, contemporary dimension. Completing the ritual are the Velveteen Liquid Lip Colour in Strawberry Blonde, with its velvety finish; the Enhance and Define Lip Pencil in a Marilyn Monroe edition; the Gloss Embrace Lip Gloss; the Kitten Lash Mascara in Black; and the Elevated Glow Balm Concentrate highlighters in Butterfly Light and High-Key Light, created to evoke the diffused, almost Hollywood-studio luminosity that made Marilyn’s face one of the most unforgettable and legendary in the history of cinema.
