It’s no secret that when it comes to my preferred retro beauty look I gravitate towards a strong red lip and black cat eye. Lately though, I’ve been wanting something softer, but still with a retro edge and when I first saw the 1940s heroines on Carolina Herrera’s fall runway, I was smitten.
Carolina Herrera Fall 2013
The models wore satin pussy bow blouses, wide-legged trousers, tweed pencil and a-line skirts, and dresses with nipped waists and dramatic high shoulders. The look was 1940s sophistication with a touch of vixen. I thought of Lauren Bacall in How to Marry a Millionaire, a tough-as-nails woman driven by ambition whose sexiness came from her brash but classy attitude rather than a wiggle when she walked or a breathy voice – no offense to the incomparable Marilyn.
The hair and makeup was equal parts soft and strong, with hair pulled back into a low victory roll and cheeks and lips kissed with pretty pinks.
Victory rolls and pink makeup at Carolina Herrera
To create the look at home, I tracked down the products you need. For the victory roll, apply Sebastian Potion 9, which is a styling cream with flexible hold, to damp/almost dry hair. Part your hair in the middle and twist each side and pin it to your head as you work towards the back. Gather the ends into a ponytail, roll it inward and pin it in place. To give your hair some high-wattage shine, apply a couple of drops of L’Oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil that leaves hair glossy thanks to avocado and grape seed oils.
L’Oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil, $26 at salons
To achieve a pretty pink flush, I applied Lancome’s new Highlighter Blush in Rose Ballerine from the super feminine French Ballerine collection fronted by the beautiful Lily Collins. I looked to Lancome’s vast range of pinks shades from the Rouge In Love lipstick collection and went with Rose Flaneuse, a bright rose pink.
Lancome Highlighter Blush in Rose Ballerine, $52 at department stores and select drugstores in February
Lancome Rouge In Love in Rose Flaneuse, $30 at department stores
– Jodi Goulart
What Would Marilyn Do? 