The Best Marilyn Monroe Makeup Tutorial

I have always idolized the "look" of Marilyn Monroe, it's probably her iconic beauty that pushed me to dye my naturally black hair, bleach blonde. Her life was a tragic one....and I have never longed to live or become her...who would?

Madonna channeling Monroe.

She came from a broken home in childhood, was plagued by addiction problems, anxiety, divorces, scandal…..but despite all of her tragedies, one thing I can't do...when I watch Monroe’s old reels …..is look away.. Her face is absolutely captivating. It’s magic and magnetic… Some call her the patron saint of sexuality…she pushed boundaries, and shocked people. I read her bio and watched docs about her life…I found I loved her for hidden vulnerabilities. I often have a fear of speaking in front of large crowds…I know Marilyn too had the same fear…and would often hide in her dressing room before shooting scenes…so stricken with stage fright, she often had to be personally escorted to the set to shoot.

She was fragile…. I always viewed her death as such a tragedy, as if someone held the most delicate, exquisite blossom in the palm of their hands and crushed it…

In my opinion, not a single actress alive today could even come close to matching her presence.

Scene from the show SMASH..about a broadway play based on Monroe’s life.

If you love the art of make-up, you’ll grow to respect the talent and work of her makeup artist, Alan Snyder. Alan had been with her from her first screen test with Twentieth Century Fox in 1946 to the day she died. He was responsible for transforming her natural, girl next door features…. into the bombshell..

(my modern take on Monroe's look..I steal the blonde hair, the red lips and the eyeliner flip)

I have watched a lot of make-up tutorials on Monroe..and many are imperfect and focus on the make-up ..to become a caricature of Marilyn, but the video by famed make up artist Lisa Eldridge is by far the best. She actually breaks down her look and uses Snyder’s techniques. Even if you don’t want to go through all of the steps, the video is enjoyable to watch, and even a few techniques used here will help you find you inner Marilyn.