If you have dry hair, massage the scalp with equal parts of castor and olive oil before retiring. Warm the mixture slightly and apply with a pad of cotton. Leave the oil in the hair overnight and shampoo in the morning.
I always cleanse my face with cold cream and then wash with soap and water before going to bed. Once each week I pat ice-cold strained honey into my face and neck, letting it remain 15 minutes, and relaxing completely i the while. Then I wash it off with cold water and follow with a brisk ice rub. I find that the honey smooths the ykin and clears it of any possible accumulated dirt or grime.
This is a 1955 Lydia Lane article where actress Joan Greenwood talks about a bunch of beauty stuff. Enjoy!
Americans were introduced to Joan Greenwood by way of the popular film, “Kind Hearts and Coronets,” and liked her so well she was summoned to New York last season to star in a Broadway play. It wasn’t until MGM offered her the co-starring role in “Moonfleet” that she was lured to the west coast. “I’ve looked forward to coming here,” Joan told me when I stopped by her dressing room. “London is rainy and foggy, New York as such erratic weather–I had oped I could find the sun in California but because my hair must be dyed this purplish-pink color for he picture, I was told I should lay out of the sun. It’s very disappointing.”
We chatted about Joan’s impressions of American women. “What divine figures you have,” she exclaimed. “Compared with he women in other countries you look years younger than your age. What amazes me even more is low even the women with homes and children to care for can look so well-groomed, fresh and neat all the time. “In England there are not nearly so many beauty parlors, you know Nor do the advertisements offer as many hints or preparations for making yourself beautiful, but then we do not place so much emphasis on appearance.” “Americans feel that everyone is potentially attractive. Only the lazy never do anything to develop this potentiality,” I commented.
And American women are clever enough,” she offered, “that when they have gone as far as they can to improve their appear face, they start working to make themselves more interesting, round out .their charm. “On the other hand,” Joan said candidly, “I feel that the women here tend to overdress. They insist on cluttering themselves with flowers and bits and pieces of jewelry: which more often they would look better without. It is better to choose either that colorful neck lace or those enormous earrings, but not both.
“f think, too, that you are too generous with make-up and begin too young. When 1 was 16 I was still wearing blue serge and just starting to Think about lipstick. Here it’s difficult to tell the school girls from the career girls. There i.s so much time to grow up. A young girl has the kind of attractiveness lhat only comes to a woman once and which other women invariably envy — clear, smooth skin, shining eyes, natural gleaming hair. Youth is the time to R’-,:l in Ibis exquisite naturalness and cleanliness. “English women are for !he most part fair jn coloring, with pale eyelashes, But they are timid about using mascara. I’m mad for mascara,” Joan confessed. “To me it’s even more important than lipstick. Darkening my lashes and drawing a line close around them gives life to my face.” Joan feels that makeup should suit the occasion and lime of day. “I’ve seen women in Hew York use a base so heavy It concealed the very bone structure of their faces,”
“How enlightening,” I commented, encouraging her to go on. “I think too many American women follow fashion at the expense of their individuality, made a point of watching women stream into the theater in New York and was amazed to see s many of the same little jeweled hats on all types of women.” Joan passed me a bowl of fruit then popped a grape into he mouth. “I’m mad about the fruit here. I order enough for a week when eat it up in a few days.” I asked Joan if she had gained any weight since her arrival. . “Not this trip,” she replied “but I did when I was in New York. And all because you serve such enormous portions. No wonder everyone is diet-conscious. ‘-‘One good thing that came out of our austerity program in England is that we learned to eat less, and felt better for it. The more you eat, the more you feel you need, and this feeling is false appetite.”
Joan was wearing no powder, which revealed the beautiful clarity of her skin. She told me that during the war when cosmetics were very hard’ to get she made her face cream, and it worked so well she still uses it. “The formula is very simple,” she explained. “I use spermaceti, (a refined whale oil of wax-like Consistency which is carried by most drug stores) melt it down, add an equal part of almond oil, a drop of bath oil for fragrance, and put it in the refrigerator to get cold. It’s had a wonderful effect on my skin,” Joan concluded.
This is a 1955 Lydia Lane article where actress Kathryn Grayson talks about a bunch of beauty stuff. Enjoy!
When I went out to Paramount to have lunch with Kathryn Grayson I found her still on th set. She was being rescued from the noose in a scene from “The Vagabond King.” We decided to lunch in Kathryn’s dressing room and when the waiter came in with menus for us, she waived hers aside, saying “I’ll take the usual.” “I’m on an avocado kick,” sire explained, smiling. “Lately I’ve had a taste for avocados and I believe thaf you should listen to your body. You know, the body is really like an efficient chemical factory. When something’s nut of balance, it gives you signals. Babies do this .intuitively but as we mature start to choose foods from habit or eye appeal rather than from nutritional necessity.” .
I’ could see that Kathryn w-as talking on a subject on which she was well informed. “In one of the New York hospitals,’ she continued, “they conducted a feeding experiment with a group of toddlers. Each baby was given a tray with everything necessary for a well-balanced diet. Some of the children ate only the mashed bananas for three meals in a row but by the end of the week they all had eaten according to the chart of scientific feeding. Their need of other foods had eventually taken control of their appetites. So you see,” Kathryn said, “if we learn to listen to our body signals, we’ll receive the right directions.” Kathryn told me that although her mother was from the south the family was never served typically southern food like southern style fried foods and hot .breads. “Mother felt that our eating habits were formed early in life and that if she didn’t feed us the wrong things we wouldn’t learn to like them. We rarely had candy and I believe that’s why I don’t have a single cavity,” Kathryn said with pride.
“I’ve often admired your beautiful teeth,” I remarked. “How do you keep them so white?” “I’ve found a toothpaste that really removes stains and keeps teeth white,” Kathryn said. “But I also brush my teeth after every meal which I believe is very important. They tease me on the set because as soon as I’ve eaten any thing I head for the nearest wash basin with my toothbrush. ; “I also use a special powder on my gums.” she continued. “You can’t have good teeth if your gums aren’t healthy. I massage this powder in with my fingers, several times a week.” I asked Kathryn if she came by her slender figure naturally or whether she had to watch her diet. “That gets us back, to my favorite subject .’listen to your body, ” Kathryn laughed. “At least it’s worked with me. I’ve had to learn, though, to differentiate between true signals and false ones.
“I ignore the hunger signals that stem from nervous tension or boredom. These are the times when you feel restless and go, browsing around the kitchen looking for something anything to nibble on. There are times, though, j when I feel like having nothing but rare meat at meals and other days when I don’t want any solids at all. I can get along nicely on nothing but liquids” for a flay or o and I don’t think it’s the least bit harmful. “I only wish I were as’ successful in listening to my body when It gives out fatigue signals,” Kathryn sighed. “I know that taking a short break snaps tension and prevents it from building up, but I don’t do lt. Consequently I’m often over-tired. But It’s something I’m working on,” she said with determination. “What’s your favorite way of unwinding when you get over-tired and tense?” I wanted to, know. “A warm bath,”‘ she replied quickly, “Lying in a tepid tub soothes me completely and makes me sleepy. I can always go right to sleep after a warm. bath. I try to relax my mind as I lie there, not think of a single thing.”
Kathryn confessed that artificial eyelashes are her favorite make-up trick. She reaches for them like most girls reach for their lipstick. “My eyes are so big they need a long fringe for balance ” she explained, “but I do thin them out and shape them so they look natural.”, Kathryn believes, and wisely, that the secret to a good complexion lies in cleanliness. She tries to keep her skin in such good condition that she doesn’t need make up. “I think the new deep cleansers are marvelous. They go deep Into the pores and remove old make-up and dirt more thoroughly than anything I’ve ever used. And I use astringent faithfully,” she added. Kathryn commented that the beauty picture would not be complete without saying , something about a good disposition. We agreed that ail the beauty secrets in the world would be useless if a woman didn’t have a pleasant personality.
This is a 1955 Lydia Lane article where actress Lana Turner talks about a bunch of beauty stuff. Enjoy!
Despite the pitfalls of growing up in the public eye, Lana Turner has matured into a poised and gracious woman. Today she is considered one of the best-dressed woman in Hollywood a far cry from the unsophisticated “sweater girl’ who took the country by storm the first time she stepped before the camera. I called for Lana at MGM where she just made “The Prodigal” and we drove to her Holmby Hills home for cocktails .She was wearing a beautifully cut linen sheath dress which displayed her marvelous figure. “Simplicity is an acquired taste,” Lana admitted. She was quick to admit that in the early days of her career she dressed too fancy. “Fussy clothes attract the untrained eye,” shev continued. “The more you know about fashion the more you realize that It requires more talent to design a simple dress than a decorative one. “
After I’m dressed for the evening and all ready to leave I take one last look at myself and ask, ‘now, what can I take off?’ The best looking dress in the world can be spoiled by too much jewelry or the wrong accessories. “The important thing to look for when you are shopping for a dress is basic line. You can always remove flowers, bows or a ruffly collar if the basic line is good. “Don’t judge a dress by the way it looks on a model,” Lana advises. “Your proportions may be entirely different. Consider a dress in terms of what it will do for you. “Travelling has taught me a lot about planning a basic wardrobe. It’s expensive and silly to pay for a lot of excess luggage. By limiting colors and choosing suits and dresses which can be worn any ti” of day ,you can cut your wardrobe needs in half.”
Although Lana and Lex had an apartment in Paris for eleven months, Lana didn’t buy any clothes there. “I like to do my shopping in the United States because our clothes are cut for the American figure and they fit much better,’ ‘she explained. I asked her if she found it necessary to limit her cosmetics also- “Fortunately my skin Is inclined to be oily and I don’t need to use a lot of creams but I did take with me my favorite suntan oil, cleansing lotion and shampoo,” she told me. Lana has had her hair in every conceivable color and I asked whether she preferred dark hair or blonde. She smiled. “Blondes attract more attention, but blonde hair needs much more care and attention. When you are h the sun you have to wear a hat, or some kind of protection, to keep your hair from getting dry and streaked.”
Strangely . enough Lana did not come back from Paris laden with French perfume. , “Even when I was there I used my own American scent,” she confided. “It’s one I’ve worn so long all my friends immediately recognize it. I’ve had people walk into a room and say, ‘Lana’s here. I can smell her perfume.” “Actually I prefer cologne and bath oil to perfume because they are lighter. I believe that scent should be like a woman’s voice never overpowering but soft and soothing.” We chatted about charm. “Being able to put people at ease is an important part of charm to me,” Lana explained. “And you have to be interesting, which includes being well-informed. It’s foolish to spend a lot of time in front of the mirror only to find that you are left out of the conversation because you have nothing to offer.’ ‘ Lana is an intense person who finds it difficult to relax. “Some of the best advice I’ve ever been given is ‘learn to shrug your shoulders’. If you can develop an I-don’t-care attitude, you’ve got it licked. “When the rocking chair went out, relaxation went with it but I hung on to mine,” Lana laughed. “When I’m tense and nervous I sit and rock and pull an imaginary black curtain down on every thought that troubles me. This is a good way to prepare for bed. If you can unwind this way before you creep into bed, you’U find you can usually fall right off to sleep,” Lana concluded.Â
This is a 1933 beauty hint by actress Marjorie Rambeau. Enjoy!
I believe peace of mind Is the best beauty recipe. Relaxation is invaluable. I often find it in sewing, taking a bit of embroidery, or some such thing, along on a drive in the country, and sewing in the open air and sunshine. I try as much as possible, to keep my mind on bright, cheerful things, and that, too, is an aid to good appearance.
This is a 1955 Lydia lane article where actress Angela Lansbury talks about a bunch of beauty stuff. Enjoy!
I have known Angela Lansbury since she first came over from London to play theater. Since then she’s settled in Hollywood and has two small children. When I visited her recently at Paramount where she is making “The Court Jester” we talked about the problem of getting your figure back after having a baby. Angela had been through it twice and knew something about it. “I had a terrible time getting back to normal after my first baby,” she told me. “I didn’t start exercising right away and as a result of my procrastinating when I finally got down to it, it was really hard work. “I didn’t make that mistake the second time. When I left the hospital I had a series of exercises to try after 3 weeks, and another set for later. I worked at them faithfully and this time I was back to my normal measurements in a short time.
“Not that I believe in doing too much too soon,” she added. “Your doctor is the best uthority on how soon you should start work ing out. Lying flat on your back for a while gives your organs a chance to fall back into place. “Of course,” Angela continued, “regaining your figure often means revising your diet, too. I check my weight regularly. Quite often after a round of parties or during the holiday season I find I’ve gained a few pounds, and I start in immediately to cut down. I limit myself to two meals a day. This may not be practical for someone who is away from home but around the house it’s easy to lower your intake.”
Angela is a natural blonde but she has had to change the color of her hair many times for movie roles, “This can be disastrous if you don’t take steps to counteract the drying effect of bleaches and dyes. A good oil treatment takes care of this in most cases. “My hair is the kind that looks pretty only when it’s clean so I shampoo it as often as several times a week.” “That’s a lot of time to spend on one phase of grooming,” I commented. “Not really, because I have a hair dryer. It was a gift to me and I can honestly say I’ve never enjoyed a present mote. It’s comfortable, inexpensive and best of all, it’s quick. It has cut the time I used to spend on my hair in half, and besides just drying my hair with it I use it to condition my scalp. I rub oil into my hair and scalp, put on a shower cap and steam in the oils by letting the hot air from the dryer blow on it. “It’s one grooming aid I’d hate to be without,” Angela concluded. f
This is a 1955 Lydia lane article where actress Jean Wallace talks about a bunch of beauty stuff. Enjoy!
When I lunched with Jean Wallace recently at the Beverly Hills Club she was happy and enthusiastic about the success of “The Big Combo” which she made with her husband, Cornell Wilde. It’s her best role to date and the critics have only nice things to say about Jean’s performance. Jean was showing off her marvelous tan in an Ice blue cotton, a color which also set off her blue eyes and blond hair. I was surprised when she said, “I’m not one for fussing with my appearance, Lydia.” “Well, I’m sure you did something to promote that beautiful tan,” I remarked.
“Yes,” she admitted. “When I get ready to face the sun, I’m always well prepared. I make sure my skin is protected with lots of sun tan lotion. There are so many good ones on the market. I like the greaseless kind that spreads smoothly and protects your skin by deflecting the rays of the sun. “I’ve heard so many women say they don’t like to get a tan because it makes their skin look a blotchy brown almost dirty. I think this happens because they don’t realize that for a good tan you need a good base. This is where suntan lotion comes in. It provides a base for tanning smoothly and evenly, and some of them even govern the shade of your suntan. “I don’t blame women for not wanting a dirty-looking tan. To me the essence of beauty is cleanliness. A busy mother or career girl may not have time for the glamour routine but she can still be attractive through absolute cleanliness. “
Sometimes I see a smart-looking woman and when I get up close I notice that her hair nerds shampooing. She instantly ceases to be attractive the picture is completely spoiled. “While a ‘once a week’ schedule for washing your hair may be all right most of the time, you are not exposed to the same conditions all the time and frequently your hair may need washing more often. Being in a smoke-filled room, traveling, the elements all these things often make the between washings necessary.
“I guess I have a fetish about washing,” Jean confessed. “I never wear a sweater next to my skin more than once without marking it for the wash. “Although I shower every morning and have a tub bath every night, I like to have a steam bath once a week. This really gets into the pores and brings out all the impurities. It’s a good way to keep blemishes from forming.” Jean has a clear, pink skin that shines like a little girl’s. “I know the time is fast approaching when I’ll need more than soap and water and I am starting to use creams, but I really haven’t found one that I want to keep using. I’m still experimenting,” she concluded.
This is a 1955 Lydia Lane article where actress Allison Hayes talks about a bunch of beaty stuff. Enjoy!
Allison Hayes has been “discovered.” She has been rushed from one picture to another and her next scheduled role is with Rod Cameron in “The Crooked Finger” for Republic Pictures. “I’ve dreamed of this for a long time,” Allison confessed as we chatted in her dressing room. “But I think being prepared for your success is far better than having it come too quickly, before you are ready for it. “I’ll never forget my first test and how afraid I was to o in and look at it, but I was in for a pleasant surprise. The make up men had made so many delightful changes that all I could think of as I looked at the screen was ‘I didn’t know I looked like that. ”
I agreed that the studio make-up men were experts in their field. “They certainly taught me that making up is an art. For one thing, I have high check bones and I found that by covering this area with a light shade and by toning down my jaw with a darker shade my face is much better proportioned. It should never be a contrast that would draw attention. It should be blended together very carefully and you should never use more than two tones lighter or darker than your skin coloring. “After the right shade of foundation is applied,” Allison went on, “powder is next. Often a good foundation is spoiled by using the wrong shade of powder over it. To avoid this. I use a colorless powder, lt gives a mat finish without detracting from the color supplied by the foundation. It’s important to brush off excess powder to insure a natural look.
“When make-up is applied the right way, it can’t help but look natural. It takes a little more time but it pays off usually in compliments and admiring glances. “Hair, too, should look as natural as possible,” Allison advises. “Your coiffure should never he too set or too tightly curled. The really talented hair stylist always leaves a coiffure looking as if your hair just naturally fell into that line. “I used to have a very bad posture,” she continued. “I didn’t realize it until I saw my screen test. I guess it stemmed from being self-conscious about my height when I was in school. I shot up ahead of everyone in my class and it embarrassed me to be so much taller than the other girls. “After realizing my problem, I really began to work. Posture is concentration if you want to stand and sit up straight, you can. I walked around telling myself that the top of my head must touch the ceiling, or the sky. I got so in the habit of walking this way that every time I slumped I would catch myself immediately. Now good posture is second nature to me,” she concluded.
This is a 1933 beauty hint by actress Charlotte Henry. Enjoy!
In shampooing reddish-blond hair, It la Important to use Just the right kind of soap and rinse. A lemon-castille soap, shaved and boiled In a little water, Is excellent. After the hair is thoroughly cleansed, Juice of half a lemon In the last rinse water Is effective.
Vintage Venus - Beauty in classic Hollywood! 