This is a 1932 beauty hint by actress Alice Field. Enjoy!
There is no real beauty without good health. So my beauty hint is a diet which some people will find severe. It consists of grilled meats without butter, vegetables cooked in water, fruits with their skins, no alcohol and no bread. To that recipe, I add a daily walk in fresh air of at least three quarters of an hour and twenty minutes of setting up exercises.”
This is a 1954 Lydia Lane article where actress Elaine Stewart talks about her grooming habits. Enjoy!
Elaine Stewart’s star is rising fast and though she is one of the most beautiful and sought after girls in Hollywood, she told me that in high school she was a wallflower. Recently I asked her how this be. “There were many contributing factors,” Elaine explained, “but I really brought it all on myself. I was unhappy because all the girls in my class seemed to have so much money and I had so little. I lived with my family on Long Island in New York and I can remember crying because the other girls seemed to be dressed so beautifully and I had to wear the same old thing.” “But I bet you were the prettiest,” I. said. “When I look back I realize that it isn’t what we have that is important but our attitude toward it,” Elaine told me. “You have to set a value on yourself for others to respect you. My way of thinking made me lonely so that during my high school days when most girls were busy dating I hardly ever went out.” “HOW DID THE wallflower become a glamour girl?” I asked.
“I learned the hard way. I worked after school and on Saturdays and though most of what I earned went to my mother to help with the family, I was able to save a little. I was an usher in a theater and often saw the same picture as many as 10 times. I used to analyze hair styles, make-up and I learned to sew and copied some of the clothes. “It is amazing how much you can do with determination and will-to-learn,” Elaine went on. “My dream was to become a model and I studied every glamorous person in the magazines and on the screen.”
“As soon as I had saved enough to buy a model’s hat box, and to pay for regular commuting to New York and lunch money, I went to Conover. He was very kind and said he thought I would photograph but that I had to learn how to dress. He told me I was too fussy that I had too much curl in my hair and that I wore too much make-up. I remember he advised: ‘get a simple black dress and learn to work with it.’ “I sat for hours in his office, and studied the most successful models,” she explained, “Gradually I began to understand what Mr. Conover had meant. They all accented simplicity with a black dress or a well-cut suit but they were very clever in changing their appearance. When you are dressing on a limited budget, knowing how to look different is invaluable.
“IT’S SURPRISING,” Elaine continued, “how much can be done with belts, colored scarfs, costume jewelry, even a new hairdo. “That’s one thing modeling teaches you how to change your type. If you are to pose with a vacuum cleaner you can’t look the same as when you pose with a rare mink coat. But to make an impression you must feel comfortable in the clothes you are wearing. Even now,” Elaine confided, “when I am no longer modeling I still have fun changing my type.” “Most girls have trouble trying to become one type,” I commented. “It’s not easy,” Elaine agreed. “But the trouble is most people begin too early or are too impatient.
“Learning how to be glamorous takes time and a willingness to make mistakes. But on the whole there are basic rules for glamour which hold true for any type.” “Such as?” I coaxed. “For one thing, the foundation of good looks lies in health. This may sound obvious but it is amazing how few people really live by it. Take teeth for example. They are very important to beauty never sell a smile short,” Elaine cautioned. “But to have healthy teeth you should eat right. And I am a Seat one for regular visits to e dentist. Economize on other things but get a dental check-up regularly. v “And, I think a girl should start caring for her complexion when she is 16. If you take your youth for granted you’ll realize your mistake when it is too late.”
“BEGIN GROOMING habits early. Learn to give yourself a professional looking manicure. If you don’t have a talent for this keep plugging away and one day ‘your nails will look perfect. A good rule to follow with every phase of grooming is to have a set time for each routine. ‘,’No matter whether you see yourself in extremely high fashion clothes or in tweeds and sweaters you must be meticulous about every detail,” Elaine added seriously. “When you don’t have much time or money this requires budgeting of your leisure but with a plan and good habits any girl can become ‘ glamorous.” “Do you really believe that?” I asked. “Yes,” Elaine said with finality. “By following the basic rules every girl can be attractive to men and glamorous according to her type.”
This is a 1954 Lydia Lane article where actress Joan Caulfield talks about a bunch of beauty stuff. Enjoy!
Joan Caulfield is one of the prettiest and most talented girls in motion pictures and television today. Yesterday afternoon I went to visit her in her charming hilltop house, and as we had tea I told her how much I enjoyed her TV show, “My Favorite Husband.” “It’s hard work but the letters from the fans are so wonderful that it’s more than worth it,” she told me. Suddenly Joan noticed that I wasn’t eating any of her beautiful coconut cake. “Do you mind if I take this from under my nose? I have a sweet tooth,” she explained as she crossed the room. “I don’t want to tempt myself. I never have dishes of candy in the house on the principle that out of sight is out of mind.”
We talked about dieting. “Some people pay too high a price for a youthful waistline,” Joan explained. “I think this determination to wear a size ten or twelve dress can be over done. In order to keep this slim they deprive themselves of everything they want to eat. This constant denial shows in their eyes, their disposition and takes something away from their personalities. Will power can be overdone. “I WATCH my figure but with controlled indulgence. I try never to over eat and I’m familiar enough with calories so that when I have a choice I avoid what is most fattening. “But I believe if you crave something, eat it and get it off your mind. Later balance your budget by giving up something else,” Joan said.
As we were talking I was pleasantly aware of Joan’s scent and told her so. She was frankly delighted. “It’s something I mixed up for myself. That is I mean I blended two French perfumes. I started doing this when I found I had several bottles with just a little perfume left in them. I decided to pour them together to see what would happen and it turned out so well I’ve been experimenting ever since. The fun of it is having a fragrance no one else wears. Frank Ross, Joan’s attractive husband and producer of “The Robe,” came in from a game of golf. He kissed his wife and as he went into the other room he said, “Are you two girls exchanging beauty hints?” “I feel there should be more beauty hints for men,” Joan declared. “They are always saying what they like and dislike about women. Well, I feel like telling them how they can be improved.”
Some men who are exquisitely tailored, fastidious about everything, neglect to use deodorant. When they take off their coats you want to run. Unfortunately a daily bath is no protection from perspiration. Joan waited until the maid had removed the tea tray before she declared: “And there is “no excuse for anyone not having a pleasant breath. I admit that onions and garlic are important to the flavor of food and no one enjoys them more than I, but I stay away from them when there is any chance of my inflicting my breath on others. “The sense of smell plays an important part in the charm picture,” Joan continued. “But so many men don’t realize how offensive their hair oil is when it turns rancid. If they would buy small bottles instead of large ones this could be avoided. Thank heaven Frank is always immaculate. One of the first things I noticed about him was his freshly scrubbed look.”
This is a 1954 Lydia Lane article where actress Barbara Darrow talks about a bunch of beauty stuff. Enjoy!
After you leave the teens you have to think more about caring for yourself,” Barbara Darrow told me. She added that the actresses who looked years younger than they were had all begun a beauty routine early. “I grew up in Hollywood and I always knew I was going to be a movie actress, so I’ve been a fan from way back,” Barbara said as she explained that her mother and father were in the theater. “So I started having training as soon as possible.”
“But-even if she has no desire to be an actress every girl should learn as much as she can about grooming,” Barbara added. “Appearance is so important in getting started in any field, and it is good to learn that it’s just as easy to dress neatly and attractively as it is to put on things which don’t go together. “LEARN HOW to do your hair yourself you can’t always get an appointment when you want it,” she went on. “It’s not easy for some to do their hair but they can learn. I had to practice quite a while before I was satisfied. I’ve found that when I set my hair with clips instead of bobby pins it has a better line and a softer wave.
The most ‘difficult part about doing your own hair is to learn how to put up the back. Get a friend to help you until you can turn out a professional-looking job. It’s worth learning because you are assured of always looking tops when a last minute invitation comes through. “I believe in having a date with myself for manicuring, shampooing and shaving my legs. It’s the only way to be assured of being well groomed. If you don’t set a time and if you let other things interfere, then you’re liable to go around with a sloppy hair-do, chipped nails or with legs which are not as smooth as they should be..”
“NEATNESS AND freshness go a long way in making you look attractive,” Barbara said with emphasis. “But being rested is important, too. You not only look fresher but you feel more on the up and up when you get ample rest. I like to lie down for 20 minutes with pads over my eyes before I go out on a date.” “Do you use cotton soaked in witch hazel?” I asked. “That’s good,” Barbara agreed, “but I find it less trouble to use a jar of eye pads shaped to fit the lids which are already moist You can buy them in any cosmetic department.”
This is a 1952 Lydia Lane article where actress Denise Darcel talks about keeping your skin healthy during winter. Enjoy!
Denise Darcel is a busy girl flying back and forth between New York and Hollywood making pictures and doing guest appearances on radio and TV. “When you live in California!” Denise told me one day at MGM “you forget what cold winds and winter weather do to your complexion. At first I was continually complaining about chapped hands and lips. “What did you do?” “I tried to use hand lotion every time I washed my hands In fact I even carried a purse size bottle of lotion with me” “Any other cold weather advice?” I asked.
“In France” Denise said “we don’t have central heating the way you do. The halls and lobbies of buildings and even the theaters are too cold for comfort but the houses are kept pleasantly warm with open fire places and this is much easier on your skin. The average European coming to the United States finds an overheated building most unpleasant” “And it’s unhealthy too” I remarked “I try to have a thermometer handy to check on the room temperature in order to keep it at 68. Perhaps that’s too cool for some people” Denise commented “but certainly you should not let it get any hotter than 72” “And I think people would find that they feel better and have less colds If they take your suggestion” I said.
“And they would look better too because skin and hair get dried out when you spend day after day in rooms which are so dehydrated” Denise said reminiscently. “Did you know that there are creams especially designed to bring moisture back to the skin?” I commented “It’s so easy to take good care of yourself” Denise sighed “if you just take the trouble to find out about all these new beauty routines but I am not one for fussing with myself” “I don’t think you have to in order to keep looking well” I remarked “Creams today are more functional and correcting so that it’s possible to get the maximum of results with the minimum of effort” “You make it sound so easy” Denise exclaimed.
This is a 1953 Lydia Lane article where actress Peggie Castle talks about elocution and her grooming habits. Enjoy!
Peggy Castle has been in 10 pictures since a talent scout invited her to a studio for a test She turned out to be Just so photogenic that she won a term contract “What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in Hollywood?” I asked “Hearing yourself on the screen has made me very voice conscious. It’s difficult to be critical of yourself unless you can be objective. It is so easy to be careless about diction without noticing it. But a wonderful old English actor told me If you take care of the consonants the vowels will take care of themselves. I have found this advice very helpful”
“It is usually the end of a word we are careless about” Peggy continued “We forget to sound the final consonant but we never slur a vowel Take for example everyone says ‘banana’ correctly but so few people bother to complete a word like ‘slept’ “What is your top beauty secret?” “Secret is not exactly the right word for it—but I feel a girl who is always clean fresh looking and well groomed will be considered attractive” she answered.
“You don’t have to wear expensive clothes if they are becoming well fitted‘ and immaculate. It is not always the girls with the best features who make the best impression. It’s the girl who is carefully groomed in every detail.” Peggy explained “Men can’t always put their finger on this trick but they react to it whether they are hiring a secretary or asking for a phone number.”
This is a 1953 Lydia Lane article where actress Yvette Dugay talks about diet and working hard for success. Enjoy!
Though New Jersey-born Yvette Dugay is just 20, she has been in show business for 18 years. “I have been in more than 40 pictures” Yvette told me the other day as we were driving to Long Beach to visit some Korean casualties, “but my favorite part is with Donald O’Connor in Francis Covers the Big Town”. Yvette is very versatile and went to Korea to sing and dance for our troops. She has a scar on her leg where she was hit by a bullet. It is quite visible beneath her sheer nylons. She could cover it with make up, she explained, “but I’m very proud of it”. I asked Yvette what she felt were helpful ingredients in her formula for success.
“Thinking of other people?” she remarked. “Being liked plays a very important part in getting ahead no matter what you are doing or where you are. It isn’t always the most talented people who make their dreams come true. You have to work hard, but when you reach a goal, don’t become smug or you’ll find yourself being by-passed.” I asked Yvette to tell me about her top beauty secret. “That beauty comes from the inside,” she confessed, “You may not have the most regular features, or a terrific figure, but if you project sweetness, if you are good inside, your face will seem lovely when people are around you.” “You have made an important point” I agreed, “but don’t you think that the body needs to be cared for?”
“Yes, I do!” Yvette exclaimed. “The body must be cared for with nutritional food. Diet is the secret of beauty. My mother is in her early 40s and she looks 10 years younger. It is a great inspiration for me to follow in her footsteps. “What do you eat?” Basic foods,” Yvette explained. “Lots of vegetables, nuts, fruits, whole grain breads. My mother is a vegetarian. But when went to school I saw meat for the first time and liked it so I’ve had it ever since.” “Aren’t you tempted to go off your diet and have a fling with rich desserts and …” Before I could finish, Yvette noted “I am no martyr. I really am not tempted. I think so much depends on how you were brought up. If I want a sweet I take honey or dried fruit. I don’t feel well with heavy or rich food. And once you know what it is to have radiant health it means much more than the taste of fancy foods.”
This is a 1953 Lydia Lane article where actress Tracy Roberts talks about hair care. Enjoy!
Hollywood starlet Tracy Roberts picked her name by combining the names of 2 of her favorite actors, Spencer Tracy and Robert Montgomery. Back in Little Falls, where she was born, she was known as someone else. “But let’s not mention this,” Miss Roberts remarked, “until I really reach the top.” You have seen Tracy on TV, in a number of pictures including “Queen for a Day,” and you soon will see her in “Women in Paradise” which was made in Mexico.
“How did you like Mexico?” I asked Tracy as we had tea together the other day. “It was a most interesting experience,” Tracy revealed. “I worked in both English and Spanish and in this way got to know the people better. I was particularly impressed with how different the women are from us.” “In what way?” I asked. “IN THEIR attitude toward men and toward themselves,” Tracy remarked. “Essentially the women are much more feminine in Mexico. They expect the man to make decisions and they are never as independent or as competitive as we are.” “Which system do you prefer?” I asked. “I haven’t made up my mind. But I do think that women should never forget that essentially they should remain feminine. Femininity is an essential part of beauty.”
Miss Roberts has not cut her long red hair and I asked her if she was considering following the short hair fashion. “My husband likes it long and I think you can have a greater variety than when you wear it short.” I wanted to know her secret for caring for it. “NO MATTER how attractively you are dressed, if your hair is not well groomed or designed becomingly, you are not going to make a good impression. “I have a feeling that if you take care of your scalp your hair will take care of itself,” she added. “I use a new brush about every 6 weeks. As soon as the bristles are not strong enough to make my scalp tingle and bring up the circulation I feel a brush has lost its usefulness. “If more people would wear out their brushes faster,” Miss Roberts continued, “You’d see more soft shining hair.” “What type of brush do you prefer?” I asked. “I don’t think there is any substitute for good, strong, natural bristles,” Tracy concluded.
This is a 1953 Lydia Lane article where teen star Natalie Wood talks about skin remedies. Enjoy!
The first time I mt Natalie Wood she was doing a scene with Jane Wyman i in “The Blue Veil.’ At the time Jane had the most flattering things to say about Natalie’s: charm and ability, so it was not surprising to find that Natalie played Jane’s stepdaughter in “Just For You.” Although this attractive young actress is still in her teens playing Bette Davis daughter in “The Star,” it marks her 19th role!
“What is your biggest beauty problem?” I asked Natalie one day over a cup of hot chocolate. “It’s not a problem anymore,” Natalie told me, “but at one tine I had little rough spots’ under my skin.’ I suppose they were not terribly important.” “How did you get rid of them?” “Someone told mother about an old-fashioned remedy that was used by her great-aunt in the covered wagon days. You get your skin real clean f and then you make a paste of corn meal, coarsely ground, and “buttermilk. You smooth this all’ over your face and wherever you have a bump under the skin, I work this around in a rotary movement.? It takes a few treatments; before you can notice a difference but after a while all the bumps were gone.” “How often did you use this?”
“Several times a week at first, but now when I’m on a picture and have to use a lot of makeup I use it about once a week,” Natalie laughed, “you know what they say about an ounce of prevention, it saves you from a lot of trouble later!”
“How much makeup do you think a teenager should use?” I asked. “Teen-age covers quite a bit,” Natalie remarked. “It is hard to be pinned down to an exact age because some girls seem so much older than others. But I feel that a good rule to follow is not to be the first in your class to wear lipstick nor the last” “What about other makeup? “The main point is to look attractive but natural. I suppose to use mascara or a little rouge so that no one knows it is O.K. But I think when a young girl wears too much makeup she unquestionably detracts from herself.”
This is a 1953 Lydia Lane article where actress Anne Bancroft talks about a bunch of beauty stuff. Enjoy!
Anne Bancroft has made 4 pictures in the 2 years she has been in Hollywood; she broke into pictures via TV when scouts at 20th Century saw her in “Studio One” and offered her a contract. “What do you consider the most important lesson Hollywood has taught” you?” I asked Anne as we drove to visit some Korean wounded in a hospital near Hollywood. “I find working in “pictures makes great demands,” Anne said. “There are voice and dancing lessons, personal appearances and tests ‘when you are not on a picture and when you are working there is no time for anything else. Even when you go to parties you don’t get very far away because you see mostly industry people and hear shop talk. I am trying to keep some time for myself but it’s difficult. “And,” Anne continued, “Hollywood has taught me how completely you are on your own here you cannot depend on other people.”
I asked Anne the hardest thing she had to overcome. “IN NEW YORK everything moves at a much faster pace so when I came here to live I had to learn to slow down. This was not easy and even now I have to work on myself to develop a more relaxed rhythm.” “What is your biggest beauty problem?” “My oily skin. When you have to wear makeup all day the problem is to keep it from clogging the pores.” “What do you do for this?” I asked. “I wash my face with soap and water after I have creamed off my makeup. Then I steam my face over a bowl of very hot water until I am sure my pores are well open. I wash my face with a very hot wash cloth and follow this by patting astringent over my face.” As my final question I asked Anne to tell me her success formula. “Love your work,” she said, “because then you will not mind long and hard hours. Be co-operative, because getting along with people is an important step.”
Vintage Venus - Beauty in classic Hollywood! 