The Most Iconic Beauty Moments In Film
From '60s cuts to historical beauty
- by
Mahalia Chang
Michelle Pfeiffer's sleek blonde bob and smoky eye in Scarface are still copied today.
Michelle Pfeiffer's sleek blonde bob and smoky eye in Scarface are still copied today.
Rumour has it that Lucy Boynton's now-famous bob was inspired by Nastassja Kinski in Paris, Texas.
Colleen Atwood's exquisite costume and makeup design in Memoirs of a Geisha won her an Academy Award.
Brooke Shield somehow managed to make a marooning look chic. Her undone hair and those brows in The Blue Lagoon (1980) will forever inspire our no-makeup-makeup looks.
The rock 'n' roll haircut that turned Kristen Stewart from Twilight darling to indie maven, plus Dakota Johnson's foray into platinum, The Runaways made a splash.
Jessica Alba's wild curls were a feature on their own, but our vote for best beauty in Honey goes to Joy Bryant playing Gina.
Mia Farrow made her close-cropped pixie iconic in Rosemary's Baby.
Elaine's electric blue eye and coral lip in The Love Witch was a perfect nod to the '70s.
From Jennifer Lawrence's voluminous bouffant to Amy Adams' wild perm, American Hustle is full of great nods to '70s beauty.
Neon Demon itself may not have thrilled critics, but the eccentric use of beauty thrilled us.
Black Panther became one of the first films to embrace Afrofuturism, blending cultural history with modern aesthetics.
Lord of the Rings had the difficult task of making their human cast members look ethereal and ageless, something they did with aplomb. Cate Blanchett and Liv Tyler were given luminous skin, hip-length hair and the barest touch of pink blush.
From Oscar-winner Julianne Moore to model cameo Aline Weber, all the beauty looks in A Single Man were sultry, mod-ish and perfectly executed.
Although most think of the Black Swan in the movie's title, Natalie Portman's elaborate costume as The Swan Queen brought theatrical beauty to the forefront.
French cult classic Amélie helped popularise this particular iteration of the quirky French bob.
Marrying Chinese culture with '60s trends, Wong Kar-wai's In the Mood for Love was a sight to behold.
Christina Ricci's blue eyeshadow and perfectly-'90s layered cut in Buffalo '66 (1998) has its own cult following.
Alongside its epic wardrobe (full of '80s era John Galliano, Burberry and Margiela), Atomic Blonde also had a home-run with its beauty looks. Platinum blonde waves, a strong eyeliner and the perfect nude lip.
Although it was meant as a gag, Jennifer Garner's 13 Going on 30 look—twisted buns, blue eyeshadow and too much blush—was endearing enough to endure.
Although there isn't much to Penny Lane's no-makeup-makeup in Almost Famous, her devil-may-care curls are iconic.
When critiquing the design elements of a film, much ado is made about costume design, sets and props. Yet, we would argue that beauty—hair, makeup, prosthetics—plays a role just as large.
After all, the styling of the hair and makeup has the ability to set the scene as much as clothing. Think: Brooke Shield's windswept wildness in The Blue Lagoon or Chiyo's carefully constructed mask in Memoirs of a Geisha.
To celebrate these iconic moments, we've rounded up the most memorable looks in film history.
