Whether you’ve heard of Elizabeth Taylor from your grandmother, mother, father, her multiple marriages, or extensive charitable work, there’s one thing you can’t forget: she’s the first person to grace Hollywood screens with her unforgettable violet eyes. She’s actually one of the few vintage icons of any generation whose beauty can be scientifically proven.

“Elizabeth owes her status as a beauty icon to the fact that she was different,” says Oolala Vintage. “Despite the attempts of studios to ‘tame’ her thick eyebrows and blonde her hair, Elizabeth maintained what was natural and different about her face. She didn’t remove her mole or hide it under makeup. And instead of straightening her hair or forcing it into ornate hairstyles, she let it curl naturally.”

Since Elizabeth naturally had thick eyelashes and beautiful violet eyes, she never shyed away from accentuating her strongest feature, her eyes. Her beauty looks revolved around her violet gems; think of Cleopatra, one of her biggest beauty inspirations after starring in such an iconic role. No doubt about it, it was all about the kohl liner.

The key to any Liz look is sultry eyes, no matter how they are achieved, whether it be with dramatic liner or the quintessential smokey eye. If you are the type of girl who loves playing up her flirtiest feature, then you’re definitely an Elizabeth. You are in fact a beauty rebel, and other girls only become a Liz for special night outs, not everyday. Take notes!


Step 1: Prep Your Skin

Elizabeth’s skin always appeared extremely soft and velvety. We recommend you chose a primer that will fill in any pores, like Benefit Cosmetics The Porefessional ($30, Sephora). To achieve Elizabeth’s velvet skin, we love using Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation ($43, Sephora). If you are a fan of cream foundations, they always works for this look; don’t be afraid to experiment.

Although the signature Hollywood face in the 1950s was a flat, matte look, we steer away from any dullness for a modern spin.

Step 2: Cover Any Imperfections

If you are battling with a few breakouts right now it’s best to use a medium to full coverage foundation, so caking on concealer won’t be a problem.

Step 3: Exaggerate Your Natural Brow

Since you plan to create a strong eye, your brows must be equally striking. Fill in any sparse hair and follow the natural shape of your brow. “The key is to exaggerate your natural brow for a powerful, sensual shape,” says Suite 101. Shoot for drama; don’t be afraid to go a little darker than your own natural brow color, unless you already have gorgeous thick Elizabeth Taylor brows! Since brows are a focal feature in an Elizabeth look we recommend Too Faced Brow Envy Shaping & Defining Kit ($35, toofaced.com) for its foolproof application!

Step 4: Prep the Eyes!

Since Elizabeth’s best feature was her eyes, they must be played up to perfection. Don’t forget to prime if you are going for a smokey eye! Before you begin, take note of Elizabeth’s naturally dark lashes, which gave her signature sultry look. Choose the blackest black you can find to outline the upper rim of your eye; this step must not be overlooked! By tightlining you will create the illusion of thicker lashes.

Step 5: Sexy Eyes

Now this step is totally up to you. You can create your favorite daytime smokey eye look or go a little Cleopatra, which is our favorite Elizabeth Taylor look of all time! Begin by sweeping a bone colored shadow over your lids, like MAC’s Brule ($15, maccosmetics.com) -- anything to cover up any discoloration and give your eye a more polished look. For a little definition use a taupe gray color on your socket. Just remember not to overdo it because you don’t want to detract from the best part of the look: the sexy eyeliner!

To begin, we must remind you that a kohl liner will not do the trick here! Reach for your favorite liquid liner or gel liner. Our favorite liner for the perfect cat eye is Stila’s Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner ($20, stilacosmetics.com). The key here is to create a dramaticized cat eye! Finally add a flesh colored liner on your lower, like Sephora Collection Kohl Liner in Lilac ($3, Sephora). Remember, if you did choose to do a smokey eye, don’t shy away from the drama of liquid liner either. The more dramatic, the more Liz Taylor it is!

Sure, this is more of a tame Cleopatra look, but any signature daytime look should be enough to tease your admirers!

Step 6: Use Mascara Wisely

Now this is something we stress: make sure the mascara you use is in the blackest black and don’t skip curling them! We love Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real! Mascara ($23, benefitcosmetics.com).

Step 7: Add a Touch of Color

Use the lightest hand and sweep your favorite blush, one which compliments your skin tone, on the apple of your cheeks! Add enough just to liven up your face.

Step 8: Nude Lips Are the Way to Go

We figured since all our Marilyn’s love red, and our Audrey’s and Grace’s only sport natural colors, our Elizabeth’s should sport the best nude lips. To further bring attention to your most attractive feature -- your eyes -- use a nude color. We like Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Heaping Hazelnut ($16, Sephora).

Overall, think of Elizabeth’s makeup look in terms of contrast: it truly is a work of art. Taylor’s cascading raven hair added to the glow of her porcelain skin, combined with her striking eyes, which were further exaggerated with makeup. You may notice she used very little blush and bronzer, which intensified her porcelain skin, and the focus was always strong eyes, which were further magnified with liner and shadow. All these variables enhanced Taylor’s hyper-feminine features. This is why she usually sported a red lip and a nude lip later on in life to exaggerate the contrast in her already beautiful visage.

She was the last of Hollywood’s Golden Age to go, but her beauty is the most unforgettable of any actress. The best advice we can give you is to steal beauty tips from the most beautiful woman in her peak. Nude lips and a strong eye can make any girl feel sexy in an ordinary day. Don’t be afraid to accentuate your best features, including your curves! At least that’s what Elizabeth Taylor would have told us.

By: Ivanna Coello | Image: Source, listed retail stores