Makeup Movie Inspo vo. 2: Cher in Moonstruck

After making my last post, which was on Renee Zellweger in Down With Love, I put this series on hold, only because I didn't have any conscious, obvious examples of makeup in film that were especially striking to me.

But then over time, some ideas rose to the surface, and I found one good example of a makeup look that- to me- was an essential bit of makeup inspiration.

We're talking about Cher in Moonstruck, one of my favorite movies of all time. There will be spoilers for it, so be warned.

In my Jewish-Russian and German immigrant family, Moonstruck is a beloved film. It's some parts cynical, some parts hopeful, and filled with honest and fun performances from a prestigious cast of actors.

(This is probably the subject of another essay, but I also especially love the film's use of fairy tales.)

But let's talk about makeup. And not the obvious example, either, as Cher's character, Loretta, undergoes a little bit of a makeover in preparation for a date at the Met.

I mean, it's good. But not my focus here.

No, I am talking about pre- ( and a little but of post-) makeover Loretta.

We'll start when Loretta, who is engaged to Johnny (Danny Aiello), pays Johnny's younger brother Ronnie (Nic Cage) a visit at Johnny's request. You see, there's bad blood between the two brothers, and Johnny hopes that Loretta can help convince Ronnie to attend the wedding.

Unfortunately, Ronnie erupts in anger at the fact that Johnny gets to have a wife, while he can't. It is Johnny's fault, Ronnie argues, that Ronnie lost his hand in a freak accident which then caused his girlfriend to leave him.

The first look I am highlighting here for you is when Loretta is spitting some truth to Ronnie:

Click on the image for a larger version.

With small frizzles of grey hair and two very confident eyebrows, this look is amazing. First of all, Cher's skin is flawless. There is some subtle highlighting on her cheekbones, and her nose and sides of her face have a very natural flush. I don't think she is wearing any lip color, but over all her face has a very natural, peachy, flushed look to it. I love how her hair is bundled back- but still curly and voluminous. She's wearing grey, and the taupe/grey shadows of her deep-set eyes complement beautifully her coloring.

Moving on, let's look at Cher after she and Ronnie end up spending the night together:

SNAP OUT OF IT!

Her cheekbones are intense. The use of blush definitely helps, and I am fairly confident there us a dusting of blush on her nose.

The more natural looks are excellent in this movie. My last exhibit is Cher at the end, when she accepts Ronnie's proposal.

The brows are feathery, the lips and cheeks are peachy, and there is perhaps a darker contour shade emphasizing her cheekbones. 

So why do I think this look is so enduring? Even before she falls in love with Ronnie, there is a great duality to Cher's look in this film. Her eyes are shadowed and piercing, but overall her face makeup is very soft and warm, perhaps also why grey is such a good color for her. She looks ethereal. 

What products would I recommend to help achieve this look? Not many people, I understand, have Cher's bone structure (I certainly don't). But in my collection, I think I have a few products that would be great for achieving some elements of Cher's look:

1. An illuminating translucent powder. My own personal fave is Milani's Prep+Set+Glow.

2. Blurring products: Personally I am not a fan of silicone-heavy blurring products, but I would imagine those would help achieve a pore-less lewk.

3. Sheer grey/taupe eyeshadows: Covergirl has one in its Blushing Blooms quad, but there are some nice taupes in the Modern Renaissance and Norvina palette. 

4. Peach blush! Either matte or satin finish. Some of my own products inlcude Coral Cove by Milani and Tarte Paaarty. It is important that the blush is peach because that tone kind of glows off the skin. Whatever sort of peach blush you use, I would go ham, and not be afraid to blend it upwards toward the temples, and a little bit on the nose as well. 

5. A neutral highlighter. For my pale skin tone, Here Kitty Kitty by Colourpop would suffice. I would also suggest using the highlighting powder under foundation, to blur it out a bit more. I would limit the placement of the highlighter, however, to the cheek bones only. 

6. Lip products: Vaseline Rosy Tint Balm. Not kidding.

7. Contour: A light dusting of darker-toned powder in the hollows of the cheek bones. 

8. Eyebrow gel to fluff out the brows. 

And that's it! I hope you enjoyed this post, especially if you're a fan of this film. 

Buh-byeeeee! 

Makeup Movie Inspo: Down With Love

When I was in high school, and had HBO, the film Down With Love played constantly. And I loved it. It was kitschy, satirical, cute, and hilarious.

I've been watching a lot of videos, a lot from Georgia Harris, that discuss fictional makeup inspiration. And weirdly enough, there's something about the makeup in Down With Love that even now I can't can't over.

Lessgo.

The movie is set in the 60's, on the cusp of the sexual revolution. Barbara Novak, played by Renee Zellweger,  writes this best-selling novel denouncing "love," urging women to put their wants and desires first. Catcher Block, a writer for a "man's" magazine ends up trying to one-up Novak, but they both end up falling in love.

What do I love about the makeup in this movie?

Simplicity.

Renee Zellweger has very hooded eyes, so what they did was line them with mascara to make her blue eyes pop, and add one light shade on the lid.



This movie's use of color is everything!!!



Below, we have a bit of blue eyeshadow and a light lip color.

We can see white eyeshadow here, perhaps to contrast the black of her dress. Notice Mr. McGregor's inversion of this color scheme. 

But my favorite look from the movie? When Catcher tries to apply for a job at Novak's magazine, as one last appeal to her.

She is wearing all-white, and a dash of blue eyeshadow.

Looking at the stills now, one can easily see her brows are a different color. So the hair change shouldn't have been that big of a surprise.

Now, I don't wear blue eyeshadow. Or white eyeshadow. But what I appreciate so much from this film is how simple looks can be so effective. Of course, this simplicity is from the mod style of the 60's, completely counter to the hippie movement, but I like this so much. I feel like the makeup almost helps emphasize the rapid-fire movement of the dialogue, the jokes, the pace, the visual gags, etc.

Not only that, Novak has very very light blush on the apples of her cheeks, and a slight sheen on the high points of her face. Very simple, and at times Zellwegger almost gets washed out, but the eyes and lips save it.

How do I draw inspiration from this?

My one-shadow looks. Me going heavy with eyeliner on the corner of my eyelid that is most prominent. Choosing one feature to emphasize, rather than all of them.

If you have not already, please watch this film! You won't regret it.

Thanks for reading!