BEAUTY TIPS FROM SCREEN LEGENDS

Grace Kelly's minimalist chic has earned her a reputation for being one of the most classic beauties of all time, but even she had a few make-up secrets to share. Instead of harsh lines and colour, she chose neutral shades that subtly enhanced her natural features. She would apply a tawny brown eyeshadow delicately along her eyebrows to define them, and created the illusion of cheekbones by using two shades of blusher - a lighter tone over the bone, and a darker shade in the hollows.

Marilyn Monroe was arguably as famed for her radiant Hollywood glow as she was for her flirtatious on-screen presence. However, she used an odd technique to maintain it - hormone cream. The actress would layer Active pHelityl Cream and a powder foundation on top of each other to create a radiant base that shimmered and shined on camera. The downside was that she grew a fine layer of peachy-blonde hair over her face. She was encouraged to shave it off, but refused because of the glow it gave her in photographs.

Audrey Hepburn was an incredibly dainty Hollywood beauty, who pioneered the baby doll look with a slick of liquid kohl and super-fine layer of mascara on the upper lashes. Rumour has it that she got her lashes so plush and natural-looking by pain-stakingly separating them with a pin after each layer of mascara she applied.

Rita Hayworth's tumbling auburn locks caught many a man's eye during the 1940s, but there was one trick she used to keep her hair in great, lustrous condition. Like many women of the era, Rita would shampoo her hair with hot water, rinse it, then saturate it with oil and wrap it up in a towel for 15 minutes. Then she'd rinse it out with hot water, a cleanser and lemon juice to get rid of any left over residue.

German actress Marlene Dietrich is considered to be one of the greatest actresses of all time, but was also highly prized for her sculptured glamour. She believed in accentuating the natural lines of her face with shading, shaping and contouring. One of her most startling features were her perfectly shaped brows. She achieved this look by shaving them off and drawing them on with kohl, as was the fashion in the 1930s. She also never used mascara on her lower lashes, as she believed it cast a shadow and made her look tired.

The secret to Jane Russell's sexy signature style was simple - she always matched her lipstick to her nail polish. The idea of co-ordinating the two was actually only developed in 1939. Legend has it that Revlon founder Charles Revlon was dining in a posh restaurant when he noticed a woman dabbing her mouth with a napkin. He saw that her nail colour jarred with the shade of her lips and a new beauty concept was born.

American actress Joan Crawford didn't use fancy products to keep her legendary face smooth and taut - she chewed gum in the belief that it firmed up her jaw and help to drain the toxins out from under her chin. She was also religious about her cleansing regime, and would splash her face 25 times with ice cold water after every wash.

Greta Garbo's dramatic eye make-up was the inspiration for many a Hollywood starlet - including Marilyn Monroe - and not without good reason. To create the look, she would apply a super-thin layer of petroleum jelly over the eyelids, cover with neutral skin-toned powder all the way up to the brow line and blend a dark shade into the crease for a theatrical, deep-set appearance. She'd also line the upper lid with eyeliner made from a blend of petroleum and charcoal pigment, and finish with mascara.

A strong-willed actress, Katherine Hepburn had very much her own style - natural, minimalist and slightly androgynous. This meant a lot of neutral tones and flawless skin that allowed her to wear sheer, natural make-up and still look radiant. To keep her complexion in tip-top condition, she would exfoliate regularly. She would use a mixture of sugar, a tiny amount of warm water and a squeeze of lemon juice massaged into the skin and followed up with a splash of ice-cold water.

What CAN'T we learn from Coco Chanel is more the question? The classically beautiful designer and cosmetics entrepreneur had several beauty tricks up her sleeve, but one of the famous philosophies she lived by was to always make an effort with her appearance wherever she went. "I don't understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little - if only out of politeness," Coco famously said. "And then, you never know, maybe that's the day she has a date with destiny. And it's best to be as pretty as possible for destiny."

Bettie Page had good genes to thank for her fabulous skin and great body, but what kept her looking pristine and toned was her love of the great outdoors. She visited a gym and exercised every day, and took regular walks to improve her mood, complexion and hone her curvaceous frame. She rarely drank alcohol and didn't smoke. She also had a great knack of knowing what suited her - her signature angular fringe framed her face perfectly and helped her to stand out from other pin-up models of the day.

There's a reason Kim Carnes wrote a song about Bette Davis's eyes - they were enviably huge, bright and line-free. How did she keep them that way? Simple - cucumbers on the eyelids every night before bed and a layer of petroleum jelly under the eye at night to protect against puffiness and dark circles.

Mae West was one of the biggest sex symbols throughout the 1930s and 1940s, prized for her brilliant curves and radiant natural complexion. But she had an unusual way of maintaining her good looks - regular colonic irrigations which she believed rid her body of unwanted toxins.

Elizabeth Taylor's beauty philosophy relied on more than just one sense. As well as sight, she believed that scent was paramount to a woman's allure and radiant femininity, which is why she created her own timeless range of fragrances for Elizabeth Arden.

Ever wondered where the phrase 'blonde bombshell' originated from? Look no further than platinum-haired 1930s starlet, Jean Harlow. Although, she had a rather unorthodox method of obtaining her baby blonde locks - she lightened her hair with a potent mixture of peroxide, ammonia and Lux Flakes (an old fashioned washing powder).

Stunning British star Vivien Leigh kept her skin spectacularly beautiful with regular facials. The Gone with the Wind actress was among several high-profile clients of Madame Lubatti, a legendary skincare doyenne who hand-mixed scented lotions and aromatic oils to treat English royalty and society ladies.

Some of my favorite beauty tips are those from the classic film era. They really knew how to shine! Thanks for looking! This article can be found at: http://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/beauty/retro-beauty-tips-marilyn-monroe-beauty-secrets/grace-kelly?previous#ViewImage