The Sultry Marilyn Monroe Eyeliner Trick

When you think of sexy, there is one woman that stands out and withstands the test of time... Marilyn Monroe.  And it's mainly because of that signature sultry/sleepy eye look (well that's the makeup artist in me speaking)!

Movie Star Marilyn and her signature sultry eye look

Makeup Lover JennySue and her Marilyn mimic look - minus the red lips

She also bunked the theory that women need to be rail thin to be sexy (this is quite a debate that I researched, but the majority say that Marilyn was between a size 8 and 12).  Her makeup was extremely exquisite and she depended on her personal makeup artist Allan Snyder to always do her signature eye makeup look.  She actually depended on him from the beginning of her career until the day she died, literally.  He did her funeral makeup- creepy, but interesting!

It's actually not that difficult to get the same sultry, slightly sleepy, eye look that Marilyn always rocked.

Here is an easy Step by Step of how to achieve it:

Very neutral crease color to show depth.  I used Too Faced Natural Eye kit in Velvet Revolver in the crease, and Heaven from lash to brow ($35).

Do a winged eye liner w a neutral color (I used a dark grey) and then add a matching shadow over the liner to make it smooth (I used a grey-ish brown).

Add a small bit of the same colored eye shadow on the lower lash line and slightly swoop out without touching/connecting upper lash line swoop- leaving a space between both.

Use a white eye liner to line the inner water line of the eye.

Here's the big trick!!  Add the same white eye liner in between the upper and lower lash line color swoop to make the obvious separation between the lashes.  This is the key to having Marilyn eyes- it creates the sexy/sleepy look!

Sophia Loren also wore a version of this white liner in the outer corner trick.


Guess this was a big screen siren trick back in the day- I haven't noticed many recent day celebs sporting this look.  But maybe they should!! It sure worked for these lovely ladies.

And if that wasn't the best trick you've seen, check out the similarities of Marilyn and current day actress Scarlett Johansson- how similar do these two look??! 

Who is your modern day Marilyn sexy symbol??