The Captivating History Behind Elizabeth Taylor's Defining Eyebrows
With her striking violet eyes magnified by her bold eyebrows, Elizabeth Taylors eyes were her most defining feature. Her beautifully arched, dark brows framed her face, showcasing her legendary gaze that captivated audiences across her 50+ year acting career.
The Natural Shape of Taylors Eyebrows
Taylor was born with a natural enviable eyebrow shape featuring a pronounced arch and thicker end tails. Her dark brown brows perfectly complemented her famous eye color, which uniquely seemed to shift from gray to blue to violet.
Her Eyebrows Stood Out in Black and White Films
Even in Taylors early black and white cinematography, her distinctive eyebrows made an impression. With cleaner makeup looks preferred in the era, her bold brows strikingly contrasted with her bright eyes and porcelain skin.
The Signature Elizabeth Taylor Eyebrow Arch Takes Shape
As color film became standard in the 1950s along with more dramatic makeup looks, Taylors bold brows were sculpted into an iconic shape by legendary Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer makeup artist Doris Wims.
Defining the Iconic Arch
To complement Taylors facial structure and eye shape, Wims exaggerated her natural arch, extending the inner corners up and out at about a 45-degree angle. This helped lift and open up Taylors eyes, showcasing their brilliant color.
Darkening Her Eyebrows
To further intensify Taylors gaze, Wims darkened, sharpened and densified her brows using eyebrow pencil. The impact was striking, especially as color film progressed over black and white imagery of earlier years.
Taylors Defining Brows Reached Peak Icon Status in Cleopatra
Taylors makeup look as Cleopatra in the 1963 film defined her career, with her winged Egyptian brows forever linked to the iconic queen. The accompanying eyeliner wings also further highlighted her eyes dazzling shape and color.
The Epic Eyebrow Makeup Look
To portray ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra, makeup artist Alberto De Rossi created Taylors most legendary eyebrow look. The brows were darkened, lengthened and angled upwards, stretching towards her hairline in a winged style.
Worldwide Fascination
This exotic eye makeup style complemented by black winged eyeliner had never been done so dramatically on film before. It fueled worldwide fascination with both Cleopatra and Elizabeth Taylors beauty.
Continued Evolution of Her Iconic Eyebrows Over the Years
While the 1960s Cleopatra film eyebrows remained Taylors most famous look, she continued evolving her brows with the times across her prolific career on stage and screen.
Thick and Groomed for the 70s
With fuller, natural brows coming into style in 1970s Hollywood, Taylor enhanced her brows to align with the trend. Keeping their trademark arch, her brows were groomed and thickened to balance her facial proportions.
Defined Arches in the 1980s
With a move toward stronger eye makeup presence again in the 1980s, Taylor maintained well-defined, darkened arches. Sleeker and more refined than her Cleopatra days, this decades brow look opened up her eyes beautifully.
Iconic to Her Final Years
Remaining an eyebrows icon, Taylor retained her characteristic bold arch throughout her life. She continued accentuating her brows as she aged, though softening their darkness and angles.
The Impact of Taylors Eyebrows on Beauty Culture
Beyond their role in framing her legendary eyes, Elizabeth Taylors brows left a lasting mark on makeup and beauty culture through the 20th century into today.
Inspiring the Arched Brow Obsession
Taylor proved the transformative power of bold, distinct eyebrows in accentuating eyes and facial features. Her brow legacy fueled decades-long mainstream obsession with achieving the perfect arch.
Brow Grooming Evolution
Women striving for Taylors bold eyebrows drove the rapid growth and trendiness of brow grooming, shaping and enhancement services like tweezing, waxing and threading from the 1960s onward.
Defining Beauty Ideals
With Taylors captivating eyes and carefully-crafted brows creating such a sensation worldwide, they redefined beauty ideals for generations of women. Makeup artistry evolved to keep up.
How to Get Elizabeth Taylors Iconic Eyebrow Look
Want to try the classic Liz Taylor brow for yourself? Here are some tips to mimic her signature bold, darkened and angled arches:
Play Up Your Natural Shape
Use brow pencils, pomades or powders to trace, define and fill in your brows, following and enhancing their natural arch and style.
Accentuate the Arch
Concentrate darkness and definition on the arch and tails for main impact. Soften your inner corners for lifted, bright-eyed effect Taylor was known for.
Angle Inner Corners Upward
Flick brows up and outward about halfway up the inner corner for Taylors signature sixties angle.Blend well so angles dont appear harsh.
With the right brow enhancement techniques and makeup artistry skills, you too can achieve Elizabeth Taylors iconic eyebrow look for a bold, head-turning impact!
FAQs
What was unique about Elizabeth Taylor's natural eyebrow shape?
Taylor was born with strikingly bold, dark brows featuring an enviable prominent arch shape and thick tail ends that beautifully framed her iconic violet eyes.
How did her brows become such a beauty icon?
Collaborating makeup artist Doris Wims enhanced Taylor's natural brows in the 1950s-60s, sharpening & darkening them while angling the arches up at the inner corners. This intensified Taylor's gaze onscreen.
What was her most famous eyebrow look?
As Cleopatra in the 1963 film, makeup artist Alberto De Rossi created Taylor’s legendary “Egyptian brows” - darkened, winged and stretched up towards her hairline. This eye makeup fueled worldwide fascination.
How did Taylor’s brows impact beauty culture?
Taylor proved the transformative power of bold brows paired with striking eyes. This drove mainstream obsession with achieving the perfect eyebrow arch and evolved grooming methods, shaping beauty ideals for generations.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
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