Sandra Dee’s Beauty Secrets

I always worry about making a fool of my self on dates. Sandra says, “I often wonder if other girls do, too. And Mother says that even if I started five hours ahead to get read. I’d still be late. I always ask the boy where we’re going, so I’ll know what to wear and I try—honest!—to be ready on time. if I don’t know the boy too well, I always feel shy. so to hide it I start to talk. But I’m learning to let him say what he thinks, too. I don’t worm about boys getting fresh. It’s really the girl who sets the pace on a date. A boy can almost tell what kind of girl you are from the first ten words you speak.”

FOR A CLEAR SKIN LIKE SANDRA’S . . .

1 MAKEUP: After two years in Hollywood, Sandra’s become an expert—”Well, almost”—in skin care. Her teacher is Bud Westmore, her makeup man at Universal. “The biggest thing I learned is to always try and look natural,” she says. “I used to try for real dramatic effects, but not any more. I also learned—and while I don’t look in every mirror I pass—to try to check my makeup from time to time.”

2 CLEANSING: Sandra removes her everyday makeup with a lotion cleanser. Then, when that’s tissued off, she cleanses thoroughly with mild soap and water. For her heavier studio makeup, she uses cleansing cream. She’s also learned that, for oily skin, which is the most common teen problem, strict cleanliness, several face-washings a day, followed by a brisk “brush” with a terry towel, is excellent. This helps tone the skin and can also help loosen blackheads and prevent blemishes by eliminating surface bacteria. If skin’s oily, look for a soap with hexachlorophene.

3 DIET AND EXERCISE: Because she wants her skin to always look good for the camera —”and dates,” she adds—she keeps an eye on her diet. “Actually, it was Mother who made me,” she admits. “I used to be a terrible eater. I could sit down and eat a whole head of lettuce and let it go at that.” Now, she’s a great milk drinker (“two glasses a day, one before bedtime”), and makes sure that every day’s menu includes proteins (“lean meat, eggs, or a piece of cheese for a low-calorie snack”), green vegetables and salad, fresh fruits. Even if she is tired, she tries for a fifteen-minute exercise in the fresh air (“My favorite way is a walk around the Beverly Hills Hotel—and sometimes I end up running to catch sight of a star.”)

4 SUMMER CARE: Sandra’s learned that the sun can burn and coarsen her skin, but creamy tanning lotions let her get a glow safely. If your skin is delicate, there are also lotions that completely filter out the sun’s rays. These no-tan lotions are good, too, for girls who get freckles—you’ve got to choose between a tan or freckles. And Sandra also protects the delicate eye areas with dark glasses. (“My motto is: ‘I-must-not-frown-or-I-will-get-wrinkles!’ “)

5 “TEENAGE SKIN”: Sandra knows that oily skin can be a teenage terror, because it can mean blackheads and whiteheads. The answer? Cleansing, plus a weekly application of a coarse, grainy cleanser or a good facial mask. When blemishes appear (watch that diet!), a tinted, medicated foundation will help heal them as it conceals. A thin film of cake makeup, smoothed on with a clean, damp sponge or a bit of cotton, is a good foundation for oily skin (unless it’s badly erupted). “And try dabbing on astringent under your foundation,” Sandra suggests. This helps keep over-active oil glands from spoiling your makeup. “And don’t worry!” she says. “Did you know that if you get upset, it can cause even more oiliness and create blemishes? Mr. Westmore says that the greatest yardstick for beauty is the love and warmth within you,” she adds. “I guess what he means is that if you think pretty, if you /eel beautiful, then you will be.”

WHAT YOU NEED TO LOOK LIKE A MOVIE STAR:

• 2 sable-tipped brushes; one for outlining a pretty mouth (or even painting on a new one) and the other one to use for outlining eyes

• Cylinder of mascara to swirl on lashes

• Eyelash curler for that wide-eyed look

• Eye pencil (try one with its own self-sharpener) for expressive brows

• Eye brush to keep brows neat

• Glamour stick of eye-shadow

• Pressed-powder compact

• Ripply bobby-pins that look like gold (too pretty to hide)

• Palm-sized hairbrush to tame the waves and keep them shining

• Lipstick, as if you’d be without!

• Cotton balls (what can’t you use these handy little things for?)

• Spray purse-flacon of perfume

• Purse-size hair spray (not shown) for non-windblown look

• String of pearls (for unexpected dress-up times)

START WITH NAILS: So her hands look prettier and nails won’t split or break, Sandra applies polish, in pale shades or pearl, then uses colorless sealer over all.

FOUNDATION: She starts with liquid foundation, blending into neck, then blots so oily areas won’t shine and presses on matching powder, “sets” with damp cotton.

LIPS: Sandra had to practice to learn to use a lipbrush (“finger on chin to steady hand”), but it was worth it to insure a clean outline and no feather edges. She uses brush for outline, fills in color straight from the stick, then blots with tissue. She likes clear, pastel reds.

EYES: Sandra soothes her eyes with drops, makes them look larger with blue or green shadow. Using very little, she blends it up and out over the eyelid, for just a hint of shadow. She likes black liner, blends this, too.

LASHES: With a spiral-brush wand, she applies brown mascara on upper lashes only; sometimes tips lashes with iridescent blue or green. She uses light brown pencil on brows; brushes on petroleum jelly at night.

ALMOST READY: Sandra shampoos every third day, adds even more highlights with a hairdressing and brisk brushing with a natural bristle brush. She fingers waves into place, turning front hair to form arc bang. This style needs body (a home-permanent? L Last touch: hairspray.

 

It is a quote. PHOTOPLAY MAGAZINE AUGUST 1960