MovieChat Forums > I Love Lucy (1951) Discussion > Lucy's Makeup

Lucy's Makeup

posted 4 years ago by [email protected] (1732)
9 replies | jump to latest

Ball's makeup, of course, changed over the run of the series. Lucy seemed at her most beautiful
in season two when she was pregnant. She just had that glow about her.

In season three, I think she looks her best - radiant and still youthful.

By season six, Ball had aged, and they seemed to compensate by having Lucy wearing super
bright red lipstick (visible even in black-and-white photography). She also sported very long
false eyelashes. I felt in many episodes in that sixth year, that it was a bit harsh. There was
no subtlety.

Of course, I'm not super knowledgeable about fashion and makeup, so maybe that
intense red lipstick was in vogue by 1956. I prefer the earlier seasons, especially season one,
where Lucy is wearing a soft pink lipstick.

Any thoughts?

[–] [email protected] (5497) 4 years ago

Lucy did have a glow about her when she was expecting. She was so happy and it just came through no matter what make-up she wore.

I also noticed, as you did, how Lucy had aged a lot by season six. It was like fifteen years or more had passed by instead of just five. I suppose the stress of her failing marriage and smoking and Scotch took a toll on her.

Don't sell yourself short gb, you seem to understand make-up better than a lot of men. I'm thinking about my late father and if I ever asked him what he thought about mom's new lipstick. He would've said, "What? She wears lipstick?"

Like a lot of guys, he didn't have a clue. He didn't have a clue about his OWN appearance. My mom bought his clothes and he just wore what she bought for him. Actually he never changed his appearance. It was button down collars all the way. He was very conservative in his dress and as long as my mom bought the type of clothes that he wore when he was twenty, he was fine with it.

[–] steven1660 (140) 4 years ago

In season 6 Lucy's lipstick looked very dark in black and white and her hair looked very light especially later in the season. There is a cosmetic company that just came out with an 'I love Lucy' line I just saw it advertised online. I was just watching an episode of 'the lucy show' it was season 4 and I must say Lucy looked great. Her lipstick was pink, her makeup was subtle, she looked better than the final years of I love lucy. I guess she was in a happier state then.

[–] [email protected] (5497) 4 years ago

The older women get, the more subtle their make-up should be. Those super bright colors just don't do anything for aging skin.

Lucy looked better with lighter make-up.

I thought that the worse look for Lucy and Vivian Vance was when "The Lucy Show" went to color and you could see that glaring blue eyeshadow on both of them. It was popular back then, but it looked clownish on two fifty-something women.

[–] [email protected] (1732) 4 years ago

Well, Lucy WAS a clown on The Lucy Show, so maybe "clownish" makeup suited her.

But I agree with Steven on two points: Lucy did look better in this second series than in the last year of ILL, and
especially the hour-long shows. Due to stress, Ball put on some weight, which she lost by the time of The Lucy
Show. Also, Ball balked at any kind of plastic surgery, so she wore a big band under wig, just above her forehead,
which lifted her face, albeit temporarily. I thought Ball looked quite stunning in her 50's. Too bad her best TV
work was a decade behind her.

Second point: Yes, Lucy "lightened" her red hair, beginning in the Hollywood saga. It's much lighter, for instance,
in the Hedda Hopper ep, than, in say, season three's "Baby Pictures." Just run the opening scenes of both,
back to back, and it's pretty obvious.

[–] [email protected] (5497) 4 years ago

The "clown" look is never flattering on ANY woman unless she works in the circus. LOL

That bright blue eyeshadow from the sixties was so artificial looking.
I got the word 'clown' from something my dad said about my friend's mom when I was twelve. I had a friend named Phyllis and her mom was always "made up" like she was going out to the theater. Heavy make-up was rarely worn by the women in our small town.

One time she was going somewhere all day (some big event) and Phyllis was staying at our house until the night. She came inside and asked if it was okay if she could pick up her daughter late.

Well, for special occasions she put her make-up on with a shovel! After she left, my dad asked my mom, "Where is she going with that clown face?"
Dad couldn't name any particular cosmetics, but like most men he knew he didn't like the artificial look.

I must confess, I've never noticed the difference in Lucy's hair in the black and white episode. I can't tell if it's lighter or darker. It all looks the same to me. Guess I'm not paying attention.

I read about Lucy's hairdresser using those temporary "lifting tapes" on her and covering them with the short wig that she wore when doing the Lucy/Desi Comedy Hour. It's amazing to me that she was already wrinkled in her forties.
I'm older than Lucy was then and I still don't have any loose skin that needs pulling up. I mean, you couldn't pull up the skin on my face with tape. It's still fairly taut. Of course the rest of my body is sagging! ha ha

[–] [email protected] (1732) 4 years ago

I think the adhesive tapes were a clever way of getting around real facelifts, although I would guess it would
take a fair amount of time to "evenly" lift Ball's face, so both sides were even and she didn't look like a stroke
victim.

In watching the old "Get Smart" shows (and...loving it!), I'm reminded that Barbara Feldon wore blue eye
shadow, but she was a much younger woman, and the color complemented her blue eyes, dark hair and often
bizarre outfits.

My Dad lined very early in life (late 30's) while my Mom's skin has always been smooth. I'm lucky I take after
her (my brother, who is four years younger than me, is more lined than I am!) As a male, I'm grateful I still
have all my hair - I just wish it wasn't so gray!! But I count my blessings - several longtime male friends are
completely bald!

[–] [email protected] (5497) 4 years ago

I've read that a lot of actresses used the adhesive tapes. Heaven forbid anyone look OLDER when they aged!

Barbara Feldon and Marlo Thomas went heavy on the eye makeup on their shows. But they were young and beautiful. The older a woman gets, the more subtle her makeup should be.

Same in my family, dad got lines (and grey hair) early on and my mom still has hardly any wrinkles at 83.

I'm not gray AT ALL. But that might have something to do with Lady Clairol. ha So you've got all your hair. Be grateful. I know some guys who would be happy with hair of any color!

My sister gave up on the coloring and is now all gray. I'll go to my grave as a brunette. She also chain smokes which has aged her complexion considerably. People still ask us who is older. I'm four years older than her. Maybe I don't look it.

[–] [email protected] (1732) 4 years ago

I don't think there is anything wrong with looking as young as you can. But let's face it, some DO go too far
(Dyan Cannon's navel must be on her forehead by now).

I don't care for The Lucy Show, but Ball DID look slim and fantastic.

I could pass for ten years younger than I am if my hair wasn't so gray (I still have plenty of dark on top,
but - sheesh! - the sides are SO gray! And I think men who dye their hair look like game show hosts!
It's never believable on men when they dye! (Thank God my other body hair hasn't turned gray!!).

PJ, I've always had a mental picture of you as Blonde! Not sure why. But then I always thought you
wore PURPLE pajamas!

[–] [email protected] (5497) 4 years ago

Yes, actresses want to look younger since their face is their fortune, as they say. But some actresses choose to age naturally and people say, "She looks OLD". Well, how is 75 supposed to look?

I always admired Tyne Daly for going gray. She said that women shouldn't be scared to age. I always thought she was just gorgeous no matter that she avoided plastic surgery and hair coloring.

I never understood those actresses who have their skin pulled so tight that they are sporting the "Joker Look". Or they do the big puffy lip thing as if people will say, "Oh look, I thought she was 50, guess I was mistaken."

So take a chance and "wash away that gray" as the old Clairol ad used to say. What's the worse that can happen? You'll be mistaken for Monty Hall. lol

Me, a blonde? No way. My hair was actually a lot darker when I was a baby, almost black. It's stayed brown with a lot of help. I do have very fair skin and green eyes, but I think I'd look really stupid with blonde hair.

The PURPLE came about when I got a computer and wanted an e-mail address that I'd remember. I was teaching school and the high school colors are purple and white. So my initials pj combined with purple is how that happened. Of course I could have been pjwhite.

I do have pajamas, but none are purple. They are mostly pink or grey.