11 Top Audrey Hepburn Beauty Secrets You Should Try
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."
There are few style icons as timeless as Audrey Hepburn. The actress and humanitarian always appeared elegant and poised, whether she was enjoying time at home with her family or walking the red carpet at a movie premiere. Her beauty routine wasn't confined to the makeup chair. She also maintained her near-flawless skin with practices that dermatologists still recommend today, like drinking plenty of water and limiting sun exposure. The icon also famously spoke about how kindness to yourself and to others is key to feeling beautiful. We've gathered several of Audrey Hepburn's beauty secrets to help you emulate her classically beautiful look.
Hydration is key.
Hepburn's son Luca Dotti revealed in his book Audrey at Home: Memories of My Mother's Kitchen that the actress and humanitarian knew the importance of being hydrated. "She was really about drinking a lot of water and eating a lot of vegetables," he wrote. "It was a matter of how she was brought up."
Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.
In addition to drinking plenty of water, Hepburn also used "a lot of moisturizers and oils, because I have rather a dry skin," according to Vogue UK. She also used a rather unconventional ingredient for hydration: Greek yogurt. She would leave it for 30 minutes before washing it off. The lactic acid in the yogurt exfoliates and hydrates the skin.
Open up your pores with steam facials.
Hepburn maintained her gorgeous complexion with twice-weekly steam facials. If you want to do the same, you can buy a facial steamer or do it the old-fashioned way by pouring boiling water into a heat-safe bowl and leaning over it with a towel over your head to encourage the steam to open up your pores.
Always remove your makeup.
Hepburn was fastidious about removing her makeup. "Working in the theatre, I’ve seen what not removing make-up well can really do to the skin, so I’m very careful about that," she said. She just used soap and water. Today, dermatologists recommend soap-free cleansers to remove your makeup.
Find a dermatologist you trust.
Hepburn once said, "I owe 50 percent of my beauty to my mother, and the other 50 percent to Erno Laszlo." Laszlo was a dermatologist who also treated Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, and Ava Gardner. He also founded a skincare line, which you can still shop today.
RELATED: Makeup Artist Laura Geller Shares Beauty Tips for Women Over 40
Use a hair mask.
Hair care expert Philip Kingsley created a repairing hair mask especially for Hepburn after they met in 1974. It's called Elasticizer and she loved it so much she would regularly have large tubs of it delivered to her house. The best part: You can still buy it today to get hair as soft and shiny as Audrey Hepburn's.
Don't skip the sun protection.
Hepburn was diligent when it came to protecting her skin from the sun. While effective SPF products weren't as widely available during her lifetime, she regularly used hats and umbrellas to shield her skin. She also limited her time in the sun.
Make your eyelashes pop.
Hepburn notoriously used a pin to separate each of her lashes after applying mascara to get her trademark look. While we might not recommend having a sharp tool so close to your eye, there are plenty of lash combs that will do the same thing.
Take care of your mental health.
Hepburn famously said, "I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls." Take a page out of her book and spend time on whatever brings you joy, whether that's spending time with friends, getting outdoors, or cozying up at home. Consider it an investment in your beauty!
Use white eyeliner on your lower lid.
Another one of Hepburn's makeup secrets was lining the bottom of the eye with a white or nude eyeliner. Doing so opens up the face and makes the eyes really pop.
Practice kindness.
Hepburn knew that beauty truly comes from the inside out. And we're not just talking about drinking water. She said, "For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone."
You Might Also Like
