Even though we always think of her with platinum blonde curls, Marilyn Monroe changed the shade of her hair several times during her career. She first hit the bottle at Hollywood's Frank and Joseph Salon in 1946, where her hair was bleached to a golden blonde and chemically straightened. She also underwent electrolysis around her hairline to remove her widow's peak. Marilyn grew up idolizing 30's film star Jean Harlow, which fueled her desire for perfect, platinum blonde hair. She was also fond of bleaching her pubic hair, as she "liked to feel blonde all over". By the time of her death in 1962, her hair was completely stripped of pigment to a shade she fondly referred to as "pillow case white".
Golden Blonde Ash Blonde
Champagne Blonde Honey Blonde
Bleached Blonde Strawberry Blonde
Platinum Blonde White Blonde
"There are several problems with doing Marilyn's hair; it's very fine and therefore hard to manage. It gets oily if it isn't shampooed every day and her hair is naturally so curly that to build a coiffure for her I have to first give her a straight permanent. The way we got her shade of platinum is with my own secret blend of Sparkling Silver bleach plus 20 volume peroxide and a secret formula of silver platinum rinse to take the yellow out" - Gladys Rasmussen, Marilyn's long time hairdresser
Given the 1-2 double process punch of both bleaching and straightening, it's no wonder that her hair quickly morphed from long waves to the short, iconic style we remember today. Modern hair stylists wouldn't dare consider this double whammy. It's a common law that you either do one or the other; NEVER both! Given the limited effectiveness of vintage conditioners, I can only imagine what her hair must have felt like. Thankfully for us, hair care technology has come a long way since the 50's and 60's. Advanced deep conditioners are just another crucial weapon in a blonde's beauty arsenal.
Marilyn Hair Treatment & Moisturizer by LUSH
This delectable, moisturizing hair treatment will soften and brighten your blonde. Featuring chamomile, lemon and saffron extracts, these ingredients help refresh and brighten blonde hair. Linseed mucilage results in softer tresses and fresh, organic lemon juice adds a ton of shine. Drench your hair with product and leave in as long as possible. I like to don a self heating shower cap and sleep in it for optimum results! Gorge!
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