Sophia Loren

Jemma Kidd Make-Up Secrets
Sultry and sensuous, Italian actress Sophia Loren has been a beauty icon since she was a starlet in the 1950s. Her trademark cat-shaped eyes were achieved by applying liquid liner around the whole eye, meeting in a point at both corners. False lashes followed the eyeliner, extending beyond the lash line to accentuate the elongated shape. Eyeshadow, usually in soft brown, was blended over the lid and above the crease. Her strong brows were shaped into a rounded arch and brushed up for a textured finish. White pencil eyeliner along the waterline was another feature. Her cheekbones were sculpted in peach, and her full lips were usually lightly glossed in nude, pink or soft brown.

Sophia Loren’s sex-siren make-up is all about the dramatic eye shape, created with thick liquid liner that flicks up and out to give the illusion of elongated almond-shaped eyes.

keynotes of the Sophia Loren look
The elongated cat’s-eye shape was Sophia Loren’s calling card. Use liquid or gel liner boldly to create the accentuated upward and outward flick.
For maximum drama, apply false lashes to extend beyond the lash line to really lengthen the eyes.
Use shades of brown eyeshadow to colour the lids and deepen the socket crease. Choose warm browns if your skin has yellow undertones, and cooler earthy browns if your skin has red undertones.
White eyeliner along the waterline brightens the eyes and makes them look larger. It also makes the black eyeliner look sharper.
For a full pout, keep lips soft and lightly glossy in shades of nude, soft pink or brown.

Top tip
Drawing the eye shape with pencil liner first not only means you can get the shape right and use that as a guide when applying the trickier gel or liquid liner, but it also intensifies the liner and gives it greater staying power.