Elizabeth Taylor – Everything Audrey Hepburn https://www.everythingaudrey.com Your #1 source for everything Audrey Hepburn Fri, 14 Feb 2020 05:52:50 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.3.21 Elizabeth Taylor Eye Color – Did She Really Have Natural Purple Eyes? https://www.everythingaudrey.com/elizabeth-taylor-eye-color-purple-eyes/ Sun, 06 Nov 2016 17:24:07 +0000 http://www.everythingaudrey.com/?p=4779 In this article, we’ll discuss Elizabeth Taylor Eye Color and if she really had them.  Elizabeth Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was an actress known for many things, not least of which were her “violet” or purple eyes. Many people have marveled over her unusual eye color and wondered whether she lucked out […]

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In this article, we’ll discuss Elizabeth Taylor Eye Color and if she really had them.  Elizabeth Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was an actress known for many things, not least of which were her “violet” or purple eyes. Many people have marveled over her unusual eye color and wondered whether she lucked out in the genetic lottery or if there were extensive efforts to cultivate a perception that her eyes were purple throughout her film career. It seems the answer is that the appearance of Elizabeth Taylor’s eye color was cultivated through strategic make-up, clothing, and lighting choices to take advantage of the blue pigment in her eyes.

If you want to learn more about her eye makeup and eyelashes, go to this article.

What Causes Violet/ Purple Eyes?

The mechanics of naturally occurring purple eyes are due to pigmentation issues resulting from varied expressions of genes with albinism mutations. Some people with Albinism have purple eyes. Eyes with low levels of pigment appear blue, and in some extreme cases of albinism, eyes appear red. Purple eyes due to albinism occur when the individual has just enough pigment to straddle between red eyes and blue eyes so that light reflecting off the irises appears violet or purple to observers. [1] This confluence of genetics is very rare and occurs in less than 1% of the population. [2]

Purple eyes are not caused by “Alexandria’s Genesis (AG).” AG is a mythical condition created by an author in the late 90s. However, due to the power of the internet, there are numerous pages, sites, and articles discussing the condition and its back story without citing to any reputable sources. [3]

For people who do not have naturally occurring purple eyes, it is possible to use contact lenses to obtain them. For static image presentations, image editing software can help provide violet eyes too.

Elizabeth Taylor eye color
Elizabeth Taylor eye color seems to be purple here but it’s hard to tell from the glare

Elizabeth Taylor Eye Color – So did she have Natural Purple Eyes?

Elizabeth Taylor did have a genetic mutation, but it resulted in her thick eyelashes, not her distinctive, signature eye color. 4 Her eyes were a deep blue color that could be made to look purple through make-up, clothes, lighting, and film processing techniques. Her career began in the early days of color filmography, so the procedure for manipulating film also led to some distortion of eye color before audiences watched the final product. [5]

How did Elizabeth Taylor enhance the appearance of violet/ purple eyes?

There were three key strategies to creating the appearance of purple eyes. The first strategy was the use of make-up. Taylor’s eye makeup was most frequently drawn from the palette of blues, purples, and grays and applied in blended or smoky looks, so there was a significant amount of makeup framing her eyes. By sticking with that palette, she enhanced the ability of cameras to catch the purple reflection from her eyes.

The second strategy was in her clothing and wardrobe selection. Many of her outfits revealed shoulder, collar bone, and decolletage so that there was minimal interference from her clothing with her makeup palette and eyes. When she did wear clothes that concealed her shoulders, they were frequently in gray scale which also minimizes competing reflection or in red, blue, or purple which would assist with reflecting violet / purple hues in her eyes.

The third strategy was in the lighting used on set and in photo shoots. By manipulating the amount of magenta and cyan light waves shining on the subjects through filters and gels, it was possible to enhance the appearance of particular colors such as Elizabeth Taylor’s purple eyes.

Elizabeth Taylor Eye Color -Blue - Purple Eyes?
It’s hard to tell in this photo, Elizabeth Taylor eye color seems to be more blue… it looks a bit purple though too.

Elizabeth Taylor was skilled in flaunting her features

In conclusion, it is unlikely that Elizabeth Taylor had an albinism mutation in her genes that gave her purple eyes. She did have a very striking set of blue eyes, and through multiple strategies was able to provide the appearance of having purple eyes.

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Perfect Elizabeth Taylor Eyes – Makeup, Eyelashes, & Eye Color! https://www.everythingaudrey.com/elizabeth-taylor-eyes-makeup-eyelashes/ Sun, 30 Oct 2016 12:28:21 +0000 http://www.everythingaudrey.com/?p=4781 We’ll discuss what it takes to get perfect Elizabeth Taylor eyes. Now, many things were iconic about Elizabeth Taylor: her voice, her acting style, and most iconic of all, her eyes. However, her eyes are so iconic that the Google search for “Elizabeth Taylor Eyes” returns hundreds of thousands of searches each year – that’s more […]

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We’ll discuss what it takes to get perfect Elizabeth Taylor eyes. Now, many things were iconic about Elizabeth Taylor: her voice, her acting style, and most iconic of all, her eyes. However, her eyes are so iconic that the Google search for “Elizabeth Taylor Eyes” returns hundreds of thousands of searches each year – that’s more than the search term “Audrey Hepburn Eyes” or “Marilyn Monroe Eyes” combined!  So what is so desirable about her eyes, you might be wondering? From the unique and extraordinary color to a genetic mutation, Elizabeth Taylor eyes had a lot to admire. Many try to replicate her look with various makeup tricks that we’ll go over below. Some even purchase purple colored contacts to recreate her look. Taylor’s eyes were an excellent reason why she was considered to have one of the largest sex appeals of her era.

Elizabeth Taylor Eyes in green dress looking beautiful

Elizabeth Taylor Eyes – Strategic Eye Makeup Tutorial

Important Eye Makeup Products Used:

Firstly, Elizabeth Taylor was incredible at doing her makeup. While starring in one of her most beloved films, Cleopatra, she created her look. Taylor released this information to Michael Kors in an interview for Harpers Bazaar magazine. As a matter of fact, she revealed that she always did her own makeup for films. The most familiar look that this Hollywood star would sport is a relatively natural line of eyeliner, a light shading of her lower waterline with the same colors used on her eyelid, and a few coats of mascara. Truthfully, her thick lashes created such an effortlessly glamorous look even when she wore no makeup. As a matter of fact, in her earlier films, such as National Velvet, she did not wear any makeup at all.

There were a couple of other interesting techniques that Elizabeth Taylor used. For instance, while doing her makeup, often she would use icy silvers and cool toned grays to make her violet eyes appear deeper in photography. In her more dramatic looks, Elizabeth often used a thicker line of black eyeliner and smudged it out for a slightly smokey look that looked effortless. In every makeup look, Taylor never neglected to add a touch of color to her lower lashline, balancing out the eyes.

Lush Elizabeth Taylor Eyelashes – A Genetic Mutation ?

We know that Elizabeth was stunning without a trace of makeup, but why is that? One of the most prominent reasons was a rare genetic mutation that caused her to have two layers of eyelashes. This condition allowed for some massively thick lashes without mascara and thus allowed her to skip the makeup in many of her films. This mutation is known as distichiasis, which means that new lashes sprout from below the lashline. Elizabeth Taylor eyelashes (being a genetic mutation) is fascinating, as it involves a mutation in the FOXC2 gene, the same gene also responsible for many heart abnormalities. Unfortunately, this means that the genetic mutation could have even contributed to her passing from heart failure.

It is important to recognize that her breathtaking beauty was not entirely something to envy. Some of the unfortunate side effects included visual obstructions due to excess lashes in the line of vision. Stray lashes often grew into the eye, and many with this condition opt to have the extra lashes removed. This aspect of the condition is particularly interesting because Elizabeth even mentioned that she “almost lost an eye” in her early twenties from stray lashes. When Elizabeth Taylor’s mother, a former actress, found out about this condition, she quaintly said: “well, that does not sound too bad.”

Elizabeth Taylor Eyelashes and Makeup

Elizabeth Taylor Eye Color – Did she really have violet / Purple Eyes?

Another large contribution to the epochal beauty of Elizabeth Taylor’s eyes is the violet-purple color. Many argue that Elizabeth’s eyes were dark blue and just appeared purple in the lighting of film and photography. Others swear that the hue of her eyes was truly violet in person. Science says that this can happen, and is most common in those with albinism. Purple eyes can occur when there is a very specific amount of melanin in one’s iris. Even so, what she wore and the makeup she used played a significant role in the intensity of her purple eyes. Elizabeth often used the eye’s light absorption to her advantage, such as wearing a lighter colored shirt to make her eyes, in turn, look brighter and more intense. Regardless, the film star’s appearance on TV and in the movie world painted a picture of mesmerizing violet eyes.

Some other theories about the color of Elizabeth’s eyes include “Alexandra’s Genesis,” or the genetic cause of  purple eyes. Some even declare that Taylor wore colored contacts during her career. This theory is widely accepted as incorrect and nonviable because the technology needed to create colored contact lenses did not exist until around 1983. Some even argue that her eyes are light blue, although the veins in her eyes were consistently visible, making her eyes appear violet in photography. This theory also may not be reliable, as the scientific evidence still points toward Elizabeth having violet / purple eyes.

Elizabeth Taylor Purple Eyes

Although Elizabeth Taylor’s eye color was mesmerizing and iconic, there are some potential risks in having those coveted violet eyes. For instance, amethyst colored eyes happen to have an inability to handle bright light. Overexposure to bright lights can even pose a potential risk for retinal detachment. This threat of the disease is significant because the sun’s UV rays can even cause this damage. Luckily, those with violet eyes as well as those with eyes sensitive to light can simply pop on some sunglasses to protect their peepers. On the other hand, those with “Alexandra’s Genesis” (if it even exists) are thought to have immunity to a lot of common illnesses.

Interestingly enough, Elizabeth even came out with a fragrance named after her breathtakingly rare eye color. “Violet Eyes” was released in April of 2010, only a short year before her passing. Anything that comes from someone as iconic as Elizabeth Taylor is sure to sell, though. Don’t you think that it is incredible that Taylor’s eyes were so sought after that she could launch a line based off of them?

Elizabeth Taylor Eyebrows

Something that is also fascinating about Elizabeth Taylor’s iconic eyes is her eyebrows. In this era, it was not uncommon to have thick brows. Elizabeth was born with thick, “raven” hair that complimented her dark lashes and perfect brows. The brows and eyelashes are the main components of the face that protect our eyes, so it’s important to note that another functional part of her face is graced with such beauty. The eyebrows are known to be “the curtains on the windows of the soul,” indicating that your brows are just as important as the eyes (you would know this if you ever have looked up “funny pictures of celebrities without eyebrows.” Changes their face completely.) Regardless, Liz’s brows were most often worn slightly arched with a rounded shape. She most likely started the original trend of full eyebrows that Cara Delevingne brought back in the recent years.

In closing, Elizabeth Taylor is a remarkable icon that has left an incandescent mark in the American film industry with her controversially colored eyes and rare but coveted beauty. There are very few women in this world who became as famous as Elizabeth did in her era. Her incredible beauty was truly just a cover for all of the talents she held. Elizabeth Taylor eyes put present-day speculators into confusion, told the story of many characters, and captivated the hearts of America. Elizabeth Taylor will be remembered as a violet-eyed legend.

Hope you enjoyed this article on Elizabeth Taylor Eyes.  Please share your comments and suggestions below!

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