At some time around 1665 the Dutch master Johannes Vermeer painted a portrait entitled Girl with a Pearl Earring. It has become one of the most famous and instantly recognizable oil paintings in the world. The focus of the portrait is, of course, the pearl earring itself; but what that earring really does is focus our attention on the girl wearing it and, in particular, the beautiful luminosity of her flawless complexion.
That unblemished skin was a sign of health, purity, and beauty all those years ago and, today, nothing has changed. We still see the complexion as the first and most vital indicator of loveliness and it’s as vital for those in today’s media spotlight as it was more than 350 years ago.
So, who are today’s Girls with Pearl Earrings? Who are the stars of stage and screen whose luminous and flawless skins set them at the forefront of the pantheon of beauty?
Here are five women who, we think, have by nature or design (or a little bit of both!) matched the perfection of Vermeer’s creation:
1 – Cate Blanchett – As a native of Australia who spends a lot of her time in Los Angeles, Cate is someone who knows all about the sun and what it can do to the unwary. The Oscar-winning actress, who shot to stardom after playing the title role in the film Elizabeth in 1998, was famously described as a ‘white peach’ by Dame Judi Dench! That’s quite a compliment for an actress who has filmed in Alpine heights, freezing cold water and the searching dust of the desert. Add to that the punishment her skin takes from film prosthetics and hours spent under hot studio lights and her pale complexion is an astonishing achievement. What’s the secret? The down-under stunner has made it clear that she keeps the UV rays of the sun at bay and moisturizes, moisturizes and moisturizes again.
2 – Rosamund Pike – Described as the ‘perfect English rose’, the 32-year-old former Bond girl, who appeared in Die Another Day, is probably best known for playing the ultra-demure Jane Bennet alongside Keira Knightley in the big screen adaptation of Pride and Prejudice; but it’s the peaches-and-cream complexion that has turned the heads of film fans and directors alike. How does she do it? Well, with the gift of a beautiful complexion from Mother Nature the London-born star has said publicly that she regards ‘less as more’ and goes easy on the make-up, tending to favor natural products to enhance her natural luminosity. She’s also hinted that she never goes anywhere without that most famous of baby oils in her make-up bag.
3 – Claudia Schiffer – She may have now turned 40 but the German super-model, famously spotted on a Dusseldorf dance-floor at the age of 17, is still turning heads. She’s fronting adverts for L’Oreal which appear on a daily basis on TV screens all over the world and still has that perfect blonde hair, blue eyes and buttermilk complexion that made sure she appeared on more than 500 magazine covers in a 25 year career to date.
One of the critical factors in keeping skin healthy, she has said, is hydration and she makes a point of drinking plenty of mineral water alongside several cups of her preferred peppermint tea every day. Another trick that has kept this supermodel at the top of her game is careful use of make-up. Claudia has said that she tries to go ‘natural’ as much as possible and wears as little make-up as possible when she’s not working.
4 – Beyonce Knowles – Better known now as just Beyonce, the former member of girl-group Destiny’s Child is now a singer, a designer, a movie-star, a businesswoman and one of the world’s most sought-after models – and all by the age of 29. However, the girl from Texas is remarkably grounded when it comes to maintaining her stunning complexion. She has readily admitted that you are never too young to put a skincare routine in place – and you have to stick to it. She uses an anti-wrinkle, anti-ageing serum and believes regular facials help to maintain her skin in tip-top condition.
Beyonce has said that steaming really opens the pores for a deep-cleanse and then recommends the three step cleanser, exfoliator and mask to make sure she’s really glowing with flawless vitality and health. And while the multiple Grammy award-winner admits that’s she’s careful rather than obsessive about her diet (cereal breakfast, salad lunch and a light dinner) she does wholeheartedly recommend drinking plenty of water each day to replenish and rehydrate.
5 – Liv Tyler – The daughter of rock god Steve Tyler, of Aerosmith, Liv started a modeling career at the tender age of 14 before she decided she wanted to concentrate on acting. Over the intervening 18 years, though, that youthful and flawless complexion has been maintained seemingly with ease. Experts say that Liv is a classic example of how to live in your skin comfortably by avoiding all those things that start to wear us out – smoking, drinking to excess, too much sun and rapid changes in body weight.
Like Cate Blanchett, Liv was cast as an elven princess in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, roles in which a peerless complexion was essential. To get it, Liv is emphatic that a skincare routine is essential and says she just won’t go to bed without cleansing, toning and moisturizing. She says she also discovered the trick of misting her face with rose water while she was filming the movie Stealing Beauty in Italy in 1996 – a role for which she was acclaimed by the critics. The rose water, she says, makes skin look flawless and seemingly without make-up – even when that’s not strictly the case!
About the author: Elizabeth James writes for maisondanu.co.uk, purveyors of natural skincare products.