Makeup artist and historian Erin Parsons recently reached out to me with an intriguing proposition: she had uncovered a big story regarding Marilyn Monroe’s missing lipstick. Naturally, my response was an enthusiastic yes.
Parsons took to TikTok to reveal the mysterious tale behind Monroe’s signature red lip. In December 1987, friends gathered in Los Angeles to dedicate a time capsule to the iconic actor, filled with various artifacts including a mink cap and a lock of her hair. Monroe’s longtime makeup artist, Allan “Whitey” Snyder, also added a tube of her lipstick to the collection. This particular red lipstick was used to make up Monroe’s body in death, a color that Snyder had specially made for her and used throughout half of her career.
Monroe’s beauty look, characterized by a perfectly curled bob, sultry cat eye, and bright red pout, is legendary. Gabriela Hernandez, founder of Bésame Cosmetics, even recreated Monroe’s iconic red lip shade in her 2021 limited-edition collection dedicated to the actor, aptly named “Some Like It (red) Hot.”
However, the fate of Monroe’s time capsule took a sinister turn as Parsons revealed that it was stolen instead of being buried as planned. To uncover the truth, Parsons reached out to key individuals involved in the project, including Hollywood Heritage’s archivist Richard Adkins and the event’s publicist, Chris Harris. After gathering evidence, Parsons hinted at the possible involvement of artist Bill Mack in the theft of Monroe’s lipstick.
The compelling evidence presented by Parsons in her video on TikTok sheds light on the intriguing mystery surrounding Monroe’s missing lipstick. To delve deeper into this captivating story, be sure to watch Parsons’ video for all the details.
