When Cleopatra premiered in 1963, the film would be known for more than the story of Cleopatra, for a few reasons, one of which is the cat-eye hits the global stage which it wasn’t something audiences were expecting. What audiences were expecting upon watching the premiere of Cleopatra was a spectacle that included the sets, the jewels, the scandalous budget, the romance that nearly toppled a studio. What they didn’t expect was a beauty revolution that in the process of making, that would not only make a long-lasting impression, such impact. Elizabeth Taylor’s Cleopatra didn’t just revive ancient glamour; she launched the most influential eyeliner trend of the 20th century.
The cat eye existed before Taylor, it was however, Cleopatra that made it global.
The Moment:
A New Kind of Cinematic Beauty
By the early 1960s, Elizabeth Taylor was already a beauty icon with her violet eyes, double lashes and a softly elongated liner that had become her signature. But Cleopatra demanded something bigger, bolder, and more architectural.
Elizabeth Taylor’s primary make-up artist for Cleopatra, Alberto de Rossi designed a look that fused with ancient Egyptian motifs, 1960s graphic eyeliner and Taylor’s naturally almond‑shaped eyes.
The result was a hybrid style that felt both historical and futuristic. A cat eye sharpened into a cultural symbol.
This became more than a make-up look or even a trend; it was iconic!
The Extended Wing
A dramatic, upward‑sweeping line that stretched far beyond the outer corner, lifting the entire face.
The Floating Crease Line
A bold, graphic stripe drawn above the natural crease, a technique almost un-heard of in mainstream beauty at the time.
The Lower‑Lid Emphasis
A thick, kohl‑inspired line along the lower lashes, echoing ancient Egyptian art.
The Colour Story
Golds, lapis blues, emerald greens, shades pulled from ancient Egyptian murals and the make-up look worn by hers truly, Cleopatra, the last Pharaoh of Egypt.
The Global Shockwave:
When the Cat Eye Became a Phenomenon
After Cleopatra hit theatres, the audience instantly fell in love with this eye make-up look, the effect was immediate.
Beauty Counters Sold-Out of Eyeliner
Revlon, Max Factor, and Helena Rubinstein all of whom reported surges in liquid liner sales despite Elizabeth Taylor had not worn liquid liner to curate her cat-eye look, she opted for kohl pencils. Nonetheless people re-created Taylor’s cat-eye with liquid liner.
Today make-up artists will use either gel liner or cake liner as opposed to liquid liner.
Magazines Flooded With Tutorials
Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Cosmopolitan published step‑by‑step guides on “How to Get Cleopatra Eyes.”
Teenagers Adopted the Look Overnight
The graphic cat eye became a staple of 1960s youth culture from London’s Mod scene to American high‑school yearbooks.
Hollywood Followed
Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot, and Diana Ross all adopted Cleopatra‑inspired liner variations.
While Taylor influence beauty. She also reset it.
The Editorial Shift:
Avedon, Penn & the Cleopatra Aesthetic
The Cleopatra Effect didn’t stop at make-up, it transformed fashion photography.
Irving Penn
Used stark, sculptural lighting to emphasize the graphic liner, treating the eye as a geometric focal point.
Richard Avedon
Captured movement and drama, using Cleopatra‑inspired beauty to create some of the decade’s most iconic portraits.
The 1960s editorial landscape became sharper, bolder, more architectural, a direct echo of Taylor’s Cleopatra film.
The Legacy:
Why the Cleopatra Cat Eye Still Reigns
Sixty years later, the Cleopatra cat eye remains one of the most enduring beauty signatures in the world.
The cat-eye eye make-up look has shaped:
- 1970s disco glamour.
- 1990s supermodel beauty.
- 2000s red‑carpet looks.
- today’s graphic liner trends.
Because the Cleopatra Effect wasn’t just a trend; it was a global beauty trend that became iconic.
I’m Stacey Hobbs, thanks for reading. Until next time!
do you feel fabulous today?
