Who Applied Priscilla Presley Makeup For Early Appearances?

Skimming old fan mags and photos, I noticed that Priscilla didn’t have one single makeup artist credited for her earliest public appearances. Much of her youthful look—those bold cat-eyes and soft matte skin—came from either her doing her own makeup or quick work by on-set studio artists whenever appearances or TV spots required a pro. In the 1960s, celebrities often relied on house makeup departments or local beauticians rather than having a named personal artist, so records tend to point to many hands rather than one definitive person. I love thinking about her experimenting with trends of the era and how that homemade glam became part of her signature vibe.

Flipping through grainy black-and-white photos of the early Elvis years always hooks me in—the way Priscilla’s eyes are rimmed in that sharp 60s liner and her brows are so sculpted. From what I’ve gathered, there wasn’t a single, famous makeup artist universally credited with doing Priscilla Presley’s early public looks. In lots of those early appearances she was still a teenager and often did her own makeup or had help from whoever was on hand—friends, family, or the studio makeup people when she was on set. Back then, it was common for young women in Hollywood circles to learn their signature looks from magazines, personal tutors, or quick touch-ups by in-house stylists rather than a dedicated star makeup artist the way celebrities have today.

When she did appear on television or in more formal settings, professional studio makeup artists frequently handled the job. Those on-set pros tended to follow the era’s trends: heavy liner, matte skin, pale lips, and dramatic lashes. Elvis’s inner circle also had hairstylists like Larry Geller who influenced aesthetic choices, and while they weren’t strictly makeup artists, their presence shaped overall style decisions. For private events or when Priscilla wanted a particular polish, a local beauty specialist or the show's makeup department would step in—there just isn’t a single name that keeps popping up across sources for her earliest public looks.

I like to think her early beauty was part DIY, part collaborative: a young woman experimenting with eyeliner while surrounded by a creative, celebrity-driven bubble. It’s fun to trace how those early choices evolved into her more refined public persona later on, and to notice the continuity between those teenage photos and the poise she developed in later decades. Seeing that progression always makes me appreciate how much of a crafted image was personal taste versus professional styling—either way, she always looked iconic to me.