I Used Marilyn Monroe's Secret Beauty Weapon to See If It Would Heal My Skin

My grandmother and I didn't have a perfect relationship, but there was one thing that brought us together. And it was her beauty product.

Every time I visited my grandparents' house, I excused myself to go to the bathroom several times an hour. But I wasn't fooling anyone, mainly because you could hear the bottles clinking and compacts opening through the less-than-soundproof walls. After several minutes, my grandmother would open the door to find me holding a muted pink lipstick up to the light, fascinated by the power it held to change appearances. We would then spend our time together going through her makeup basket, her shelves of hair products, and her skincare collection in her medicine cabinet. Aside from our differences, we have formed bonds around the beauty department.

Although many years have passed and my grandmother is no longer on this earth, I remain just as fascinated by the world of beauty. I don't wear makeup and maintain a basic skincare regimen, but there's a primal part of me that can't get enough of the latest beauty products on the scene. Often, I spend my free time reading articles from our beauty team, browsing Sephora, or searching for icons of rituals performed in the name of maintaining appearances. It was the latter that led me to Marilyn's balm.

I don't know where I was in cyberspace or what I was doing at the time, but all I know is that I came across a product that Marilyn Monroe used regularly, a balm created specifically for her, and I couldn't get it. It slipped my mind. I'm talking about Erno Laszlo's “Phormula 3-9 Balm”, which is described as:

At $255 and up, I can't afford this product (even though it looks like it's made of magic). Instead, I contacted the company and requested a sample to see if the Some like it hot the star was right.

Before:

My sensitive skin is normal/oily, and since I'm not immortal, I break out from time to time. I have a few scars on my chin (where I have blackheads) and a little general redness here and there. There are also large pores around and on my nose.

Day 1

Immediately after applying this balm to my skin, I felt a difference. My face immediately felt smoother, which continued the next day. What was most interesting was the feeling that something was happening to my skin, almost as if its circulation had improved. I would also like to note that my pores shrank overnight. Rad.

Day 2

I had just gotten out of a hot shower, so excuse my red nose. On the second day, I noticed that my facial scars were slightly more pronounced than normal – perhaps because the product was working to regenerate these cells? Anyway, no major changes that day. Always smooth. No rash. And the feeling that this balm was doing hard work beneath the surface.

Day 3

The appearance of my scars continued until the third day, as you can see on the right side of my chin. In addition to looking smaller, my pores started to shrink. feel smaller. Ooh! And even though I was on my period, I didn't have an attack. Not once. That in itself is a Marilyn miracle.

Day 4

Day four is when my scars started to calm down, without the redness I had noticed a few days before. I would also like to point out that I felt a difference when using this balm – especially four days later. Although I've never had a facial, I imagine the feeling is akin to what you'd feel after your skin has undergone a workout in the hands of an expert. It almost felt like this balm woke up my skin, without the breakouts, enlarged pores, and general redness.

Day 5

Don't panic: I don't use moisturizer regularly. On the recommendation of a dermatologist, I worked to keep my skincare routine as simple as possible. Plus, I haven't found a moisturizer that works wonders for me. However, thanks to this balm, I got used to the feeling of hydrated skin. I could actively feel my skin hydrated and healed at the same time, while seeing the results in person.

Day 6

My skin has definitely started to adapt to this balm, as evidenced by the scars on my chin that have started to disappear. However, I could still feel this product working on my skin. It's hydrating, but not overbearing. Best of all, it didn't irritate my incredibly sensitive skin. Not a single rash so far. The prayers have been answered, my friends!

Day 7

Honestly, not much to report. This balm has proven to be quite reliable, unsurprisingly. If I had to describe it in one word, I would say: renew. My skin is far from perfect, but I could actively feel/see this balm working to make it perfect. I would say that my skin's circulation has greatly improved, which has helped me avoid breakouts, scars, redness, and large pores.

Day 8

A week later, I see a marked improvement. My scars seem to have faded. My pores are smaller and my blackheads have therefore greatly reduced. My skin is not as red. I feel hydrated and rejuvenated. No rashes! This repair balm almost looks like a real Photoshop.

Final thoughts: I love this balm and I understand why Marilyn Monroe kept it in her arsenal. Every time I look at the container that holds this balm, I imagine a room full of scientists and skincare experts coming together to create the perfect product for skin that needs a boost. It's not just a concoction you slather on your face, it's a blend of well-thought-out ingredients that get the job done and get it done.

However, while I would recommend this product, I'm not sure if I would be able to repurchase it, based on the price. But a girl can dream, right?