Zombee Mama: Give Good Face [Beauty Icons]

These are the women I love to watch. My beauty icons. I draw inspiration from their unique beauty and learn from their example. I am not a big make-up person, but I love to doll myself up from time to time and I usually think things like "okay, pullin' out my Marilyn wiggle tonight!" or "I'm doin' Penelope hair tonight" or "Gwen lips!!!" I'm not sure if all women do this, but I think it is important to find inspiration and motivation wherever it is available. I grew up with a very beautiful mother, so I tend to value external beauty too much. Despite being naturally beautiful, my mother taught me that unique features and imperfections are the most valuable "beauty marks" a person can have, like my bumpy nose and unusually high waist.

These are in no particular order [Except Miss Penny, below] and honestly, I didn't do the B&W thing on purpose ... I just picked which ones would appropriately interpret my love for each face. I just like the black and white better, I guess. And no ... this list does not include Angelina Jolie.

I'm going to do a style icon blog soon, too! It will no doubt be even longer! Eek!

Penelope, the ultimate beauty icon for me. I love how her individual features aren't necessarily perfect, but she is so perfectly put together! She is my number one, for sure.

Helen Bonham Carter!! Genetic freak, absolutely. One of my favorite actresses, she is hauntingly beautiful.

Christina Ricci. Amazingly beautiful. Bewitching!

Vivien Leigh. When other girls had pictures of Tiffany on their walls, I had a giant poster of Vivien Leigh over my bed. She gives good face.

I love Love! Someone once said "you remind me of that girl on Ghost Whisperer" ... I almost fainted. Ha! I've loved this Scream Queen since forever and I think she is a wonderful example of real beauty.

Kim Kardashian. I definitely get inspired by her make-up choices, hairstyles and of course that glorious figure, but beyond that, she truly is an exotic beauty. Most of her modeling shots are so harsh and a bit on the trashy, "glamour girl" style, but the fact is ... her face is nearly perfectly symmetrical! I'm a sucker for exceptional bone structure.

Keira Knightley. I'm not sure her eyes or mouth would work on anyone else, but she wears her beauty so well, it's inspiring!

I have a portrait of Dita in our bedroom signed to me from Miss Dita herself [a kick-ass gift from bestie, Christie]. She wrote her favorite quote on it and I have sort of adopted it as a mantra when I'm trying to glam myself ... "There is no such thing as an ugly woman, just a lazy one." [Estee Lauder] She is proof that a beautiful transformation is only a few tricks away.

Marilyn is full of quirky beauty. It seems as though she had a glow that made her appear more physically beautiful than she really was. I love her ... but not in that "I want to wallpaper my kitchen with Coca-Cola, Elvis an Marilyn" way ...

Rihanna is truly flawless. She has beautifully unique features that really compliment each other perfectly. I'm usually inspired by her make-up choices and her perfect skin! She isn't someone I have anything in common with, beauty-wise, but I'm inspired nonetheless. She is also one of my top style icons.

More beautiful ladies on the next page!! Kim Novak, Erykah Badu, Lauren Hutton, CHER, Gwen Stefani my Mama and more ... I have loads of beauty icons, apparently.

Most of you know my CHER obsession. Enough said ...

Kim Novak. I'll take her unique beauty over Grace Kelly's Barbie looks any day.

Erykah Badu is so amazing. I always imagine Nefertiti looks like this.

Another beauty who struck the genetic lottery!

Lauren Hutton. One of my top style icons as well. Her beauty is so unique! I always considered her "handsome" instead of cute or pretty. That is powerful! Like Candice Bergman or Diane Keaton.

Jennifer Lopez makes the dumbest "fierce" looks on the red carpet and in her videos, but in a more natural state, she is one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen! She is just plain lucky ... no one can fake that.

Anne Bancroft. The epitome of aging gracefully. Stunning!

Doe eyed beauty! She is in my top 5 style icons as well.

JSP!!! Another example of quirky beauty. I definitely relate to her particular brand of beauty.

Insanely beautiful. Not fair! Luckily, she uses it for good and not evil. ♥

Kate Moss ... loved her since I can remember. She brought the non-classical look to the modeling industry and doesn't try and hide her signs of aging. I love her!!

Helen Mirren!!!! Another example of great aging. I hope to maintain as much sexuality as she does as I grow older. It's magical! She looks like a real woman, not a genetic freak or someone who has lucked out ... which is much more inspiring to me.