would Bette and Joan be without having created such distinctive looks. And Lucy... and the list goes on. Lucy didn't do 'the smear' but the lips we know weren't hers either. I've seen them all using their natural lip lines and, while pretty gorgeous beautiful etc, they just weren't 'them'

I really think it's how successful they are in creating a persona and sticking to it. For me, Madra is just more Madra with her Davis Crawford upper lip smear.

Went away for decades but it's back again, in spades. Seems for creating character it either works or doesn't, but when it does it's lightning in a bottle.