Cosmetics in the 1920s
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Cosmetics in the 1920s were characterized by their use to create a specific look: lips painted in the shape of a
Cupid's bow The Cupid's bow is a facial feature where the double curve of a human upper lip is said to resemble the bow of Cupid, the Roman god of erotic love. The peaks of the bow coincide with the philtral columns giving a prominent bow appearance to the ...
,
kohl Kohl may refer to: *Kohl (cosmetics), an ancient eye cosmetic *Kohl (surname), including a list of people with the surname *Kohl's Kohl's (stylized in all caps) is an American department store retail chain, operated by Kohl's Corporation. ...
-rimmed eyes, and bright cheeks brushed with bright red blush.


Context

The heavily made-up look of the 1920s was a reaction to the demure, feminine
Gibson Girl The Gibson Girl was the personification of the feminine ideal of physical attractiveness as portrayed by the pen-and-ink illustrations of artist Charles Dana Gibson during a 20-year period that spanned the late 19th and early 20th centuries in th ...
of the pre-war period.De Castelbajac, p35. In the 1920s, an international beauty culture was forged, and society increasingly focused on novelty and change.De Castelbajac, p36. Fashion trends influenced theater, films, literature, and art. The introduction of makeup was reasonably new to the society. Women were figuring out methods to apply it correctly, which later defined makeup looks. Women also found a new need to wear more make-up, as a skewed postwar sex ratio created a new emphasis on sexual beauty. Additionally, as women began to enter the professional world, publications such as the French ''Beauty Industry'' encouraged women to wear makeup to look their best while competing with men for employment.


Products


Lipstick

Lipstick became widely popular after Maurice Levy's 1915 invention of the metal lipstick container.De Castelbajac, p55. It was available in salve, liquid, and stick forms, and long-lasting, indelible stains were the most popular. Women chose their lipstick based on their skin complexion for a more natural look. Lip pomade, also called lip gloss, was later invented by
Max Factor, Sr. Maksymilian Faktorowicz (September 15, 1877 – August 30, 1938), also known as Max Factor Sr., was a Polish-American businessman, beautician, entrepreneur and inventor. As a founder of the cosmetics giant Max Factor & Company, he largely ...
in an effort to provide a glamorous appearance to actress' lips on film. Soon after, 'natural' lip gloss was created, which used
bromo acid Bromo is a prefix referring to the element Bromine. Bromo may also refer to: * Bromo-Seltzer, an antacid * Mount Bromo The Bromo ( jv, ꦧꦿꦩ), or Mount Bromo ( jv, ꦒꦸꦤꦸꦁ​ꦧꦿꦩ Pegon: , Gunung Bromo) is an active somma ...
to create a red effect as it reacted with the wearer's skin. Finally, flavored lipstick was also popular, with the most popular variety being cherry. In 1916, Max Factor began selling eye shadow and eyebrow pencils. This was the first time such products were available outside of the movie industry. Max continued to be a driving force behind make-up until his death in 1938. In 1991, his company became a part of the Procter & Gamble family. In the 1920s, different products were also developed that showed the decade's preoccupation with shaping the mouth. Metal lip tracers, made in various sizes to satisfy the wishes of the wearer, were developed to ensure flawless lipstick application.
Helena Rubinstein Helena Rubinstein (born Chaja Rubinstein; December 25, 1870 – April 1, 1965) was a Polish and American businesswoman, art collector, and philanthropist. A cosmetics entrepreneur, she was the founder and eponym of Helena Rubinstein Incorporat ...
created a product called "Cupid's Bow," that billed itself as a "self-shaping lipstick that forms a perfect cupid's bow as you apply it." The development of the mirrored lipstick container in the 1920s also points to the importance of shaping the lips through the application of lipstick.


Rouge

During the 1920s, the messy elixir blushes of past years were replaced by creams, powders, liquids, and rouge papers. Powder blushes became more popular after the invention of spill-proof containers and the compact. Blush was applied in circular motions on the cheek and occasionally on the knees depending on the type of woman you identify within society. Indelible blushes, like indelible lipsticks, were popular.


Mascara

In the early 1920s many women fulfilled their desire for darker fuller lashes by resorting to the use of common household products. Petroleum jelly (Vaseline) was mixed with soot or coal. The resulting solution was a dark gel that was then applied to the lashes with a fine brush. During the middle of the decade, mascara was available in cake, tube, wax, and liquid form and applied with a brush. Surprisingly enough, there were even waterproof formulations available. The various forms of brush-on mascara served to darken the lashes but did not provide the sculpting abilities of modern-day mascara wands. For this, ladies used eyelash curlers such as the then popular Kurlash.


Eyebrows

Eyebrows in the 1920s were very thin, resembling a straight line pointing downward toward the outside corner of the eye. Natural colors like black and brown colored eyebrows were in style. Clara Bow, famous for her dramatic Cupid's bow eyebrows.


Footnotes


References

De Castelbajac, Kate Catherine "Kate" de Castelbajac (born Katherine Lee Chambers in Santa Barbara, California) is a former model and fashion journalist who now works as an image consultant and educator. She is the founder of CdeC Academy of Santa Barbara and is affil ...
. ''The Face of the Century: 100 Years of Makeup and Style.'' Rizzoli International Publications (1995), . Mychaskiw, M. (2015). ''The Most Popular Brow Shapes by the Decade''. InStyle. https://www.instyle.com/beauty/eyes/history-eyebrows?slide=872c2225-4a8e-4db7-bbc5-778dc9931cc6. Says, B. F., Says, V. D., Says, J., & Says, D. S. (2013). ''1920s Makeup Starts the Cosmetics Industry - History''. Vintage Dancer. https://vintagedancer.com/1920s/makeup-starts-the-cosmetics-industry/. {{1920s media culture 1920s fashion History of cosmetics