1940s Beauty

The commercial cosmetics industry saw its most substantial growth in the beginning of the 20th century, as previously the excessive use of cosmetics had been associated with women of loose morals. The advertisements of the 1910s to 1950s informed women that they could be more attractive with the correct diet, exercise and the proper use of cosmetics and hair products.

Perhaps one of the most influential events on the cosmetics industry was the advent of the cinema and the later introduction of colour films. In wartime Britain some 25-30 million cinema tickets were sold each week.

 Max Factor Pancake Foundation Advert

Products and brands that came directly from the advent of film were pancake make-up developed by Max Factor who was a Hollywood make-up artist and Helena Rubenstein who developed mascara as well as the idea of coloured powder. She borrowed the idea of colour shaded eyes from the French stage and accentuated mouths by reddening them.

Both the world wars had a significant impact on the reach of cosmetics. For the first time a large number of women had independence and a disposable income through working and a large majority spent a portion of this on make-up.

 Advertising an English Complexion

Rationing through WWII affected the beauty and fashion industry and shortages became the norm. Slogans such as 'Make do and Mend' exhorted people to be inventive in their resources and womens magazines were packed with handy tips on how old lace curtains might be cut up to make a 'dashing little bolero'.

Women excelled and when there were no alternatives beetroot juice replaced lipstick and shoe polish or gravy browning replaced stockings, completed by a line drawn in eyebrow pencil up the back of the legs by a friend.

This proved to be a successful idea for the beauty industry with products such as 'Silktona Liquid Silk Stockings'and the 1950s saw the increased marketing of skin tanning aids following on from the production of leg make up during WWII.

 Sun cream advertisement

The beauty industry joined in the war with gusto and adverts such as 'How to make your Lux Beauty soap last longer' with diagrams on the best storage and usage of your soap.

Fighting Red lipstick exhorted women to do their bit for the war effort by being brave and beautiful.

 Advert for Fighting Red lipstick

In America the popular Success School advertised that "Beauty is your Duty" and offered a regime of exercises to ensure the modern girl looked trim in her uniform.

 Success School advert

However the advert from Coty celebrating the liberation of Paris from the point of view that fashion had been starved of its muse was surely even by the standards of the time slightly excessive!!!!

 Coty advert

1940's fashion shows will be running throughout the duration of the show.