As I discussed previously, makeup use had yet to be widely accepted during the Edwardian Era. Beauty was to be simple and natural and any obvious attempt to change one’s appearance through the use of cosmetics was viewed as –well– trashy. My favorite thing about the history of beauty is noticing the patterns of current events and how heavily they can challenge beauty ideals of the time.
Sirens of the Silver Screen
The experimentation of filmmaking continued to develop and the first film studios began popping up from coast to coast in America– the first one specifically happened to be Thomas Edison’s Motion Picture Patent Company which was located in New York. The short-lived company existed from 1908 to 1915; their most notable productions including Frankenstein (1910) and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1910). However, the popularity of the cinema did not pick up until the film industry moved out west and films became longer in time. Then, the actors and actresses starring in these films were finally seen as entertainers themselves.
With the new fixation on the actresses in these early films came the growing desire to appear as they did. Throughout most of history prior to the 1900s, women continued to DIY their own makeup or make new uses of the few makeup options that were available to achieve these looks. However, the growning fascination with the time’s popular culture lead to some of the first commercially available makeup products.
World War I
I’m sure we never would have thought that beauty and war could go hand-in-hand. Surprisingly, though, war has a very direct impact on the beauty trends. When The Great War began, the men across America and Europe left home to fight in the trenches. This meant that it was up to the women who stayed behind to pick up the men’s jobs to keep things going in their country. It was also common for women to volunteer for the Red Cross so they could aid the men who had been injured on the battlefield. A woman’s role became redefined as she did her duty for the sake of her country.
As a result, society felt the need to find ways to reinforce gender roles as women had to do jobs that were traditionally masculine. The use of makeup was now encouraged as a way to reinforce their femininity. The message in this was to remind both men and women that a woman’s main duty was still to her appearance. For the women volunteering in the Red Cross, the use of powders and perfumes were not allowed. However, it was still encouraged for these women to stay looking fresh-faced to help boost morale.
Personally, I find it sad that makeup use was only socially accepted in this era as a way to remind women of their place. In fact, you can see the same pattern just over 20-years later during World War II. Since then, there has always been a fine line between makeup being a tool for expression or a tool of oppression. While I myself love makeup, it’s an important correlation to make and we should keep it in mind in terms of today’s cosmetic industry.
The Firsts
Max Factor was a pioneer in modern makeup; he even coined the word “make-up”. The Max Factor brand was first developed in 1909 specifically for makeup on film stars. By 1916, he oppened up sales outside of the film industry, selling eyebrow pencils and eyeshadow to everyday people.
As for mascara, the first commercially available mascara was produced in 1917 by Eugene Rimmel. This was a cake mascara created from petroleum jelly and coal.
Lipstick, though used since ancient times, was not sold commercially until 1884 by Guerlain, a French perfume company that still exists today. The lipcolor was made with deer tallow, castor oil, beeswax, and pigment. These early commercial lipsticks were packaged in paper pots and tubes. It was not until 1915 that a man named Maurice Levy produced lipstick in cylindrical metal containers.
Get the look with modern products
Keep in mind, even though more accepted, the ideal look was “natural.” A light dusting of the face with powder and some dabs of rouge with light lipstick and eyes were ideal. Here are some modern products I love for creating an authentic 1910s beauty look:
Do you have any favorite products that you use for any historybounding looks? Name them in the comments and I’ll check it out!
My Gilded Nostalgia 