vintage cosmetic companies

NoraLoy · Sep 11, 2008

Any one know what companies were around in the 1930's to the 1950's making cosmetics,perfume,or skincare.
Also,any specific skincare products or cosmetic colors or perfumes that are still around today.
thanks for any help

LelaViavonie · Sep 11, 2008

Hey there! Welcome!
Great question.. I have been searching myself!

Some of the companies that are still around that i can think off the top of my head are Revlon, Max Factor... the ones we know and love today.. LOL

For skin care... Ponds, Queen Helene.. I know the ladies here have a wealth of information..

i_am_the_scruff · Sep 11, 2008

Elizabeth Arden is another one.

RetroModelSari · Sep 11, 2008

Weleda and La Bella Nuissy (invented the first water proof mascara and still sells the original one)

LizzieMaine · Sep 11, 2008

The big companies, the ones you'd find in the average drug/department store, included Coty, Lady Esther, Tangee, Outdoor Girl, Woodbury's, Princess Pat, Louis Phillipe, Edna Wallace Hopper, Duart, Armand, Richard Hudnut, Harriet Hubbard Ayer, Houbigant, Yardley, and Max Factor.

Of these, Coty and Lady Esther were the largest-selling. Woodbury and Princess Pat were dimestore stuff, Max Factor was considered a specialty brand, Houbigant and Yardley were upper-middle-class, and Elizabeth Arden was for society folk or those aspiring to be. Revlon burst on the scene in the early forties, and became the top-selling brand by the fifties.

LelaViavonie · Sep 11, 2008

RetroModelSari said:
Weleda and La Bella Nuissy (invented the first water proof mascara and still sells the original one)

Ohh.. do u happen to know if they sell that here in the states? Or on a website? I would love to take a look and see

Kitty_Sheridan · Sep 11, 2008

Here in the UK we had Bourjois, Coty and Yardley.

All still on the go!

K

Ashes Of Roses · Sep 11, 2008

For perfume, Guerlain (Shalimar, L'Heure Bleue). They have older scents from the 20s-40s (such as those two) and also more recent ones. Also, Jean Patou's "Joy" (1930s). All are around today, and I've sampled them through decants (like from theperfumedcourt.com) I love perfume

jessicarabbit · Sep 12, 2008

Kitty_Sheridan said:
Here in the UK we had Bourjois, Coty and Yardley.

All still on the go!

K

I love bourjois because they originally started in the late 19th century as makeup suppliers for stage performers. so their stuff has good staying power and is great for dramatic looks.

RetroModelSari · Sep 12, 2008

LelaViavonie said:
Ohh.. do u happen to know if they sell that here in the states? Or on a website? I would love to take a look and see

Here it is: http://www.labellanussy.com/

olive bleu · Sep 12, 2008

I'd never heard of this brand.I checked it out ,and love this item...I'm a sucker for anything with "o-matic" on it's label

RebeccaMUA · Sep 12, 2008

A couple of companies to add:
*Merle Norman was very popular in the states, and they still have the original "family line" which uses the same ingredients for their cream foundation, loose powder, and some skincare. (you can view these products at www.merlenorman.com)

*In the 40's: Estee Lauder, Rimmel (whose new lip pencils were an instant hit), and Coco Chanel when she introduced her lipstick line. Lancaster also produced beauty creams that were quite popular.

*In the 50's: Aziza who previously focused on eyeshadow, was popularized for their mascaras.

Hope this helps!

puretxnxt · Sep 12, 2008

Another brand I can think of that my dear great grandmom still uses is Ponds Angel Face powder.you can still find it but its mostly sold in Latin America. It comes in a blue plastic compact with no mirror I keep one because it reminds me of my great granny but the powder itself doesn't impress me. Very OT but I remember the cholas in my high school lugged around angel face compacts.

LelaViavonie · Sep 12, 2008

RetroModelSari said:
Here it is: http://www.labellanussy.com/

Ohh I am soo excited!! Thank youy for the site Retro Medel Sari!

jessicarabbit · Sep 15, 2008

helena rubinstein, though I don't know if her stuff is still around today. you can read about her well known rivalry with elizabeth arden in the book war paint.

Odalisque · Sep 15, 2008

jessicarabbit said:
helena rubinstein, though I don't know if her stuff is still around today. you can read about her well known rivalry with elizabeth arden in the book war paint.

http://www.helenarubinstein.com/index.aspx?

LaMedicine · Sep 15, 2008

From Japan, Shiseido.
Shiseido Story.
First opened as a pharmacy in 1872, it marketed its first beauty product, Eudermine, a skin lotion, in 1897. It has been the leading cosmetics company here ever since. Its international venture started in 1957 in Taiwan (Formosa) and other Asian countries, then spread to the US and Europe in the '60.

You may find the packaging of Shiseido's early products interesting.
Product History.

LelaViavonie · Sep 15, 2008

LaMedicine said:
From Japan, Shiseido.
Shiseido Story.
First opened as a pharmacy in 1872, it marketed its first beauty product, Eudermine, a skin lotion, in 1897. It has been the leading cosmetics company here ever since. Its international venture started in 1957 in Taiwan (Formosa) and other Asian countries, then spread to the US and Europe in the '60.

You may find the packaging of Shiseido's early products interesting.
Product History.

Oh WOW! THat Packaging is beautiful!

RetroModelSari · Sep 15, 2008

The packaging is really really adorable!!!

jessicarabbit · Sep 16, 2008

I'm not sure if these companies are entirely vintage, but my grandmother used to use olay and cedel hairspray. is it weird that I love the smell of cedel?[huh]

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