The other day, I found myself wondering how many of the latest, must-have beauty miracles plastered across the Internet would end up going the way of the Dodo bird and which would become classics. Which led me to stop and count them up. Turns out, there are more iconic beauty products extant than I thought.
Beauty doyenne Sali Hughes has done a far superior job of this in her fabulous book, Pretty Iconic (on my wish list!), but you lot are stuck with me. (Or not: her book is here.)
I realize that there are far graver concerns in the world at the moment, so I do not mean to be irreverent. I hope this article might be at best a distraction for those of you interested in history and beauty.
For now, here are my twelve iconic beauty products still standing tall today. Do tell me which ones I missed!
Pears Soap
First made in England in 1807 (that’s 213 years ago!), Pear’s was the world’s first transparent bar of soap. It still takes 3 months to make and is famous for its purity and gentleness on delicate skins. Pears has a unique scent, which I enjoy. Sam and Nic Chapman recommend it for creating soap brows. Incidentally, it’s the same technique that was used in Old Hollywood of the 1940s & 1950s.
Ponds Cold Cream (1907)
I’m sure many of us can recall Grandma or even Great-Grandma slathering face and neck in Ponds of an evening before tissuing off the old makeup/cold cream admixture. Ponds themselves report that it’s quite popular today–one jar is sold every fifteen seconds, apparently. Although cleansing balms and oils have become far more trendy, Ponds was the original! Available at drugstores across America, like here.
Maybelline Great Lash Mascara (1971)
A more recent debutante on the iconic beauty scene, it’s been used everywhere from backstage to office to bedroom. I’ve used it and liked it, and though other mascaras win prizes in comparison, it still is America’s favorite. And it still has its signature groovy green-and-pink packaging. Plus, as the English say, its cheap as chips. What’s not to like?
Revlon Fire & Ice Lipstick (1952), Cherries in the Snow Lipstick & Nail Polish
In 1952, Revlon made makeup history upon the launch of the Fire and Ice lipstick and nail varnish collection. The ad, featuring the uber-glamorous model Dorian Leigh (herself the world’s first supermodel), was the first cosmetics ad ever to state that a woman buy and wear makeup for herself to empower herself, not for the man/men around her. “For you who love to play with fire….for you who love to skate on thin ice…” ran the slogan, and women were hooked.
Cherries in the Snow followed in 1953 and, just like Fire and Ice, is still going strong today. In fact, of the shades launched at that time, Revlon Red, Fire and Ice, and Cherries in the Snow, are the only ones which had not been discontinued. Available at drugstores across America, including WalMart, and online. Have a peek at the original ad right this way. It’s gorgeous!
Elizabeth Arden 8-Hour Cream (1930)
This is the first Arden product to bear Elizabeth Arden’s name. Rumor has it she used it to condition the hooves of her race horses, over whom she was mildly obsessed. Today a staple of makeup artists everywhere, it can be used to do everything from softening cuticles to slicking brows and highlighting cheek bones. I often apply a scrim of it over my eyelids before pressing on shadow for a molten vibrancy that doesn’t disappear posthaste. (My eyelids eat shadow.) Find it here.
Chanel Coco No 5 (1921)
First launched on May 5th, 1921 by Coco Chanel herself, No 5 is widely considered to be the most iconic perfume in the world. It was originally available exclusively at Chanel boutiques only. Marilyn Monroe famously (and rather flirtatiously) said she wore nothing but Chanel No 5 to bed. The company has calculated that one bottle of No 5 is sold every thirty seconds.
Max Factor Pan-Stik (1930s)
First invented in the 1920s by Mr. Max Factor himself for the actresses of the silent era, this was the first foundation base. (He invented the Pan-cake makeup proper in the 1930s.) Previously, the only available option had been thick grease paints used only by stage actors. It was originally formulated so that it would be easy to apply and wear, hold its color, but not melt under the hot, harsh movie set lights. Max Factor is THE original glamour brand, and brought professional makeup to the everyday woman.
Max Factor as a brand pulled out of the US market in the 2010s, though it is still widely available in the UK. Brand makeup artist Caroline Barnes has an Instagram completely worth following. She seems lovely and warm and generously disseminates her treasure trove of beauty know-how. I tracked the Pan-Stik down in the US on Amazon and at Max Factor’s company website here A fabulous article on the history of Max Factor’s adventures in makeup chemistry is here
Erno Laszlo Sea Mud Deep Cleansing Bar (1920s)
First developed in 1927 by Dr. Erno Laszlo, the Hungarian-born dermatologist to Hollywood starlets, this large black bar remains the company’s best seller. He was the first person to introduce double cleansing as a vital skincare step, instructing women to oil their faces with his specially prepared unguents for their particular skin type, then wash it off with the corresponding Laszlo soap. Dr. Laslo’s luxury product line quickly became all the rage among women from the silver screen to the street: devotees included Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Marilyn Monroe. Find it here , or at Sephora or Amazon
Nivea (1911)
Who hasn’t seen this famous little blue tin? Introduced in Germany in 1911, Nivea was touted as a body, face, and hand cream gentle enough to be used on children. It was the first stable water-in-oil emulsion, which made it far more moisturizing than other oil-in-water emulsion creams of its time. Fun fact: the name Nivea comes from the Latin word niveus/nivea, which means “snow-white”—exactly the hue of the original formulation.
In the 1930s, Nivea expanded their product line to include shaving creams, shampoos, lotions, tanning products, toners, and facial cleansers, but their original snow-white cream remains a classic. Available here or at drugstores across the world.
Bourjois Little Round Pot Blush (1881),
This little cutie still contains real mother of pearl pigment for luminous soft color, just as the original formula did back in 1881 when the first pot slid out of the chemist’s oven. Fast forward over one hundred and fifty years, and it is still one of Bourjois’ best-selling product lines. It comes in seven shades and is loved by beauty mavens Lisa Eldridge and Ruth Crilly. According to Bourjois, the company sells about six million of their Little Round Pot Blush and Little Round Pot Eyeshadows every year. It seems to be much more widely available in the UK than in America, as Bourjois is a French brand; however, I spotted it at Amazon and at the Bourjois website.
Vaseline (1872)
Once advertised as “So pure you can eat it!”, Marilyn Monroe applied a thin layer of Vaseline under her foundation for a glowing, dewy base. I’ve tried it on drier days and it does work, despite my oil-prone skin. Please don’t eat it though! I think the Vaseline company of today has long since retracted any and all claims of comestibility. Available at drugstores and online across the nation, though I suspect you don’t need me to tell you that.
Smith’s Rosebud Salve (1892)
Originally called Smith’s Balsam of Rosebuds, this iconic product was created by Maryland chemist Dr. George Smith in 1892 in answer to a challenge to create an all-purpose salve. He met the challenge and then some: Rosebud Salve has been beloved for over a century and is a staple of makeup artists’ kits the world around. I’ve used it for years, having first bumbled into it as a young girl. Though I had no clue at the time that it was such an icon, I immediately fell in love with the vintage apothecary-style tin and the salve’s delicate pink hue.
Aside from its obvious use as a lip balm (I also mix it with lipsticks to form a fabulously lucent, non-sticky punch of color), I like it as an ersatz cheekbone gloss. Hygiene fanatics and frequent fliers rejoice: it is also available in a tube. Find it, among other places, at Amazon and Sephora.
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