Revolutionary inventors and inventions in the history of make-up

Throughout the fascinating history of makeup, we have witnessed groundbreaking innovations that have marked a before and after. Discover here some of the most outstanding inventions and meet the revolutionary inventors behind them.

• Elizabeth Arden, opened her first beauty salon on Fifth Avenue in 1910 New York. Her main creation was a range of creams and lotions, she was also the first to introduce eye makeup to women in America. When she died, she ran an empire that manufactured 450 diverse products, sold all over the world.

• Eugene Rimmel, a French perfumer and entrepreneur, was noted for manufacturing and marketing some of the first commercial cosmetics. His most notable invention was the first non-toxic commercial mascara in the 1830s. In 1834, he founded his own perfumery, the Maison Rimmel. For mascara, he used a combination of beeswax and petroleum jelly, which enhanced the eyelashes and gave a more striking appearance to the eyes.

• Thomas Lyle Williams: In 1915, Williams, inspired by his sister Mabel, devised the first commercial mascara, which he called Lash-Brow. In 1917, he founded Maybelline, expanding his line to eyebrows and eye shadows. After World War II, Maybelline went international. Williams, along with his partner Shaver, transformed the company with innovative advertising in Hollywood. After Shaver's death in 1964, Williams sold Maybelline in 1968. In 2001, the brand was renamed Maybelline New York. His legacy was a milestone in the makeup and beauty industry and continues today.
  

• Hazel Gladys Bishop, was an American chemist and founder of the cosmetics company Hazel Bishop, Inc, created the first long-lasting lipstick, dubbed 'Lipstick that doesn't smudge' because it left no trace when kissed.

• Helena Rubinstein: When she became a teenager, her father sent her to live with relatives in Australia. Her mother used a family recipe to make her 12 facial creams, which she carried in her luggage before leaving. Her beautiful skin, envied in Melbourne, was the result of this cream, which she named Valaze. Helena began to sell it successfully and in 1905 opened her first beauty salon, Beauty Valaze. By 1931 she had already become one of the richest women in America, and by the end of the 1950s her empire consisted of fourteen cosmetics factories and more than 40,000 employees. This pioneering figure revolutionized the world of makeup with multiple innovations: she created the first liquid moisturizer, the compact and waterproof mascara requested by the U.S. synchronized swimming team in 1939. He introduced retinol in creams. She also developed the first retractable lipstick and the classification of the epidermis by skin type. Before her, no one knew how to distinguish and generate separate recipes for dry, oily, normal and combination skin. She is also credited with the creation of the brush incorporated in mascara.

• Max Factor, born Maximilian Factorowitz and based in the USA, is recognized as the pioneer of modern makeup. In 1916, he began selling eye shadows and eyebrow pencils, and in 1920 popularized the term 'make-up'. He invented false eyelashes in 1919, worn by celebrities such as Phyllis Haver, and in 1925 introduced waterproof makeup for the film 'Mare Nostrum', adopted by stars such as Esther Williams. He also created the first liquid foundation in the 1930s, offering a softer, more natural alternative to powder foundations.

• Estee Lauder, whose empire dates back to the 1920s, began making handmade facial creams and ointments. Her Hungarian uncle taught her how to make moisturizers, initially in the kitchen and then in a laboratory set up in a barn. This experience not only gave her knowledge of how to prepare creams, but also how to apply them to women's faces. She sold these products in the New York and Miami Beach markets. After marrying Joseph Lauter in 1930 and changing her last name to Lauder, the couple adopted the name Estée Lauder for their products in 1937. In 1946, they formally founded the company that revolutionized the world of cosmetics, landing their first major order of $800 worth of products for the Saks Fifth Avenue store. I hope you enjoyed this blog and remember that "beauty and wisdom are two jewels that, when combined, create an incomparable treasure." See you in the next blog. Remember to leave a like, comment, and follow me on social media.