Recent Stories

Block Mascara

Until the 1960s, the most popular form of mascara in the twentieth century was the block or cake type. In the nineteenth century it had been known as water cosmetique or mascaro and it was only after 1900 that its name began to change.

Turtle Oil

Although turtle oil had long been used as a cosmetic by the indigenous inhabitants of the Americas, it did not find its way into Western skin creams, in any major way, until the 1930s.

Facial Irons

Some beauty devices claimed to be able to remove wrinkles through the direct action of mechanical force; to literally ‘iron out wrinkles’. These ‘Facial Irons’ or ‘Wrinkle Irons’ were briefly popular in the early 1930s.

Artificial (False) Eyelashes

A number of people have been credited with the invention of false eyelashes including D. W. Griffith (1916), George Westmore (1917), Max Factor (1919) and Karl ‘Charles’ Nessler (1921). However, we have to look back a lot earlier than this to discover their origins.

Panchromatic Make-up

As panchromatic film was sensitive to the full colour spectrum the make-up practices used for blue-sensitive or orthochromatic film no longer worked. Make-up artists and film studios had to adjust.

Recent Updates

Complexion

Updated: 5th May 2013

Eyelash Growers

Updated: 30th April 2013

Water Cosmetique (Mascaro)

Updated: 30th April 2013 [major]

Kohl

Updated: 27th April 2013

Cosmetic Timeline

Updated: 11th April 2013

Company Timeline

Updated: 11th April 2013

X-rays and Hair Removal

Updated: 7th March 2013

Greasepaint

Updated: 5th March 2013

Cake Make-up

Updated: 24th February 2013

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Contact Me

I am based in Perth, Western Australia. You can contact me by email. I am always keen to hear from others interested in this area. Thanks to everyone who has already corresponded.