Rudemar

In August, 1929, Ruth D. Maurer, former president of Marinello and the National School of Cosmeticians announced that she had formed a new company, the Ruth D. Maurer Corporation (capital US$500,000), in New York. Ruth Maurer was to be the president of the new company with her husband Dr. Albert Maurer [1860-1942] as vice-president. The new company would manufacture and distribute cosmetics and beauty aides and run instructional courses in beauty culture. Effectively, it would replicate many aspects of Marinello, the company Ruth Maurer had created in 1903 and left acrimoniously earlier in the year.

Seealso: Marinello

By 1930, Maurer had developed a line of Rudemar cosmetics, the Rudemar brand created using letters from her name, and set up a show room at 15 West 46th Street, New York. She also developed a series of beauty treatments to use the Rudemar cosmetics which were compiled in the ‘Ruth D. Maurer Handbook of Beauty Culture’ first published in 1931.

A number of Rudemar Schools of Beauty Culture were established across America in places such as New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Des Moines, Ogden, Charlotte, Richmond, Milwaukee, and Los Angeles. The first of these appeared in 1931 and Rudemar Cosmetics, Inc. (capital US$10,000) was founded in 1933 to operate them with Winifred A. Fayant [1892-1967] as their educational director.

Above: Rudemar Beauty School in Philadelphia.

Winifred Fayant appears to have played an important part in the later history of the Rudemar Beauty Schools. She was the principal owner of the Philadelphia Rudemar School, formed the Rudemar Distribution Company at 1211 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia in 1937 and also became the president of the Rudemar Schools of Beauty Culture. By 1940, the Rudemar school in Philadelphia advertised that it was following the Winifred Fayant System of Beauty Culture which suggests that Maurer was no longer involved in the business by then. Maurer did not list herself as having an occupation on the 1940 Federal census and she would die five years later in 1945.

Products

The Rudemar Products Corporation (capital US$1,000,000) was founded in 1932 to manufacture the Rudemar range. Unfortunately, it quickly got into financial difficulties and was put in the hands of receivers in 1933. Despite this, Rudemar cosmetics continued to be produced in the years leading up to the Second World War with the Rudemar Products Corporation moving into new offices in the Rodin Studios Building at 200 West 57th Street, New York in 1934.

Above: 1934 Rudemar Products Corporation showroom in New York.

I have no detailed records of the Rudemar product range but imagine that it replicated the cosmetics Maurer had developed for Marinello. These were needed for the Rudemar treatments which included: massage, facial and body contouring, light treatments, muscle toning, treatments for enlarged pores, blackheads and freckles, epilation, electrolysis treatments including hair removal and treatments for telangiectasis and benign growths, masks, acne treatments, make-up, marcel waving, hair dyeing and bleaching, and permanent waving.

See also: Rudemar System (c.1935)

The company did add some additional lines through the 1930s. Those that I know of were: Massagette, a roller massager; and Liquid Cleansoil, a liquid cleanser (1931); and Odo-Go, a stick deodorant; Correcto, a scalp treatment; and Firmatex, a face mask to tighten, mildly bleach and reduce pores (1932).

Rudemar cosmetics were packaged in blue-green containers embossed with the head of an elephant with the glass jars and bottles capped with gold tops. Some of the bottle and jar designs were modified in 1932 with the faux-gold closures given more prominent elephant head emblems. The elephant had been widely used by Maurer at Marinello but was abandoned when the Marinello line was repackaged in 1929 after Maurer left.

Above: New caps introduced on Rudemar cosmetics in 1932.

Britain

Rudemar cosmetics were introduced into Britain through the Leslie-Rudemar Complexion Trust Ltd. based at 53 Grosvenor Street, Mayfair, no later than 1934. The company set up and ran beauty training schools and sold Rudemar cosmetics, effectively trying to replicate what was happening in the United States. Irene Leslie, or someone that took on that name, travelled the country giving lectures and demonstrations, and occasionally handing out prizes to winners of local promotional contests.

Above: 1935 Irene Leslie presenting a prize of Rudemar cosmetics to the winner of a look-alike contest in Scotland.

The Rudemar cosmetics sold in Britain were housed in containers that closely resembled those sold in the United States. However, they appear to have been manufactured in Britain as the name Irene Leslie was embossed around the base of some of the larger glass bottles and her name was also included on some of the labels. Like many other businesses it seems to have come to an end in 1939 with the start of the Second World War.

Later developments

The Rudemar range also seems to have disappeared in the United States by 1940. However, the beauty schools continued on until the 1970s at least. Winifred Fayant died in 1967 and I have been unable to determine who controlled the business by then or when it finally closed its doors.

Above: 1969 Rudemar Beauty School, Philadephia.

Timeline

1929	Ruth D. Maurer resigns from Marinello. Ruth D. Maurer Corporation founded in New York.
1930	New Products: Rudemar range.
1931	Ruth D. Maurer Handbook of Beauty Culture published. New Products: Massagette; and Liquid Cleansoil.
1932	Rudemar Products Corporation established in New York. New Products: Correcto, Firmatex; and Odo-Go.
1933	Rudemar Products goes into receivership. Rudemar Cosmetics, Inc.established.
1937	Rudemar Distribution Company formed in Philadelphia.

First Posted: 23rd June 2024

Sources

The American perfumer & essential oil review. (1925-29). New York: Robbins Perfumer Co.

Chilson, F. (1972). Some historic personalities of the cosmetic industry. American Cosmetics and Perfumery. 87, 59-61.

The drug and cosmetic industry. (1932-1997). New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich [etc.].

Rudemar School of Beauty Culture. (c.1935). Rudemar system [Booklet]. Philadelphia: Author.

Ruth D. Maurer [1871-1945].

1930 Rudemar cosmetics and beauty methods at a Marinello salon. A number of Marinello salons followed Ruth Maurer and switched to Rudemar.

1931 Liquid Cleansoil.

Rodin Studios Building, New York.

Rudemar Velvine Nutrient Cream.

1936 Irene Leslie Cosmetics (UK).

Winifred A Fayant [1892-1967].

1936 Irene Leslie Rudemar beauty case UK).

1940 Winifred Fayant’s Rudemar Academy School of Beauty Culture, Philadelphia.