The book:
Title: Max Factor—The Man who Changed the Faces of the World
Author: Fred E. Basten
Pages: 172 (don’t let this scare you, it’s a riveting read and it’s in reasonable print with lots of white spaces. Not that I’m assuming that most fashionistas do not read…ehem…am I in trouble?)
Why I like it:
…because those of us who love our cosmetics owes a lot to the Father of Modern Make-up, Max Factor.
This is an interesting read on the birth of the brand that proudly calls themselves ‘the makeup of makeup artists’ (and rightly so!). Max Factor was the first to call cosmetics make-up, he’s the inventor of false lashes, lip gloss, foundation, eyebrow pencil, concealer and most importantly, waterproof makeup.
This is also the man who believes that “certain combinations of natural skin, hair and eye colours were most effectively complements by specific make-up shades”. More popularly known as Color Harmony, the principle is still used today as a basis for a lot of makeup artists.
To summarise it very briefly:
Max Factor started his life as cosmetician to the Czar. When tides turn and sentiment against the Jews gets progressively stronger in Russia, he gathered his family and fled to America. His great talent in cosmetics was supplemented with the luck of being at the right place, at the right time. It was right about this time that “motion picture” was being developed as a new entertainment.
The problem: the actors have been using stage makeup, which was much heavier and had to be applied 1/8 of an inch thick (egad!). While this work to cover flaws on stage because the audience are at a distance, this cannot work on screen when close ups are required. Therefore, Max Factor weaved his magic and created a lighter, more appropriate make-up for TV.
I would love to detail the whole story to you but I wouldn’t want to spoil the book for you. You just HAVE to read it.
Some interesting parts:
This device looks like it belongs to a Saw movie franchise, but it is actually a Beauty Calibrator. Max Factor designed it as a mechanism to calculate the flaws of the face, and how this flaw then could be remedied with his make-up. It was “reputedly capable of measuring good looks to within one-hundredth of an inch.”
On the right is another scary looking contraption, but this is how they created
the Tru-Color range of lipstick. Initially an engaged couple who worked for the company was asked to be the guinea pigs. The lady will put on one of the test lipstick, and all the couple had to do was kiss. The lipstick’s effectiveness is gauge by its staying power after the kiss. Tests after tests was conducted but finally the man put his foot down and refuse to do it anymore because he was being teased so much by his coworkers. This Kissing Machine was then created to replicate the kissing effect and lip pressure. [Pic source: Elizabeth @ table4five]
Extra! Extra!
-
Both these devices are on display at The Hollywood History Museum, which is housed in the actual Max Factor building.
