From cold cream to Chanel No 5 – classic vintage beauty products
1961 saw the introduction into the UK of another make-up artist stable: Elnett hairspray. It was the first lacquer-free hairspray and was vital in holding up beehives or maintaining that immaculate mod look. It has managed to endure subsequent decades of Fawcett flicks, poodle perms and Rachel cuts with its pride intact.
Within its gold bottle, adorned with an illustration of a lovely retro lady, the lightweight formula works because it holds the hair without making it too sticky. And because it’s been used for so many years, the scent alone is bottled nostalgia.
Although Maybelline created their first mascara in 1917, it wasn’t until 1971 that Great Lash Mascara was unleashed on the world. It remains a bestseller, with one sold every 1.5 seconds. Remarkably the formulation of this water-based mascara hasn’t changed since its creation.
Acolytes of the product praise its flake-free formulation, suitable for everyday use, as well as its gentle thickening effect.
Finally, if this sweep through the history of beauty products has left you exhausted, why not try one of the Eighties kindest gifts to the world of beauty: Clarin’s Beauty Flash Balm? Dubbed both ‘Cinderella in a bottle’ and ‘the facelift in a tube’ it acts as the perfect skin pep-me up, lifting, tightening and illuminating.
Its simple ingredients include witch hazel, rice starch and olive tree extracts and its classic, restrained packing is a world away from Eighties’ brash and bling.
So, what beauty invention
of the 21st century does the crystal ball predict will still be sitting on dressing tables in the next twenty, thirty and even hundred years? The reason these timeless products seem to have lived on is their simplicity, both in content and usage, and because they seem to have stayed true to the vision of their creators.
Will the next cosmetic classic come courtesy of an inspired individual, rather than from a lab rat? I’d like to think so.
Category: 1930s, Beauty, Vintage news
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![DSC_0011web[1]](http://www.queensofvintage.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/DSC_0011web1-150x150.jpg "DSC_0011web[1]")
Great list.
…and not to forget Coty Airspun loose powder (as recommended to me by a particularly gorgeous vintage friend)
It smells like your nana’s makeup, has been around since the 30′s and makes your skin flawless, or as close to flawless as I’m ever going to get.