Make-up Titans:: The father of make-up, Maximilion Factorowitz aka Max Factor

It’s difficult for us in this day and age to think of a time when foundation, mascara, eye-shadow and indeed make-up were things that did not exist. If you asked to borrow someone’s lipstick in the early 1900’s they would have looked at you like you were crazy. Firstly, only women of loose character painted their faces too much and even those rarely in public. Secondly, ladies only used rouge and lip paint, and if it looked obvious, it was a fashion faux pas. Thirdly, these things sat in jars on dressing tables, and the idea of them being portable was as yet unthought of, there was no such thing as “make-up”. One painted ones face. There was a white powder for your face (often lethal, over 600 husbands died in Italy before it was realised that their wives face powder killed them, and the make-up artist in question was executed ), a rouge and a lip paint. That was that.

The make-up revolution started in America….. of course. Or to be more exact, in Hollywood. All of these things had to be invented and the phrase “make-up” was a phrase that had yet to be coined (by Max himself). What I found surprising was just how recently these things came in to existence and how many of them were invented by just one man, around one time. One gifted, creative, gutsy man who invented foundation (both cream and cake), waterproof mascara and had a hand in developing pretty much every products that we take for granted today.

Maximilion Factorowitz was a polish wig maker in Russia in the early 1900s. One day a group of performers blew through his store, bought a bunch of his stuff and wore it at their performance of the evening….. for the Russian Royalty. Maximilion soon found himself appointed as the Royal adviser on all things cosmetic. But this was not enough for Max. It’s a moment in his history that I find fascinating. For most this would be the pinnacle of success, appointed to the Royal court as a trusted adviser. Why would you rock that boat?

Maximilion packed up his goods, his wife and his kids and his $400 fortune and boarded a ship to the United States of America. I think that it was this pioneering spirit and tremendous drive that made him the man who has, to date, been responsible for the greatest breakthroughs in make-up history. They settled in St. Louis and Max did well, sold well at the World’s fair but Max’s keen business and creative sense sniffed out a new opportunity. A place where there was scope for a person of his talents and an insatiable market for all things cosmetic….HOLLYWOOD.

Celebrity clients were the faces of the Max Factor brand

Max Factor (his new american moniker) became a dealer for theatrical greasepaints and all of Hollywood came to his store. He invented a lighter weight, breathable foundation that worked well in the new world of cinema, in 12 different shades. The idea of matching foundation to your skin tone was a new one. (Sadly in some places in the sub-continent it has yet to catch on as our post colonial complex still demands that we look like our erstwhile white overlords, and many unthinkingly comply. Sad but true) The revolutionary "natural looking" pan cake, as advertised by Judy Garland

In 1938, he invented pan cake make-up, a lightweight formula that, when wet and applied with a silk sponge, gave the wearer a truly natural and translucent effect. From the screen (where critics raved about this new make-up), some stars (including a couple of models) started to wear it in real life. This created such a demand for the product that it remains one of the fastest growing, highest selling products in make-up history. His greatest achievements seem to be not only the products he invented, but also his sense of marketing. He opened up a salon in Los Angeles and stars flocked it. He introduced the famous “Colour Harmony” principles, the idea that some shades suited some complexions and hair colours more than others. His celebrity clients appeared in advertisements for his products putting forward the idea that anyone could look like a movie star if you used the right cosmetics. Also, being in charge of the most famous and filmed faces in the world allowed Max to change the way make-up was done the world over. He drew Clara Bow’s lips in to their famous shape, and the world followed. Tired of this shape, several years later he drew Jane Seymour’s lips in to their famous over drawn fuller pout and created a trend that lasted through the 1950’s.

The famous colour harmony principles

His contributions are without question and his career paved the way for not only celebrity make-up artists and make-up artist's brands but the idea of using make-up as a basic right for every woman, creating a revolution in the way women saw themselves. The ripples of this revolution continue to be felt till today. Thanks Max!