Using famous actresses to help market their products helped to increase sales of their products. It created an image that the everyday consumer could aspire to be.
All throughout history, the idea of what beauty is was primarily marketed towards white women. Cosmetics and beauty products were advertised in magazines with white models, who emulated the current trends of the time. As we as a society became more progressive, however, companies had started to diversify their products and the shades offered, with deeper skin tones for women of color. During the 20th Century, Max Factor was one of the largest cosmetics companies in the United States. It became largely popular during the Golden Age of Hollywood amongst actresses such as Lucille Ball and Judy Garland. [1] With the introduction of Technicolor film, actors and actresses needed a light, flawless complexion on screen, which was achieved by using the Max Factor Pancake Makeup. This product concealed every imperfection and looked natural under the harsh lights. After seeing how popular it became in the industry, Frank Factor (the son of Maksymilian Faktorowicz, the creator of Max Factor), created more wearable shades for the everyday consumer. This variation of the product was released in 1938, and was heavily marketed with the faces of famous actresses of the time. However, there were only 4 shades available for consumers: Amber Rose, Medium Beige, Tan No. 1, and Tan No. 2. This limited selection later improved [2]. However, the shades sold to consumers only matched those with lighter skin tones.
Madam C.J. Walker is most notably known for her successful creation of hair products specifically made for African-American women during the 20th Century [3]. Along with many other companies such as Overton-Hygienic Co. and Madam Jones, darker-toned face powders were created, in a variety of shades with names such as “Toasted Chestnut, Brunette, Copper Bronze, Chocolate Brown” [4], and many others to cater to African-American women. However, the market for darker shades in cosmetics stayed very small until the 1950’s, when companies like Maybelline and Avon “recognized the potential of this huge customer base and started marketing products to the African American community through magazines like Ebony, Tan, and Hue” [5].
