Actress Lucille Ball Applies Max Factor

Alright, so I’m being melodramatic – the brand is not dying completely (yet), it’s just being sold overseas.  Still, Max Factor is an amazingly American success story, one that manages to encapsulate an entreprenurial spirit, Hollywood, technological advances, advertising and – oh, yes – the life story of a Jewish Russian immigrant.

Max Faktor (you read that right – like many Jewish immigrants, he later changed his name to a more “anglo” spelling) arrived in America in 1904, and broke into the Hollywood entertainment industry by manufacturing cosmetics specifically for use in black and white films.  However, when Tinseltown made the switch to Technicolor, Max changed the formulation of his products so they would appear more flattering in color.

What followed was a nearly mass-hysteria among actresses (including Bette Davis, Carole Lombard, Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, Norma Shearer, Claudette Colbert and my personal favorite, Lucille Ball).  To this day, it’s hard to imagine a makeup artist gaininng the sort of Hollywood celebrity that Max did – Pat McGrath and Jemma Kidd certainly have their followings, but even their stars pale in comparison to that of the original celebrity makeup artist.

The Beauty Micrometer: A tool invented and used by Max Factor to analyze facial features

Max Factor soon began using these actresses in his ad campaigns, and his brand became one of the most popular in the world.  The company’s products were an unrivaled success, in demand for use on screen stars (Margaret Hamilton wore Max Factor green makeup while acting as the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz), TV stars (Max Factor was so important to I Love Lucy that he warranted his own credit, almost immediately after that of the stars) and the public.

Judy Garland for Max Factor

An interesting sidenote: Speaking of the public, Max’s most famous and successful product wasn’t originally intended for use by everyday women at all.  Pan-Cake makeup was solely invented for use on Technicolor shoots, but actresses kept stealing it.  Eventually, the brand brought the makeup to the public, where it became “the fastest and largest selling single makeup item in the history of cosmetics.”  It was even name checked in Valley of the Dolls.

Sadly, after the death of founder Max Factor, the brand began a slow slide into failure.  When P&G bought it in the early 90s, it tried valiantly to pump some innovation into the line.  Still, it was too little, too late.

So, come 2010, Max Factor will cease to be sold in the US, though it will still be available in the United Kingdom and Russia.

Tags: Beauty, Bette Davis, Carole Lombard, Claudette Colbert, Greta Garbo, Jemma Kidd, Joan Crawford, Lucille Ball, Makeup, Margaret Hamilton, Max Factor, Max Faktor, Norma Shearer, P&G, Pat McGrath, Technicolor

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