Bara's Beauty Business

Theda Bara's persona inspired perfume and beauty products.

Constance's Cosmetics

     Constance Bennett seems to have had a bit of a beauty empire.  Today it seems like every celebrity has a beauty line, from Drew Barrymore's Flower Beauty to what seems like the millionth Britney Spears or J.Lo perfume, celebrities have been in the beauty products game from the beginning.  The footage of Constance using her products survives and is incredibly intriguing.  Unfortunately it appears to be one of the sole surviving remnants.  Bennett's beauty empire lasted approximately a decade - an amazing feat since she began her empire during the Great Depression.  According to the author of The Bennetts, Constance was great at coming up with ideas, but terrible at implementation.  

How Well Do You Know Hollywood? - Question 14

According to Photoplay, July 1940

This star manages her own cosmetic business

Constance Bennett

Janet Gaynor 

Madeleine Carroll

Hedy Lamarr

View answer in comment section

Brooks' Beauty Marks

Louise Brooks

I had no idea Louise Brooks had freckles!  I just had to post this photo when I saw it on Glamour Daze.  As someone who lives with freckles, and loves them, it's fun to see a star display theirs.  It just adds another dimension to her I didn't know about.

Modern Guide to Health - 1947

WACs Working Wonders

These lovely WACs are getting beauty treatments at Fort Des Moines in 1942.  How fantastic is it that there was basically a beauty salon at the fort?  One thing I love about the 1940's is that even when they were busy saving the world, women always made time to look good.  How awesome is that?  I don't think I'd have enough energy to do anything more than throw my hair in a ponytail, yet these fantastic women slept in pincurls and made sure their makeup was perfect.  Amazing.

Posts of the Week: Glamour Daze

1940s Makeover

Glamour Daze has been on point this week.  It has some of my absolute favorite posts of the week.  Two of my favorites are a fun post about WAC exercise and a cool post about a 1940's makeover.  What I love about the WAC exercise, is that it seems entirely possible to perform today by a variety of fitness levels.  I could see myself doing it today.  The makeover is intriguing, and doesn't seem completely impossible.  No matter how easy a makeup tutorial seems, I never seem to be able to do it properly.

Weird Wednesday - "Frigidine" Your Face

Modern Mechanics; January 1929

This beauty treatment looks quite scary!  I think I will stick with staying the way I am or with plain old witch hazel, which works just as well.

Weird Wednesday - Max Factor's Machine

Modern Mechanix; January 1935

Another example of how we will go to extremes to become "perfect".  Thank goodness I never have had the "pleasure" of being put in one of these gems.

Weird Wednesday - Stimulating Beauty Mask

Modern Mechanix June 1933

Doesn't sound that a comfortable way to stay young.  I would be too claustrophobic to put up with this beauty treatment.  

Weird Wednesday - Paper Comb to the Rescue!

Popular Mechanics; January 1924

Hair sanitation was an issue in the 1920s just as much as it is today.  I can't tell you how much I cringe at the thought of sharing my hairbrush with a family member - let alone the brushes at the salon.  At school, they seemed to address the problem, on picture day at least, by giving everyone their own little comb when I was kid in the 1980s.  Do give out combs on picture day anymore I wonder?  I have to say that a paper comb would never do with my hair.  As thick as it is, I can barely get a regular comb to go through my hair let alone a paper one.  I just envision paper shreds all through my hair.

Women Combing Their Hair circa 1900

Dry Skin Tips from Madame Sylvia

Madame Sylvia's Dry Skin and Face Tips

1. Remove all foreign matter very thoroughly from the surface of the skin.
2. Take a piece of absorbent cotton and apply a mild face wash to the skin, instead of soap and water
3. Wipe away the face wash with a soft cloth
4. Follow steps 1 - 3 with a feeding cream (I imagine this must be cold cream).  Pat the cream gently all over the face - do not rub it in!  Pat the cream on your face until you feel the tingle of blood rising to the surface
5. Leave the cream on for at least one half hour.  

My personal favorite insight from Madame Sylvia:  "If you have a husband or better reason for wanting to be presentable at a late hour, remove as much cream as you wish."

1. In the morning, take your face wash, lave the face thoroughly and dry with a soft towel.
2. You should have a good astringent lotion.  Pat it gently and use it as your powder base.

*Those with dry skin should have a weekly facial massage to stimulate the skin glands.

Weird Wednesday: The Birth of the Vanity Mirror

[Source: Modern Mechanix; February 1933]

I knew there was something missing from my car.  Who knew it was a mirror in the dash ?  Apparently this 1933 article is way ahead of its time because vanity mirrors are in every car these days.  I like how they brought up the safety aspect.  Maybe I'll have to think about my "vanity" mirror differently.

Madame Sylvia Loves Cold Baths

It's Cold Baths Only for Madame Sylvia

Don't take a hot bath - "It is a cold bath that is resting."

Only take baths in cold or lukewarm water

Cold baths are therapeutic and combat insomnia

Cold baths are an astringent and tighten your skin

After your bath, take a rough towel or glove and rub yourself vigorously for 10 minutes

[Source: Hollywood Undressed; Page 227]

Weird Wednesday - Mousetrap Nail Guards

[Source: Popular Science; April 1940]

I'm not sure why Popular Science was highlighting this, nor why this was invented. It looks like little mousetraps on your fingers. Why must every strange invention look painful? I think I'd take my chances with my nail polish smearing.

Weird Wednesday - Snazzy Sun Protection

[Source: Popular Science February 1933]

I have to say I hate getting my nose sunburned, but I can't imagine that I would wear this beauties. I'll stick with good old sunscreen. It's not a beauty thing, but I can't imagine being able to see out of this things.

Weird Wednesday: Vibrating Curling Iron

Popular Science, 1940



Looks complicated, but I wonder if it really worked? Can't say I'd be at ease in that situation. And how much vibration are we talking about? Was it jarring, or more like an electric toothbrush? I have to say the woman testing out this vibrating curling iron does not look like she is comfortable.

Weird Wednesday - Bette Davis Getting Some Sun

Bette Davis gets a Suntan in her backyard in 1940. I guess some people will go to extremes to get a tan. Since this device looks like it is made from bars and cloth, I'm guessing it is for privacy rather than amplification of the suns rays. Looks more like a coffin to me. Does anyone know what the purpose of this contraption might be?

Sylvia Sundays: For Grey Complexions Check Your Liver

Madame Sylvia's quote of the week:


"Oh, my complexion is so grey and so muddy!" - you've heard that, too. "I've been using all of Elizabeth Rosenberg's preparations. They should be good. Lord knows they're expensive enough, but they haven't helped me at all. I think maybe I'll try Dotty Woofenpoof's cream." I'd like to ask this gal, "Baby, how about your liver? All clogged up with this and that, no doubt."


(Pull Yourself Together, Baby!, Page 4)

How Do You Rate as a "Lovely Menace"?

Are you a "Lovely Menace"? Do you make every bachelor want to get hitched? Does every girl hate you because you are so fantastic?

Take Pond's 1940 Quiz to find out! Answers revealed tomorrow. Click on the photo to increase it's size.

I bet this gentleman doesn't mind using Cold Cream on the lovely Betty Grable :)