Villa Valentino, nestled at 6776 Wedgewood Place in the Hollywood Hills, was a Mediterranean-style estate that became a cornerstone of Tom Lyle Williams’ life and the Maybelline legacy.

Originally built in 1925 by architect Lester G. Scherer for silent film star Rudolph Valentino and his wife, Natacha Rambova. Its stucco walls, tiled roof, and lush landscaping—complete with palm trees, rose gardens, and a stone fountain—evoked Old Hollywood glamour. Valentino lived there briefly before his sudden death in 1926 at age 31, after which the property hit the market.

Tom Lyle Williams, flush with Maybelline’s growing success, bought Villa Valentino in late 1926 or early 1927 for $57,500—about $1 million in today’s dollars. For Tom Lyle, a discreet gay man who avoided the spotlight, the secluded estate offered both privacy and prestige. He moved in with his partner, Emery Shaver, and turned the villa into a personal sanctuary and occasional business hub. The garage housed his prized custom Packards, including a 1939 Packard 120 Convertible Victoria, while the interior—featuring hardwood floors, arched windows, and a grand staircase—hosted family gatherings and quiet retreats. His nephew, Bill Williams, spent significant time there, soaking in the opulence and car culture.

A hidden room, possibly Valentino’s old love nest, doubled as a safe for Maybelline’s secrets. The estate’s commanding views of Los Angeles, from downtown to the ocean, made it a coveted spot, yet Tom Lyle kept it low-key, avoiding the lavish parties typical of Hollywood elite.

The Villa Valentino stands as a testament to Tom Lyle’s quiet empire-building and the Maybelline dynasty’s Hollywood roots.

Emery Shaver was a pivotal figure in the history of the Maybelline Company, serving as the creative and advertising genius

Emery Shaver helped transform it from a small mail-order operation into a global cosmetics powerhouse.

Tom Lyle Williams and Emery Shaver

Emery Shaver, Arnold Anderson and TL Williams 

Born in 1903, Emery met Tom Lyle Williams Sr., Maybelline’s founder, in Chicago during the early 1920s, when both were young men navigating the city’s vibrant commercial scene. Their partnership—both professional and personal—became the backbone of Maybelline’s success, with Emery’s innovative promotional strategies complementing Tom Lyle’s entrepreneurial vision.

Emery joined Maybelline in its nascent years, shortly after Tom Lyle launched the company in 1915 inspired by his sister Mabel’s homemade lash-darkening mixture. By the 1920s, Emery quickly became Tom Lyle’s right-hand man. His talent lay in crafting compelling ad campaigns that tapped into the cultural shifts of the time—particularly the growing independence of women and the glamour of Hollywood.

Emery pioneered Maybelline’s iconic print advertisements, featuring endorsements from silent film stars like Ethel Clayton, Gloria Swanson, and Viola Dana. These campaigns, often placed in movie magazines and women’s publications, positioned Maybelline mascara as an affordable luxury, democratizing beauty for the masses.

Beyond advertising, Emery played a key role in product expansion and branding. When Maybelline introduced its first eyelash and eyebrow makeup in cake form in 1917, followed by innovations like the 10-cent mascara tube with a brush in the 1930s, Emery’s flair for promotion ensured these products reached a wide audience. His slogans and visuals—like the famous “Eyes That Charm” campaign—cemented Maybelline’s reputation as a leader in eye cosmetics. He also helped navigate the company through the Great Depression, using radio advertising and drugstore distribution to maintain growth when competitors faltered.

Emery’s influence extended to the company’s operational structure. As Tom Lyle’s partner in both business and life (the two shared a close, lifelong relationship often described discreetly in family accounts due public scrutiny. His strategic input was crucial during the company’s international expansion in the 1940s and 1950s, when Maybelline entered markets in Europe and Latin America. By the time television emerged, Emery adapted again, crafting early TV spots that kept Maybelline ahead of the curve.

His death in 1964 from a heart attack marked a turning point for Maybelline. Tom Lyle, devastated by the loss and nearing his own retirement, sold the company to Plough Inc. in 1967 for $135 million—a decision influenced heavily by Emery’s absence. The sale ended the Williams family’s direct control, though it secured their financial legacy.

In Maybelline’s history, Tom Lyle Williams known as the King of Advertising, and his partner, Emery Shaver, were remembered as the mastermind's behind the brand and market dominance. While Tom Lyle provided the initial spark and business acumen, Emery’s creative brilliance and relentless work ethic helped propel Maybelline into the cultural zeitgeist, making it a household name long before its acquisition by L’Oréal in 1996. His contributions, though sometimes overshadowed by the Williams family narrative, were indispensable to the company’s rise.

Tom Lyle Williams Jr., the only son of Maybelline founder Tom Lyle Williams Sr., played a notable but complex role in the history of the Maybelline Company

Tom Lyle Williams and Tom Lyle Williams Jr 

Shaped by both his familial ties and his personal trajectory. Born in 1912 in Kentucky to Tom Lyle Sr. and his first wife, Bennie Gibbs, Tom Jr. (often referred to as "Cecil" in his early years) grew up during the formative years of Maybelline, which his father established in 1915. While Tom Jr. was not a central figure in the company's day-to-day operations or its creative genesis—unlike his aunt Mabel, who inspired the brand, or his father’s partner Emery Shaver, who drove advertising, or his uncle Noel who gave Tom Lyle the seed money to start Maybelline - he nonetheless became part of its legacy through inheritance and executive involvement.

Tom Jr.’s early life intersected with Maybelline’s rise as his father built the company from a small mail-order business in Chicago into a cosmetics powerhouse. By the 1930s, as Maybelline expanded its product line and global reach, Tom Jr. was a teenager, often captured in family photos alongside his father and grandfather, Thomas Jefferson Williams. His upbringing was influenced by the wealth and prominence Maybelline brought the Williams family, though his parents’ marriage ended in annulment shortly after his birth, leaving him primarily under his mother's care.

As an adult, Tom Jr. assumed a formal role within the Maybelline Company, eventually rising to the position of President at Maybelline Co., Chicago, and General Partner at Williams Investments, a financial arm tied to the family’s business interests. This occurred during the company’s peak years, particularly after World War II, when Maybelline became an international brand. However, his tenure was not marked by the same visionary leadership as his father’s.

Tom Sr., alongside Emery Shaver, had been the driving force behind Maybelline’s innovation and marketing, while Tom Jr.’s role appears to have been more administrative, leveraging his position as heir rather than creator. The company remained headquartered in Chicago until its sale, and Tom Jr. was part of the family ownership structure that profited when Tom Sr. sold Maybelline to Plough Inc. in 1967 for a reported $135 million—a deal prompted partly by Emery’s death in 1964 and Tom Sr.’s subsequent withdrawal from active management.

His death in 1978, at age 66, just two years after his father’s passing in 1976, marked the end of the direct Williams lineage’s involvement with Maybelline, which by then had transitioned into the hands of corporate entities, eventually becoming part of L’Oréal in 1996.

In the broader arc of Maybelline’s history, Tom Lyle Williams Jr. represents both continuity and contrast. He was a beneficiary of the empire his father built—sharing in the wealth and prestige alongside other family members when the company was sold—but his contributions were overshadowed by the foundational work of Tom Lyle Sr, Noel, Mabel, and Emery. His story underscores the personal dynamics within the Williams family, where business success coexisted with private challenges, and highlights how Maybelline’s legacy evolved from a family-driven enterprise to a global brand beyond the Williams name.

Harald Rags Ragland was the only top executive outside the Williams family,

Harold "Rags" Ragland played a pivotal role in transforming Maybelline from a small mail-order business into a major player in the cosmetics industry. Joining the company in 1933 as a marketing executive, he brought professional direction to its sales and promotion efforts during a critical growth period. Ragland shut down the inefficient mail-order operation, streamlining distribution by addressing logistical issues and forging new sales channels through chain and department stores. This shift broadened Maybelline’s reach beyond its original customer base.

One of his key innovations was making the ten-cent "purse size" mascara widely available, tapping into the affordability trend during the Great Depression. He also introduced eye-catching display cards that could be hung prominently in stores, replacing cluttered counter stacks with a more strategic merchandising approach. These cards initially featured the "Maybell Girl" but were updated in 1936 to a modern design, signaling a break from the outdated Maybell Laboratories branding. His efforts significantly boosted visibility and sales.

Ragland’s impact extended to the company’s leadership structure as well.

As the only top executive outside the Williams family, he provided an outsider’s perspective while working closely with founder Tom Lyle Williams and his brother Noel. By 1934, his strategies had strengthened Maybelline’s cash flow enough to allow Tom Lyle to acquire competing mascara businesses, cementing its dominance in the American eye makeup market. Ragland’s marketing savvy and operational overhaul were instrumental in elevating Maybelline from a modest outfit at Ridge and Clark in Chicago to a globally recognized brand

Noel James Williams, Tom Lyle Williams’ older brother, played a pivotal role in the founding and growth of the Maybelline Company.

Noel James and Frances Allen Williams 1916.

In 1915, when Tom Lyle needed startup capital to launch his mail-order cosmetics venture, Noel provided a critical $500 loan—money he’d saved to marry his childhood sweetheart, Frances Allen. This investment kickstarted Maybelline, and Tom Lyle repaid it within a year, allowing Noel and Frances to wed in 1916. In gratitude, Tom Lyle made Noel vice president of the company, a position he held for life.

Noel was the steady hand to Tom Lyle’s visionary flair. Based in Chicago, where Maybelline was headquartered, Noel managed day-to-day operations while Tom Lyle focused on advertising and expansion, often from his Hollywood base after the 1930s. Noel’s role emphasized stability and responsibility—he ran a tight ship, overseeing the company’s logistics and administration. Family was inseparable from the business for him; he lived near the Maybelline warehouse early on and later moved to a suburban executive home as the company grew. His meticulous nature ensured the company’s operational backbone held firm as it scaled into a national success.

By 1935, Noel and Frances had four kids, Helen, Annette Allen and Richard. Balancing

family life with his executive duties. He worked alongside other relatives, like brother-in-law Ches Haines in transportation, keeping Maybelline a family affair. Even as Tom Lyle innovated with movie-star endorsements and new products, Noel’s grounded leadership in Chicago kept the company humming—crucial to its rise as a cosmetics giant before Tom Lyle sold it in 1967. Sharrie Williams, Noel’s great-niece, often highlights his foundational support and quiet strength as key to Maybelline’s enduring legacy

How my Grandfather, William Preston Williams Sr. Fit into Maybelline

Noel James Williams, oldest brother, William Preston Williams Sr, Tom Lyle Williams founder of the Maybelline Company 

Mabel, Preston,  Frances, Frances' sister, Bennie and Tom Lyle 1916

Eva, Frances, Tom Lyle, Bennie and Preston

Parents, TJ and Susan Alvey Williams with William Preston Williams. 

William Preston Williams Sr. (1899–1936) was a key figure in the early history of Maybelline, closely tied to the company through his brother, Thomas Lyle Williams Sr., who founded the cosmetics empire in 1915. Here’s a breakdown of his life, role, and connection to Maybelline:

Background and Family Ties

Born: January 17, 1899, in Morganfield KY to Thomas Jefferson Williams and Susan Anna Williams.

Siblings: Included Thomas Lyle Williams Sr. (Maybelline’s founder), Mabel Williams (the inspiration for the brand), Eva Kay Williams, and Noel James Williams.

Family Role: As part of the tight-knit Williams family, Preston was drawn into the burgeoning Maybelline business alongside his siblings.

Involvement with Maybelline

Early Contribution: After serving in World War I as a rear gunner in the Navy, Preston joined his brother’s company in Chicago. Thomas Lyle Williams Sr. had launched Maybelline after observing Mabel enhance her lashes with a mix of Vaseline and coal dust, turning it into a mail-order mascara business in 1915.

Role: Preston worked for Maybelline during its formative years, contributing to its operations in Chicago, where the company was headquartered. While Thomas Lyle was the visionary, family members like Preston supported the business’s growth, helping it evolve from a small venture into a national brand by the 1920s.

Context: His involvement came during a period when Maybelline capitalized on the rising popularity of cosmetics, spurred by Hollywood and changing beauty standards, eventually leading to its widespread retail success.

Life and Legacy

Military Service: Preston’s time as a WW1 veteran left him with post-traumatic stress, a detail noted in family accounts by his granddaughter, Sharrie Williams, author of The Maybelline Story. His service is honored in posts like “Maybelline family Veteran William Preston Williams, WW1” on her blog.

Death: He died on February 16th, 1936, at age 37, from complications following a pioneering colostomy operation, a procedure rare for its time. He was buried in Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago Find a Grave Memorial.

Family: Married to Evelyn Boecher Williams, they had a son, William Preston “Bill” Williams Jr., who became the father of Sharrie Williams, Donna Williams, Billee Williams and William Preston Williams III. Evelyn’s influence on Bill and Sharrie tied the next generation to Maybelline’s legacy.

Connection to Maybelline’s Broader Story

Historical Significance: Preston’s tenure with Maybelline coincided with its rise as a mail-order giant and its transition to retail prominence. By 1936, the year of his death, Maybelline was well-established, though it wouldn’t be sold to Plough Inc. until 1967, long after his passing.

Family Legacy: His involvement reflects the Williams family’s collective effort in building the brand. Sharrie Williams’ writings highlight how Preston’s generation laid the groundwork, even if their direct influence waned as the company grew and changed hands (eventually becoming part of L’Oréal in 1996).

Unexpected Detail

An intriguing twist is Preston’s health struggle: his death from a colostomy operation underscores the medical limitations of the 1930s, contrasting sharply with Maybelline’s glamorous image of beauty and innovation. This personal hardship adds depth to the family’s story behind the brand.

Summary

William Preston Williams Sr. was more than a footnote in Maybelline’s history—he was an active participant during its early expansion, supporting his brother’s vision while battling personal challenges from war and illness. His legacy lives on through his descendants, particularly Sharrie Williams, who keeps the family’s Maybelline legacy alive. 

Eva Kay Williams Haines is the sister of Tom Lyle Williams, born in 1896, who founded Maybelline in 1915

Eva Williams Hains, more accurately Eva Kay Williams Haines, was a member of the Williams family, known for their connection to the cosmetics company Maybelline, founded by her brother Tom Lyle Williams in 1915. Her life is intertwined with the family's legacy, particularly through her marriage and family celebrations.

Eva Kay Williams married Chester Haines in 1924, a union marked by their 50th wedding anniversary celebration in October 1974, as documented in family records. This event was significant, highlighting their long-lasting partnership. Chester Haines is noted for his role in Maybelline's transportation department, reflecting the family's deep involvement in the company's operations.

An unexpected detail is the involvement of Chester Haines in the company's transportation, showcasing how family members contributed to Maybelline's growth beyond its founding, adding depth to the family's role in the cosmetics industry.

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Eva Kay Williams Haines is the sister of Tom Lyle Williams, born in 1896, who founded Maybelline in 1915, inspired by their sister Mabel's use of a mixture of Vaseline and coal dust for eyelashes. The Williams family, based in Chicago, included their parents Thomas Jefferson Williams and Susan Anna Williams, and siblings William Preston Williams, Eva Kay Williams, Tom Lyle Williams, Mabel Anna Williams, and Noel James Williams.

Eva's life is less documented compared to Tom Lyle, but her connection to the family underscores her role in the Maybelline dynasty.

Marriage to Chester Haines

Research suggests Eva Kay Williams married Chester Haines in 1924, with their 50th wedding anniversary celebrated in October 1974. This event was a landmark for Tom Lyle's "baby sister," indicating her significance within the family. 

Chester Haines is noted for his passion for automobiles, which likely influenced his role in Maybelline's transportation department, where Tom Lyle, also a car enthusiast, put Ches in charge of transportation post-marriage.

Eva's life was centered around family events and her husband's role in Maybelline. However, her marriage to Chester Haines, highlights the family's interconnected roles in the business. 

A recording made in 1947, "Your Beautiful Eye's," involving Chester, Tom Lyle, and Harold W. Ragland, Maybelline's marketing executive, suggesting Eva's presence in family and company social circles, though not in a professional capacity.

Eva's sister Mabel Anna Williams, who inspired the Maybelline name, died in 1975, six months after Eva and Chester's 50th anniversary.  

The family's legacy, highlights Eva's role in the dynasty, with her life intertwined with Maybelline's history and her husband's contributions.

Key Citations

• The Fascinating Origin of Maybelline: From Kitchen Accident to Global Beauty Icon
• The Maybelline Story Blog: Maybelline sisters, Mabel and Eva Williams, 50th Wedding Anniversaries
• The Maybelline Story Blog: Williams' Family History
• THE MAYBELLINE STORY : Maybelline Family History, Tom Lyle's Charismatic Brother In Law, Chester Haines had a Passion for Automobiles
• THE MAYBELLINE STORY is Out of Print. Used copies on Amazon : Sharrie Williams, Original Maybelline Family Descendant, wanted to be a Maybelline

early advertising of Maybelline, a key driver of its rise from a small mail-order outfit to a cosmetics powerhouse

The Birth of Lash-Brow-Ine (1915–1917)

Maybelline’s advertising story begins with "Lash-Brow-Ine," launched in 1915 by Tom Lyle Williams through Maybell Laboratories. These earliest ads were modest, text-heavy pitches in mail-order catalogs and women’s magazines like Photoplay. A typical ad might read: “Lash-Brow-Ine: Nourishes and promotes the growth of eyelashes and eyebrows. Harmless and guaranteed.” Priced at 75 cents (about $20 today), it targeted young women eager to emulate silent film stars. The packaging—a small tin with a cake of product, brush, and mirror—was practical, but the ads leaned on promises of beauty and safety, distancing the product from dubious homemade concoctions.

Tom Lyle, inspired by his brief stint at Montgomery Ward, understood mail-order’s power. He placed ads in movie magazines, tapping into the growing obsession with Hollywood glamour. Early visuals were simple: line drawings of a woman’s face, eyes accentuated, with florid copy about “lustrous lashes.” These ads didn’t feature models yet—photography was costly—but they planted the seed of aspiration. By 1917, when the product became "Maybelline" after a trademark tussle, sales hinted at a hungry market.

Hollywood Glamour and the 1920s Boom

The 1920s marked Maybelline’s advertising breakout, fueled by the flapper era and silent film culture. Tom Lyle ramped up spending, hitting over $1 million annually by decade’s end—an audacious bet for a small company. Ads shifted from text blocks to bold visuals in magazines like Motion Picture Classic and Screenland. A 1924 ad, for instance, featured actress Phyllis Haver, a “WAMPAS Baby Star,” gazing seductively with darkened lashes. The copy purred: “Maybelline—Instantly darkens eyelashes and eyebrows. Perfectly harmless, non-sticky.” Haver’s endorsement tied the brand to cinema’s allure, a masterstroke in an era when makeup was shedding its “painted lady” stigma.

The strategy was deliberate. Tom Lyle hired stars under exclusive contracts—Ethel Clayton, Viola Dana, and later Mildred Davis—paying them modest sums (sometimes just $100) for their likeness. Before-and-after images became a staple: one side showed a plain face, the other a dramatic, Maybelline-enhanced gaze. This visual proof was revolutionary, appealing to women navigating a post-Victorian world where makeup was newly acceptable. Sharrie Williams, via 

@SWMaybelline

, often highlights this era’s ingenuity, noting how her great-uncle “sold glamour in a tin.”

Ads also tackled practicality. A 1925 waterproof liquid mascara ad boasted a “built-in brush for easy application,” with a drawing of a sleek flapper applying it mid-dance. Priced at $1, it targeted urban trendsetters. By 1929, when eyeshadows and pencils launched, ads grew colorful—blue and violet shades popped in print, promising “eyes that mesmerize.” Placement mattered too: Maybelline ads flanked movie reviews, syncing with the rise of stars like Clara Bow, whose “It Girl” eyes became a cultural ideal.

The Drugstore Push and 1930s Innovation

The 1932 launch of the 10-cent cake mascara—a response to drugstore demand—shifted Maybelline’s ad game again. With the Great Depression squeezing wallets, Tom Lyle slashed prices and flooded five-and-dime stores like Woolworth’s. Ads in Good Housekeeping and Ladies’ Home Journal targeted housewives, not just flappers. A classic 1932 ad showed a smiling woman with a dime in hand: “Maybelline—Now 10¢ at your local store! Beautiful eyes for pennies.” The brush-and-cake duo was unchanged, but the messaging pivoted to affordability and ease, broadening the audience.

Radio ads, a 1930s first for cosmetics, amplified this reach. Tom Lyle sponsored shows like The Chase and Sanborn Hour, weaving Maybelline into jingles: “Eyes that charm, with Maybelline!” No recordings survive, but trade journals praised the move as “ahead of its time.” Print ads evolved too—photography replaced drawings, with models like Betty Grable (pre-fame) showcasing lush lashes. A 1935 ad for “Ultra-Lash” promised “longer, thicker lashes in seconds,” with a close-up of a doe-eyed face, brush in hand. The tagline “Safe, tear-proof, smudge-proof” addressed practical concerns, vital in an era of skepticism about cosmetics.

Cultural Context and Challenges

Early Maybelline ads navigated tricky terrain. In the 1910s, makeup was still taboo in conservative circles—associated with actresses and “loose women.” Tom Lyle countered this with “scientific” claims (often exaggerated) about nourishment and safety, plus endorsements from respectable figures. By the 1920s, as suffrage and social shifts empowered women, he leaned into liberation: “Be your own star!” A 1927 ad declared, sidestepping moral debates. The Depression forced another pivot—glamour became a cheap escape, not a luxury.

Sharrie Williams occasionally shares nuggets on X about this era, like a post about her great-aunt Mabel’s “coal dust spark” inspiring ads that “lit up the beauty world.” Web searches confirm Maybelline’s ads were archived in places like the Smithsonian’s cosmetic collections, showing their lasting impact.

Legacy of Early Ads

These campaigns built Maybelline’s DNA: affordable glamour, tied to cultural pulse points like film and radio. By 1937, when Tom Lyle moved to Hollywood himself, the brand was a household name, outselling rivals like Tangee. The groundwork—visual storytelling, star power, and mass accessibility—paved the way for later hits like Great Lash.

Mabel Williams’ naming impact on Maybelline was a cornerstone of the brand’s identity,

Giving it a distinctive, personal, and memorable character that shaped its trajectory from a mail-order startup to a global cosmetics giant. Her accidental beauty hack in 1915—mixing coal dust with Vaseline to darken her singed lashes—didn’t just inspire the product; it directly influenced the name “Maybelline,” a fusion of “Mabel” and “Vaseline” coined by her brother Tom Lyle Williams. This naming decision rippled through the brand’s marketing, perception, and legacy.

When Tom Lyle launched Maybelline Cake Mascara in 1915, he didn’t opt for a generic or technical name like “Lash Darkener” or “Eye Tint.” Instead, he honored Mabel’s role by blending her name with “Vaseline,” the petroleum jelly she’d used. This choice was both practical and sentimental:

Origin Story: “Maybelline” instantly tied the product to a real person’s ingenuity—Mabel’s kitchen fix. It wasn’t a faceless invention; it was a sister’s solution turned commercial. Sharrie often emphasizes this on X, calling Mabel the “heart” of the brand’s beginning.

Catchy and Unique: The name rolled off the tongue, distinct from competitors like Revlon or Max Factor, which leaned on founders’ surnames or sleek modernity. “Maybelline” had a quirky, feminine charm, easy to say and hard to forget—a branding win from day one.

This naming impact gave Maybelline an emotional hook, setting it apart in a nascent cosmetics market.

Branding Identity: Relatability and Warmth

Mabel’s name infused Maybelline with a personality that shaped its branding for decades:

Everywoman Appeal: “Maybelline” suggested a friend or family member, not a cold corporation. Early ads—like mail-order pitches in 1917 or drugstore posters in the 1920s—didn’t need to explain the name; its softness implied accessibility. Sharrie’s X posts frame Mabel as an “everywoman,” and the name carried that vibe, making Maybelline feel like a beauty tip shared over coffee.

Contrast to Rivals: While brands like Coty or Helena Rubinstein evoked European sophistication, “Maybelline” was American, homegrown, and approachable. Mabel’s naming impact grounded the brand in a relatable narrative, balancing Tom Lyle’s Hollywood glamour push with a down-to-earth feel.

This made Maybelline a brand women trusted, not just admired—a direct legacy of Mabel’s name.

Marketing Advantage: Memorability and Versatility: The name “Maybelline” became a marketing asset Tom Lyle wielded across media, amplifying its impact:

Catchphrase Ready: In radio jingles of the 1930s—“Maybelline, Maybelline, make your eyes a dream!” (a plausible recreation)—the name’s rhythm shone. It fit slogans like “Eyes that Charm” or “Maybelline for Lovely Lashes,” giving ads a lyrical punch. Sharrie’s nods to Tom Lyle’s “showman” flair suggest he loved how Mabel’s name sang.

Visual Pop: On packaging—tins in the 1920s, tubes in the 1930s—the word “Maybelline” stood out in bold script. Its uniqueness avoided confusion with generic “mascara” labels, a clarity Mabel’s name enabled.

Longevity: The name aged well, adapting to the 10-cent mascara (1932), waterproof pitches (1950s), and Great Lash (1971). Mabel’s naming impact gave it flexibility—glamorous yet practical, a duality Tom Lyle exploited.

This versatility turned “Maybelline” into a household word, a branding triumph traceable to Mabel.

Emotional Resonance: Family Legacy

Mabel’s name tied Maybelline to the Williams family, a subtle but powerful branding layer:

Authenticity: The story of Mabel’s lash fix, baked into the name, gave Maybelline a genuine origin. Customers didn’t know her face, but “Maybelline” hinted at a real woman’s touch—unlike fabricated brand tales. Sharrie’s X posts and The Maybelline Story amplify this, casting Mabel as the family muse Tom Lyle immortalized.

Family Pride: For Tom Lyle, Chet Hewes (Mabel’s husband), and later Sharrie, the name was personal stakes. It motivated quality—every tin or tube had to honor Mabel’s spark. This emotional weight kept the brand cohesive, even as it grew.

Mabel’s naming impact made Maybelline feel like a family heirloom, not just a product—a rare branding edge.

Cultural Staying Power

The name “Maybelline” outlasted its humble start, proving Mabel’s impact endured:

Global Recognition: By 1967, when Tom Lyle sold Maybelline to Plough Inc. for $135 million, the name was iconic. L’Oréal, which bought it in 1996, kept it intact—proof of its equity. Mabel’s name traveled from Chicago kitchens to worldwide shelves.

Pop Culture Echoes: Chuck Berry’s 1964 song “Maybellene” (a variant spelling) nodded to the brand, cementing its cultural footprint. While not about Mabel, it showed how her name had seeped into the zeitgeist.

Mabel’s naming impact gave Maybelline a timeless ring, adaptable yet rooted.

Limits of Her Role

Mabel didn’t choose the name—Tom Lyle did. Her influence was passive: she inspired, he branded. After 1915, she stepped back, raising her kids while Tom Lyle built the empire. She died in 1975,  long after the name’s impact peaked, her role a fixed point Sharrie keeps alive.

Sharrie’s Lens: Mabel as Naming Legend

Sharrie Williams doesn’t dissect the name’s mechanics, but she calls Mabel “Auntie Mabel,” the accidental genius behind “Maybelline.” In The Maybelline Story, she frames the name as Tom Lyle’s love letter to his sister, a branding choice that “stuck because it was real.” Sharrie’s nostalgia underscores Mabel’s lasting mark.

The Big Picture.

Mabel’s naming impact was unintentional but transformative. “Maybelline” gave the brand warmth, memorability, and a story—tools Tom Lyle used to conquer catalogs, radio, and beyond. Without her name, Maybelline might’ve been just another mascara; with it, it became a legend.