Maybelline vs. Max Factor. One devoted exclusively to EYES, the other known as Make up Artist to the Stars

When Maybelline was born in 1915 and until the late 1930's, women used the word Maybelline for mascara, saying,  "I need to order my Maybelline," not, "I need to buy mascara," and like Max Factors Face Make-up, Maybelline was consi
dered "the Provence of whores" and not used by respectable ladies.  

Maybe that's why Tom Lyle used the term  "Eye Beauty Aids" and marketed Maybelline as pure and healthy for lashes and brows.  Eventually Maybelline was referred to as Mascara and had no negative connotation.

Max Factor started out selling hand made wigs and theatrical make-up to the growing film industry and soon coined the word "make-up" based on the verb phrase "to make up" (one's face) in 1920.  Up until then the term ‘"cosmetics’’ had been used as the term for ‘"make-up" and was considered to be used only by people in the theater or of dubious reputation and not something to be used in polite society.

By the 1940's the Factor Brand expanded into a variety of cosmetics while Maybelline remained strictly Eye Beauty.


In this 1937 Maybelline Ad Tom Lyle used brilliant color, a Maybelline First!  As Technicolor film replaced Maybelline's black and white ads.  Notice the products are now attached to cards that were placed on display racks - another Maybelline First, and the 75 cent box of Maybelline was  scaled down to a small 10 cent size so all women could afford a box of Maybelline during the Great Depression. 

From 1915 to 1967 when Tom Lyle sold The Maybelline Company to Plough Inc, Maybelline controlled over 75% of the eye beauty market and never experienced competition from any other cosmetic company.

Read more about Maybelline's supreme control of the eye beauty market and Tom Lyle Williams genius as the King of Advertising in "The Maybelline Story."

1930s Makeup – The Jean Harlow Look..... by Glamour Daze @glamourdaze

Those very long lashes are black, her mascara of choice being cake Maybelline, which she applies with a fine set of brushes given to her by Max Factor himself.

You can bet that Jean Harlow is using a Maybelline

 Eyebrow Pencil to draw on her pincel thin eyebrows. 

15 cents, in the 1930's... today would be more like 2 dollars. Maybelline still maintains the same quality and is still sensibly priced.

Jean Harlow featured in a Maybelline Ad during the 1930's.

Maybelline was the first Make-up to introduce carded merchandise displayed on a rack, usually at the front of the Dime Store, to encourage impulse buying in the 1930's.

Please visit Glamour Daze Fabulous Vintage Blog if you love Vintage Fashion and Make-Up and check the beautiful article she did on my book, The Maybelline Story.....
http://glamourdaze.com/2013/08/1930s-makeup-the-jean-harlow-look.html

Visit my new Blog, SAFFRONS RULE, taken directly from my 1964 High School Diary at 
http://saffronsrule.com/2013/08/29/making-out-at-the-drive-in-and-my-hair-didnt-even-get-messed-up/

Maybelline Star on Hollywood Walk Of Fame?

Hollywood Walk Of Fame Committee Now Accepting Walk of Fame Nominations for year 2012

Tom Lyle Williams has been nominated for a Star to be installed on the famous on Walk Of Fame.  

Why shouldn't Tom Lyle Williams the founder of Maybelline Cosmetics be remembered with his own Star on Hollywood's famous Walk Of Fame?  Max Factor has a Star and is forever immortalized as Hollywood's original Make-Up Man.  There is no guarantee Tom Lyle will be chosen and if he is the Star costs $30,000 which will require a big campaign to raise the fee.  But if he is chosen it will be a great opportunity for him to be remembered the way he wanted as 

                          The King Of Advertising.  

The Walk Of Fame Committee will make their selections at their meeting in June and the outcome will be posted on the Maybelline Blog,  Keep your fingers crossed!!!

   Read more about Tom Lyle and his Advertising Firsts in
                            The Maybelline Story.

Maybelline had no competition with Max Facator

  Maybelline devoted exclusively to EYES!

 Tom Lyle Williams was devoted to 

 "Beautiful  Eyes,"

                          Max Factor was best known as
                       "The Makeup artist for the Stars." 

Max Factor started out selling hand made wigs and theatrical make-up to the growing film industry and soon coined the word "make-up" based on the verb phrase "to make up" (one's face) in 1920.  Up until then the term ‘"cosmetics’’ had been used as the term for ‘"make-up" and was considered to be used only by people in the theatre or of dubious reputation and not something to be used in polite society.

When Maybelline was born in 1916 and until the late 1930's, women used the word Maybelline for mascara, saying,  "I need to order Maybelline," not, "I need to buy mascara," and like Max Factors Face Make-up, Maybelline was considered "the Provence of whores" and not used by respectable ladies.  

Maybe that's why Tom Lyle used the term  "Eye Beauty Aids" and marketed Maybelline as pure and healthy for lashes and brows.  Eventually Maybelline was referred to as Mascara and had no negative connotation.


By the 1940's the Factor Brand expanded into a variety of cosmetics while Maybelline remained strictly Eye Beauty.

In this 1937 Maybelline Ad Tom Lyle used brilliant color, a Maybelline First!  As Technicolor film replaced Maybelline's black and white ads.  Notice the products are now attached to cards that were placed on display racks - another Maybelline First, and the 75 cent box of Maybelline was  scaled down to a small 10 cent size so all women could afford a box of Maybelline during the Great Depression.

From 1915 to 1967 when Tom Lyle sold The Maybelline Company to Plough Inc, Maybelline controlled over 75% of the eye beauty market and never experienced competition from any other cosmetic company.

Read more about Maybelline's supreme control of the eye beauty market and Tom Lyle Williams genius as the King of Advertising in "The Maybelline Story."