Happy "National Lipstick Day". These Are the Coolest Vintage Maybelline New York Artifacts at NYC’s Makeup Museum

 

               Photo from original Maybelline Family Archives, copyright owned by Sharrie Williams

BY: ALANNA MARTINE KILKEARY | MAKEUP.COM BY L'ORÉAL

If you get excited at the mention of vintage beauty products, we definitely

recommend taking a trip to the Makeup Museum in New York City. There, 

you can check out  historical makeup artifacts, from red lipsticks housed in 

bullet casings from the Suffragette era to original products from beauty 

mavens (and rivals), Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden. The museum also houses artifacts from one of our favorite brands (from our parent company, L’Oréal), Maybelline New York. 

But if you’re not in New York City or can’t make it to the museum due to COVID-19 restrictions, not to worry! We’re sharing a glimpse into the exhibits on display right here. From the original ‘cake’ Maybelline mascara formula to Maybelline advertisements from the 1950s and beyond, here are the coolest Maybelline New York artifacts we spotted on our recent visit to the Makeup Museum.

A 1956 Makeup Commercial

This 1959 Maybelline New York commercial advertises a mascara, eyeshadow, eyelash curler and tweezers. The Makeup Museum exhibit points out how vastly different makeup advertisements are today, which. aim to empower women. Check out this 2020 Maybelline New York Makeup Commercial to see the contrast between now and then.

The Original 'Cake' Mascara

American businessman Thomas Lyle Williams created a mascara product for his sister Maybel, which eventually evolved into one of the first ‘cake’ mascaras: Maybelline Velvet Black. A cake mascara is a black pigment that’s housed in a tin and comes with a toothbrush-like applicator to help you coat and comb lashes for a defined and curled look.

The Innovative Maybelline Waterproof Ultra-Liner

This original waterproof liner is one of the first of its kind and has evolved into a product the brand still sells today. Check out the current iteration of the Maybelline New York Ultra-Liner Waterproof Liquid Liner here.

The "Smart Woman" Ads

The exhibit has a variety of Maybelline ads, and one early ad advertises the Maybelline Mascara and Maybelline Eye-Brow Pencil for smart women. The “smart woman” catchphrase became a common theme in Maybelline commercials and ads to follow.

The Maybelline Automatic Overliner

This Maybelline eyeliner looks a lot like a waterproof liner we might use today. The ad recommends wearing this brown shade with a “mint-green underliner”, which would totally do today. We only wish the price, $2.00 MSRP, has remained the same.

You can buy tickets for the Makeup Museum in NYC for the current exhibition: Pink Jungle: 1950s Makeup in Americahere.

Photos: Courtesy of the Makeup Museum NYC

The Maybelline Company opened its doors in 1915... creating a fascinating era in America's History

1943 - Executive Secretary to Noel and Tom Lyle Williams...

Dorothy Molander, stands in front of the Maybelline Company's

famous Maybelline logo on the double doors leading into the Maybelline building.  The Maybelline building was two stories with a basement and three apartments for family members who just got married and were getting on their feet.  The packaging and distribution center was also located in the basement.  The first floor held offices for various secretaries and other workers and the walls were filled with pictures of movie stars who modeled for Maybelline in the pages of world wind magazines.  The second floor contained the executive offices for Noel, Tom Lyle, Tom Jr and Rags Ragland.  The Maybelline Building was located at 5900 Ridge Ave, at Ridge and Clark, in the heart of down town Chicago where much of The Maybelline Story takes place during the gangster ridden era of prohibition.

Outside the Maybelline Building 1934.

When Maybelline was sold, each employee was given $1,000 for each year they worked at Maybelline. Even those who hadn't been there a full year got $1,000. Uncle Lyle's secretary Dorothy (aka Ducky) ended up with something like $35,000 as did another secretary called Jimmie. Jimmie called Mable to ask her to relay to TL how grateful was that she could retire after she got her $30,000 check. At the time my parents had a bookstore and a former employee came in and told them he was bowled over to receive $8,000. 

Tom Lyle, Jr. inherited his father's shyness. Mable's daughter Shirley worked summers at Maybelline and she said every morning TL Jr. walked briskly to his private office, said a brief hello to everyone and no one saw him again until the end of the day. On the other hand, Noel kept up with all the employees' and their families. The women who worked there loved him dearly and called him Unky.

When Tom Lyle died, his niece Shirley got a phone call from TL, Jr.'s lawyer.  He said Tom Lyle Jr. was too shy to go downtown to meet with the executor and lawyers and asked Shirley to do it. She went downtown to explain all the family members and their relationships to the family. Good thing she had and still has an excellent memory.  (Memories from Mable's daughters, Shirley and Joyce, and her granddaughters, Donna and Linda, who still live in Chicago.

Tom Lyle Williams at his home in Bel Air, after the sale of his Maybelline Company in 1968

 

TL left a big portion of his estate to the Salvation Army. For many years he rented them space in the Maybelline building for $1 annually.

Be sure to check out my new website, Sharrie Williams Author at sharriewilliamsauthor.com