Miss Maybelline Capitalize's on the word chic!

Targeting the fashion-conscious young woman brought in a whole new breed of buyer—in droves.

In the mid-Thirties, fashion began to pull away from early Depression frumpiness, offering a fresh appeal to the younger generation, who gravitated towards a style of their own. Victorian plainness had grown tiresome despite the heavy influence of class-conscious women’s magazines, and young women eagerly thrust themselves into the full flow of Twentieth Century style. The sophistication of femme fatale movie stars such as Jean Harlow, Joan Crawford and Marlene Dietrich was changing fashion, and Maybelline offered an important key to the look. 

Lilly Daché herself appeared in a Maybelline ad--tasteful, yet glamorous, showcasing her combination of celebrity and fashion with a new line of Maybelline products including Cream Form Mascara. Magazines across the country carried a full-page ad of a younger woman in a fashionable Lilly Daché hat, eyes made up with Maybelline, along with an autographed photo picture of the famous milliner and copy designed to capitalize on the word chic.

Evelyn Williams with a friend in 1945.

Tom Lyle had not merely been flattering Evelyn when he pointed out she was right about hats highlighting a real change in trends. There was nothing sexier than flirty eyes slightly hidden behind the veil of a chic little hat worn at lunch with friends, or at a cocktail party in some penthouse.  

More about Evelyn and her influence over fashion, beauty and sophistication in The Maybelline Story.

Miss Maybellines secret for beautiful hair.

         Maybelline's very own Rosie the Riveter: 

Rosie the Riveter was one of the most widely known persona's of the 1940s. With her sleeves rolled up, hair in a kerchief, and a determined set to her jaw and eyes. Rosie had it all: beauty, sex appeal, and attitude. 
The Ad Council, at the government’s request, created Rosie the Riveter to persuade women to go to work and Rosie the Riveter with her can-do attitude become a feminist icon for all American girl's fighting to bring their man home from the War.  Every wife, mother, sister, aunt, cousin, girlfriend and fiance' took on the ambiance of strength and Independence - and no one more than my grandmother Evelyn, or Nana as I called her.  The only difference between Rosie and Nana was Rosie really went to work and Nana went to work on her famous beauty secrets that kept her looking forever young. 

Here she is, Maybelline's very own "Evelyn the Riveter!" Posing for posterity, never wanting to miss a trick, always the first to "keep up."  However I imagine she had just conditioned her hair and wanted to keep it under wraps for a while.  I remember Nana's famous homemade hair conditioners.  One was used to nourish and strengthen the hair with protein and one was used for deep moisturizing. 

Depending on what was needed after a good dye-job, a day in the sun which was rare because of Nana's flawless ivory skin, or just for the fun of it - she'd whip up a concoction that only thebrave of heart might try or someone obsessed with perfection and pleanty of time to experiment. 

Imagine warm Coconut Oil mixed with an egg yoke, whipped up like mayonnaise, poured on top of the head, massaged well into the scalp and bagged up for an hour.  Or even more bazaar, real mayonnaise with an extra hit of vitamin E to really seep deep into the shaft of the hair - again bagged up for an hour.  

And what did she do for an hour?  Well remember the egg white left over - she'd whip it up and paint it on her face of course!  Why waste a good egg white when you can tighten your skin at the same time!

I have tried Nana's conditioners and can say if you have the time, patience and can endure the mess they work big time.  So if any of you try Nana's beauty secret for deep conditioning the hair let me know what you think.  Oh also, use a moisture free shampoo twice after conditioning and maybe a "leave in" conditioner to comb through the hair. 

Humm, I think I have some Coconut oil and and an egg yoke come to think of it.  See you tomorrow for another great post - and don't forget to read my book and learn more about Nana - her obsession with beauty and those "Maybelline Times" of course!

Miss Maybelline's Pineapple Upside Down Cake.

Speaking of Public Relation, I did a cooking segment on AM Arizona or AZTV last week.  I will be posting the show soon but in the mean time I'm posting my grandmother, Miss Maybelline's famous Pineapple Upside Down Cake I baked on the show.  Throughout The Maybelline Story, Evelyn, or Nana to me, makes this old time favorite for her family.

Here I am with my cousin Jackie Haines looking at Maybelline Family pictures some of which I have on the refrigerator behind me on the set of AZTV.  Jackie is Eva Haines (Tom Lyle's sister,) daughter in law, married to Eva's son Bob.  She like everyone in the family supports me in telling our family's story.  The Maybelline Story isn't just the story of a successful company, it's the story of a family who lived it, survived it and still thrive almost a 100 years later.  

One of the Host's from AM Arizona, Tonya Mock, was in the kitchen assisting me make Nana's Pineapple Upside Down Cake.   
You can see some pictures of Nana on the refrigerator.  Tonya has asked me to come back and make Nana's famous fluffy peach tapioca pudding, and I will be doing a series of Nana's favorite recipes.  But for now I'm posting her Pineapple Upside down Cake.  Try it you will love it!

      Nana's Pineapple Unside Down Cake in a skillet.


1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 can 20 oz sliced pineapple
4 eggs separated
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Maraschino cherries

Directions

Melt butter in 10-12 in ovenproof skillet
Add brown sugar
Mix well until sugar is melted
Drain pineapple, reserving 1/3 cup juice
Arrange 8 pineapple slices in a single layer over sugar
Set aside
In a large bowl, beat eggs yolks until thick and lemon-colored
Gradually add sugar, beating well
Blend in vanilla and reserved pineapple juice
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt
Add to batter, beating well
In a small bowl, beat egg whites on high until stiff peaks form
Fold into batter.
Spoon into skillet
Bake at 375 for 30 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center is clean
Let stand for 10 minutes before inverting onto serving plate
Yield 10 servings and cost about $10. to make.



EXCERPT FROM THE MAYBELLINE STORY.

Once again it was Evelyn who stepped in. As soon as she heard the news about Noel, she drove to Tom Lyle's house, bearing his favorite home-made food: German pepper steak, sweet and sour cabbage, and pineapple upside-down cake. Although Tom Lyle didn't eat much, he appreciated her thoughtfulness, and her mere presence. They reminisced about Noel.
“I'll never get over it,” Tom Lyle said. “And how am I going to face Frances? She begged me for two years to do something about his work load.”
“What could you do?” Evelyn said. “Noel’s life was the company. You know that.”
Tom Lyle nodded. “There would be no Maybelline without him. He was Maybelline.”

Maybelline Story Public Relations by Michael Levine and LCO

LCO – Levine Communications Office has consistently won national awards in the last four decades. Since 1983, founder Michael Levine and LCO – Levine Communications Office have represented 58 Academy Award winners and some of the biggest names in entertainment.

For more information,
http://www.lcoonline.com/home/featured_client.html

Maybelline Story Press and Media with Levine Communication.

Maybelline profits go off the charts with actress Myrna Loy in 1934.

             Myrna Loy became "The Perfect Wife." 

In 1934 when Myrna Loy was cast opposite William Powell in
The Thin Man, based on Dashiell Hammett's novel -  (Click where highlighted.)  They became the quintessential 1930's couple. 

Myrna Loy, known as the Queen of Hollywood, the perfect wife, a living doll and the Queen of the movies was one of Hollywood's busiest and highest paid actresses, and in 1937 and 1938 she was listed in the annual "Quigley Poll of the Top Ten Money Making Stars", which was compiled from the votes of movie exhibitors throughout the U.S. for the stars that had generated the most revenue in their theaters over the previous year. What more could Tom Lyle ask for to draw another target market The Wife, into the dime stores across the country to buy Maybelline.

Tom Lyle's genius with Maybelline was his ability to appeal to every type of woman and of course "The Wife" with her wholesome all American good looks was the perfect target market.  Myrna Loy illustrated here in black and white in 1934 looking rather modest yet made up like a movie star sold more Maybelline that year than ever before.  Her image ran throughout the 1930's until the Pinup Girls during the War years became Maybelline's image around the world. 

Maybe that's why when Tom Lyle, Emery, TJ and Billy went to the 1934 Chicago Worlds Fair that year Tom Lyle had to have the Dietrich custom bodied Packard. As you can see in the picture below Tom Lyle had superb taste in cars as his car is only one of five ever built in 1934.

Thanks in part to Myrna Loy's influence that year Tom Lyle had the confidence and flair as well as the money to flaunt Maybelline's success during the depths of the Depression. Tom Lyle was in good company however, since Al Jolson and Gene Sarazen, the famous golfer, also owned rare Vee Windshield Dietrich Packards.

Click here to see video of Myrna Loy and William Powell in The Thin Man and see why they became the power couple of the Depression.

When you think of the great automobiles from the 1930’s, very few can rival the class and elegance of the 1934 Packard Dietrich. More than any other car from this time, the Dietrich brings back memories of movie stars and financial money barons who traveled in affluent style and class.

Many Packard experts consider the 1934 Packard 12 to be the best overall year of Packard production. It has been said up until that time that Queen quality ruled over King price.

I wonder if that's where Emery got the idea for his famous Maybelline slogan,

                     Quality yet Sensibly Priced.

 Read more about Tom Lyle and his partner Emery Shaver and why they decided to leave Chicago in 1935 and live in Hollywood at the Villa Valentino.  Could it be the flash, the qlitz and glamour didn't fit in the gangster run city any longer?

Maybelline's own original Blond Bombshell, Jean Harlow!!

By the 1930's Tom Lyle needed a Super Star who could deliver the blow of a velvet hammer on a glamour-conscience public - a public ready to purchase Maybelline, no questions asked. 

Jean Harlow, 1933

Who better than Hollywood sex goddess Jean Harlow, known for her white satin gowns, ivory skin and platinum blond hair, she created the sparkle Tom Lyle was looking for.  Harlow's glamour had the ability to reachout and grab the attention of everyone in the audience and like Maybelline, she was not unreachable but human with an earthy sense of humor.  Tom Lyle realized Harlow's superb comedic persona and stunning looks made her the original blond bombshell and used her image to explode Maybelline out into the stratospheres.

With Maybelline easily accessible in dime stores by 1933, Tom Lyle used ads like this to illustrate Jean Harlow's heavily made up eyes and entice young women to seek their own movie star glamour.   Now anyone craving that Harlow magic could find it in Maybelline's newly carded wide range  of eye beautifying products - including Eyebrow Pencil, Eye Shadow, Eyelash Tonic Cream and a Special Eyebrow Brush for brushing and training lashes and brows.
There was no stopping the female market in the 1930's known as "The Art Deco Era" from being as appealing as Jean Harlow with her pencil thin eyebrows, irresistible allure and Star Quality Maybelline Eyes.  The average girl could now stop a train with her stunning made up Maybelline Eyes and feel as beautiful as any Hollywood film goddess. 

Click here to see Harlow and those Maybelline Eyes
in Dinner at Eight!!

http://www.dimoramotorcar.com/preview.html?URL=/content/videos/KenNorton.flv

Beginning of the Art Deco Era for Maybelline

Maybelline ad hits the stands as stock market crashes.

This is a very rare Maybelline Ad!  Look at the date this ad appeared in popular magazines. Oct 1929, was the month the stock market crashed!!  The October 1929 crash came during a period of declining real estate values in the United States (which peaked in 1925)  near the beginning of a chain of events that led to the Great Depression.

Sound familiar?  We are going through it again and Maybelline is still the number one eye cosmetic company in the world.  Even while other companies fail  Maybelline 
now -  Maybelline New York - continues to profit. 

As you can see Maybelline was selling for 75 cents in 1929, but by 1933 Tom Lyle dropped the price to 10 cents for a smaller size box and placed Maybelline in dime stores rather than mail order - thus making it available to all women.

Click here to watch a very short video about the Great Depression and imagine what Tom Lyle was thinking - how to keep Maybelline a float.

read more about Tom Lyle's marketing strategy and the beautiful ads he used to target every corner of the female market in The Maybelline Story.

He was truly The King of Advertising!

Maybelline Super Model from the 1920's, Viola Dana.

            Oh those Maybelline Eyes

Gorgeous Silent Film Star Viola Dana gained a reputation as a dramatic actress, with the ability to cry often. It was a reputation that led to a contract in 1916 with Metro, with whom the actress remained through 1924, starring in some 51 feature films. By the early 1920’s, Viola Dana was the highest paid female star at the studio where she played both drama and comedy.

I imagine Tom Lyle was impressed by Viola Dana's larger than life eyes on the silver screen glistening with tears, touching the audience deeply and making them remember "Those Eyes."   What better actress to target a growing market for Maybelline in the early 1920's than Viola Dana with her captivating smile and Hippopotamus eyes. Viola became one of Maybelline's most memorable Super Models throughout the 1920's, standing  just 4 feet, 11 ½ inches tall and her exotic dark hair and jovial, piercing eyes gave her the screen presence and aura of a giant.  And "Giant Maybelline Eye's" were just what Tom Lyle was looking for. 

He knew there was a market for the ingenue, the flapper and the girl next door, but Viola appealed to the socialite, the society woman  the mature woman as well as a younger market looking for their own identity after women got the vote in 1920.  Viola was not only glamorous, sensuous and elegant, she was quick witted, smart and independent.  Tom Lyle knew the growing need for an independent role model like Viola - a lady not afraid to order that little red box of Maybelline - was the image he needed to represent him and his growing cosmetic company. 

Click here to see a trailer for the 1920 film Cinderella's Twin with Viola Dana

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W7kb9S1_Fs

Click here to see Vintage pictures of Viola Dana, Maybelline's Super Star from the 1920's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-lwej4E60A&playnext=1&list=PL9FBA98ABD10E6248

Read all About Viola Dana and Vintage Hollywood in
The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It.

Maybelline cousins gather to support The Maybelline Story

A big shout out to Sibley at Barnes and Noble Chandler Mall, Chandler Arizona.  Thank You Silby for making my book signing such a fun event.  

The moment I walked into the store I could see all the little details Silbey added to make my event special.
The beautiful poster set up at the entry of the store with a picture of me and my book The Maybelline Story.

The table set up with Tulips and copies of The Maybelline Story  made a comfortable place for me to sign books and talk to my guests.

The row of chairs set up for my very inquisitive audience who had lots of fascinating questions for me during the hour and a half I spoke about The Maybelline Story.

The display of books (behind me,) in strategic locations around the store was very impressive and a real treat for me to see.  I have to say Arizona Barnes and Noble Stores really go all out for their authors.  Here I am with a quest who seemed more curious with a Barnes and Noble paint set than The Maybelline Story

All in all my book signing at Barnes and Noble was very special for me - even though Lady Ga Ga's appearance in Phoenix that night might have overshadowed the traffic flow in the store, it was still a night to remember.

Some of my Maybelline cousins showed up to surprise me with books to sign and all the love and support they could

Here I am with my daughter Georgia and three generations 

 of cousins ( left to right) from the Noel Williams family,
 Jeffery, Sherry, Patrick and little Chance Huber.

If you've read the Maybelline story or have been following my blog you will remember Noel was the brother that postponed his wedding to Frances and gave Tom Lyle $500 to start the Maybelline Co in 1915. 

Here is a picture of Noel and Frances outside the Maybelline building in Chicago in 1916 the year Maybelline introduced  the little red box with a cake of black mascara and the tiny black brush. 

Noel and Frances were Patrick Huber's grandparents and their first child Helen was Patrick's mother.  Remember Helen the beautiful Maybelline Princess who was once did a Maybelline Ad from my post in Dec. 2010.

This is Noel and Frances' first child Helen Williams Huber. Patrick's mother, Jeffery and Sherry's grandmother and little Chance's great grandmother. 

It was quite a reunion having part of the Noel Williams branch of the family come out and support me and my book and what I can gather, they all loved the story and think I should write a second book as will. 

After all what did happen to everyone after the Maybelline Company sold in 1967?  enquiring minds still want to know. 

Read more about the fabulous Williams family and the Maybelline Company in The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It.

Maybelline Targets the Flapper in the 1920's with film star Phyllis Haver.

       Why did Tom Lyle choose Phyllis Haver as a
                            Maybelline Model?

Phyllis Haver was one of the magic names during the Silent Film era and an original Mack Sennett bathing beauty.

The Sennett Bathing Beauties were pin-up girls for the doughboys during the First World War...... Phyllis Haver, starred in a series of top films and was known as the Nation's blond-darling during the teens and twenties of the twentieth century.  

"Her hair is a curly mass of golden corn silk. Her eyes are cerulean blue. Her teeth are perfect pearls. Her coloring is a Fort Valley Peach Festival," described a magazine writer of Haver. Other descriptions were, "Phyllis Haver's smile is coquettish and charming," "5' 6", 125 Ibs.," "picture of health," "skin like satin," and "her smile like peaches and cream  in her heyday.

Haver appeared on the covers of  Photoplay, Screenland. Motion Picture. Pathe Sun. Picture Play. and The Police Gazette.   She graced the cover of the sheet music, Singapore Lil, theme song for the Pathe motion picture production. Sal of Singapore, in which she starred. She, also, adorned calendars, matchbook covers, and postcards.

 I think you can see why Tom Lyle wanted Phyllis Haver as a Maybelline Model!  He wanted to target the Flappers in the 1920's and Phyllis Haver was had sex appeal.  

The Balloonatic (1923)  Catch a glimpse of Phyllis Haver with Buster Keaton in The Ballonaic, Click below.

http://www.archive.org/details/TheBalloonatic

She stared in Chicago a 1927 comedy-drama silent film produced by Cecil B. DeMille and directed by Frank Urson.

Phyllis Haver was in the ranks of Greta Garbo, Clara Bow, Colleen Moore, Delores Del Rio, Norma Talmadge, Conrad Nagel, Gloria Swanson, Wallace Beery, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Norma Sheerer and Lon Chaney.

In 1924 She played on Broadway in Laurence Stallings and Maxwell Anderson's gritty WWI comedy-drama What Price Glory?  Haver played Shanghai Mabel.

She appeared in Up in Mabel's Room released in 1926, If there was ever a star with the kind of sex appeal Maybelline wanted to exude during the Roaring 20's Haver had it!

Stay tuned next week for more Maybelline Models, including "Sex Symbol" Jean Harlow and "It Girl" Clara Bow.

Silent Film Star Mildred Davis was Maybelline Model in 1922.

            Who's captivating Eyes grace the cover of
                           The Maybelline Story?http://www.maybellinebook.com/2014/03/mildred-davis-lovely-leading-lady-in.html

Mildred Davis.

After Maybelline's initial advertisement ran in the classifieds of popular magazines in the late 1910's with Mabel Williams illustrated image, Tom Lyle began looking for a film star to represent Maybelline.  In the early 1920's he contracted beautiful Photoplay stars because of the wide audience they brought into theatres all over the country.   One of the most popular actresses of the day was beautiful silent film star Mildred Davis or Mid as Tom Lyle liked to call her.  She was a tiny 5 foot, perky-ingenue with monster-big flashing eyes that captivated the audience and drew them in.

Mildred Davis married Harold Lloyd in 1922.  Harold Lloyd was a comedian in the ranks of Charlie Chaplin and he'd been looking for a leading lady to replace Bebe Daniels. He cast Davis in his comedy short  From Hand to Mouth in 1919.  It would be the first of fifteen films they would star in together.

Harold Lloyd and Mildred Davis.

Soon after "From Hand To Mouth," was released Tom Lyle contacted Mildred to discuss her being the next face of Maybelline. Mildred Davis appealed to sweet young ladies who were just beginning to look in the mirror and compare themselves with the beautiful faces on screen.  Mildred Davis with her huge made-up larger than life eyes on screen an off silently encouraged young ladies to pick up a Photoplay movie magazine and order their first little red box of Maybelline.  Once they tried Maybelline with it's tiny black brush and cake of mascara they were hooked and word of mouth spread from one sweet young lady to the next.

Mildred Davis in early 1920 ad.

Click here to see Harold Lloyd and Mildred Davis' most famous silent film  video.

http://www.videosurf.com/video/swinging-safety-last-1744008   Swinging Safety Last.

If you watched the video of Mildred Davis you saw what Tom Lyle saw when he sat in that theatre in 1922 and gazed up into those eyes on the silver screen.  He knew what he wanted and he wanted Mildred Davis "the girl next door" to  represent Maybelline.

Read more about Mildred Davis and Tom Lyle in The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It.