Next door was the wig shop, near Moscow
If I hear one more nasty comment telling immigrants to stay in their own countries and leave us alone, I may have a hissy fit in public.
You may have read the story of Helena Rubinstein, hard-working & successful immigrant. Now see Maksymilian Fak-torowicz (1877-1938), born in Łódź Russia-now Poland in a Jewish family. As a young adult he started working at Korpo, Moscow wig maker and cosmetician to the Imperial Russian Grand Opera. Then he set up his own shop near Moscow, selling creams, perfumes and wigs. He became famous when a travelling theatrical troupe wore his cosmetics to perform for Russian nobility, and became a Royal master.
Amid the growing anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe, Max and Esther Faktorowicz and their 3 children emigrated to St Louis MO in 1904. In 1908, Factor moved his family to Los Angeles, to provide made-to-order wigs and theatrical make-up to the growing film industry. He became regional distributor for West Coast theatrical make-up company, Leichner and Minor, and he was soon working with the US’s leading filmstars.
Amid the growing anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe, Max and Esther Faktorowicz and their 3 children emigrated to St Louis MO in 1904. In 1908, Factor moved his family to Los Angeles, to provide made-to-order wigs and theatrical make-up to the growing film industry. He became regional distributor for West Coast theatrical make-up company, Leichner and Minor, and he was soon working with the US’s leading filmstars.
Factor testing new rouge on French actress Renée Adorée/Jeanne de la Fontein, 1925
Max Factor and Jean Harlow
As his business expanded, Max moved around Los Angeles searching for a good location. He relocated to the Pantages Building in South Broadway by 1915, before settling in South Hill St in 1916.
In the theatre, powerful stage-lighting systems removed all colour from actors’ complexion, to eliminate shadows. Makeup restored the colour and defined facial features to ensure a natural appearance. Makeup also helped the actor to look and feel his character. But stage makeup was unsatisfactory for the motion-picture medium. Necessarily heavy applications made it impossible to appear natural in close-ups, and the range of colours developed for theatre failed to look good in motion-picture lighting because of constant caking.
So the first makeup designed expressly for motion pictures was created by Factor in 1910. It was a light, semi-liquid greasepaint, suitable for the lighting used. His solution in 1914 was to create 12 specifically created shades of compounds in jars that could be applied thinly on the skin, giving a glamorous but realistic look. This invention quickly became an instant hit among film actors, enabling Factor to develop many new products for them, and stage actors. The make-up products and techniques he created for his Hollywood clients later earned him a special Academy Award.
It effectively augmented actors’ appearances when filmmaking was dominated by arc lighting. And it was the first makeup packaged in tubes, propelling Factor’s progress into commercial trade. Any woman could be glamourous, he said, given the right tools and make-up skills. In 1916 he started selling eye shadow and eyebrow pencils. Then, with mascara, foundation, eye shadow and lipstick, he enabled ordinary women to create their own glamour daily. When he’d launched the full range of cosmetics, make-up, it was the first time all products were available outside the film industry.
Supreme Liquid Whitener (1917) helped actors achieve smoothness of the neck, shoulders and arms. Colour Harmonies (1918) were powders for film actors that enhanced their look in various environments. Supreme Greasepaint was the forerunner of today’s foundation cream. In the 1920s, as women aspired to achieve the look of movie stars for themselves, Factor created Supreme Nail Polish (1925) to give shine. Society Nail Tint (1927) gave rose colour.
Makeup was used by actors for both corrective art and creative art. In the first case, make-up served to 1) cover blemishes; 2) provide the face with an even colour tone for photography; 3) clearly define the facial features for visible expressiveness; and 4) make the actor appear attractive. As a creative art, make-up enabled the player to take on the appearance of most character-types.
In the theatre, powerful stage-lighting systems removed all colour from actors’ complexion, to eliminate shadows. Makeup restored the colour and defined facial features to ensure a natural appearance. Makeup also helped the actor to look and feel his character. But stage makeup was unsatisfactory for the motion-picture medium. Necessarily heavy applications made it impossible to appear natural in close-ups, and the range of colours developed for theatre failed to look good in motion-picture lighting because of constant caking.
So the first makeup designed expressly for motion pictures was created by Factor in 1910. It was a light, semi-liquid greasepaint, suitable for the lighting used. His solution in 1914 was to create 12 specifically created shades of compounds in jars that could be applied thinly on the skin, giving a glamorous but realistic look. This invention quickly became an instant hit among film actors, enabling Factor to develop many new products for them, and stage actors. The make-up products and techniques he created for his Hollywood clients later earned him a special Academy Award.
It effectively augmented actors’ appearances when filmmaking was dominated by arc lighting. And it was the first makeup packaged in tubes, propelling Factor’s progress into commercial trade. Any woman could be glamourous, he said, given the right tools and make-up skills. In 1916 he started selling eye shadow and eyebrow pencils. Then, with mascara, foundation, eye shadow and lipstick, he enabled ordinary women to create their own glamour daily. When he’d launched the full range of cosmetics, make-up, it was the first time all products were available outside the film industry.
Supreme Liquid Whitener (1917) helped actors achieve smoothness of the neck, shoulders and arms. Colour Harmonies (1918) were powders for film actors that enhanced their look in various environments. Supreme Greasepaint was the forerunner of today’s foundation cream. In the 1920s, as women aspired to achieve the look of movie stars for themselves, Factor created Supreme Nail Polish (1925) to give shine. Society Nail Tint (1927) gave rose colour.
Makeup was used by actors for both corrective art and creative art. In the first case, make-up served to 1) cover blemishes; 2) provide the face with an even colour tone for photography; 3) clearly define the facial features for visible expressiveness; and 4) make the actor appear attractive. As a creative art, make-up enabled the player to take on the appearance of most character-types.
The introduction of incandescent lighting on film sets in the 1920s made it possible to standardise the film, lighting and colours of makeup in motion pictures. The Society of Motion Picture Engineers ran a special test-series in 1928. As a result Factor created a new line of compatible makeup colours, panchromatic makeup.
His Supreme Greasepaint foretold today’s foundation cream. As films became more popular, ordinary women wanted to imitate the look of movie stars. So Factor began selling his makeup outside the theatre and movie industry, marketing his most successful products with the Society Make-Up brand name. Although the glamorous association with Hollywood gave the brand consumer recognition, Factor chose a ladylike name.
More make-up artists working in Hollywood created the Motion Picture Make-up Artists Association in 1927, with headquarters in Max Factor Make-up Studio in North Highland Ave where the association held weekly meetings for demonstrations. It must have worked; in 1929, Max Factor received an Oscar for make-up!
Max Factor Make-up Studio on North Highland Ave Hollywood.
With changing audience perceptions due to television, more natural makeup styles became more popular. 1930s remained one of the greatest eras in the cosmetic company’s history, marking the introduction of gloss. This new fashion became massive hit with both actors and civilians
There were several important companies in the long history of lipsticks, but no one had greater influence than Factor. His family-owned, multi-generational company became the best known name in Western cosmetics, creating many new products like Lip Gloss and colourless mascara.
His wives were Esther Rosa Smoller (1896-died 1906), Huma Sradkowska (m 1906-div 1908) and Jennie Cook (m 1908), with 5 children altogether. Even though Max died in 1938, his legacy lived on in his company supplying cosmetic items worldwide. Son Frank became the business head, and expanded the company internationally.
Credit for photos and history
There were several important companies in the long history of lipsticks, but no one had greater influence than Factor. His family-owned, multi-generational company became the best known name in Western cosmetics, creating many new products like Lip Gloss and colourless mascara.
His wives were Esther Rosa Smoller (1896-died 1906), Huma Sradkowska (m 1906-div 1908) and Jennie Cook (m 1908), with 5 children altogether. Even though Max died in 1938, his legacy lived on in his company supplying cosmetic items worldwide. Son Frank became the business head, and expanded the company internationally.
Credit for photos and history