Max Factor specialized in movie make-up. Until its 1973 sale for US$500 million (approximately $3.6 billion in 2017 dollars), Max Factor & Company was owned by several generations of the family, becoming an international company during that time. Procter & Gamble purchased it in 1991.[citation needed]
Max Factor was born Maksymilian Faktorowicz in Congress Poland, and later moved to Moscow where he was employed as a wig maker.[2] After immigrating to the United States in 1904, Factor moved his family and business to Los Angeles, California, seeing an opportunity to provide made-to-order wigs and theatrical make-up to the growing film industry.[3] Besides selling his own make-up products he soon became the West Coast distributor of both Leichner and Minor, two leading theatrical make-up manufacturers.
When the film industry was beginning to evolve, stick greasepaint (although the accepted make-up for stage use) could not be applied thinly enough, nor did the colors work satisfactorily on the screen. Factor began experimenting with various compounds to develop a suitable make-up for the new film medium. By 1914 he had perfected his first cosmetic product. With this major achievement to his credit, Max Factor became the authority on cosmetics in film-making. Soon movie stars were eager to sample his "flexible greasepaint".
In 1918, Max Factor completed development of his "Color Harmony" face powder which, due to its wide range of shades, allowed him to customize and provide more consistent make-up for each actor. He created many unique looks for notable actresses, such as Clara Bow's heart-shaped/pierrot lips. Years later, he exaggerated Joan Crawford's naturally full lips to distinguish her from the many would-be stars copying the Clara Bow look. He also created specific shades: Platinum (Jean Harlow), Special Medium (Joan Crawford), Dark (Claudette Colbert) and Light Egyptian (Lena Horne). For Rudolph Valentino, he created makeup to complement the actor's complexion and mask the darkness of his skin on screen.
In 1920, Max Factor accepted his son Frank's suggestion and officially began referring to his products as "make-up," based on the verb phrase "to make up" (one's face). Until then the term "cosmetics" had been used; "make-up" was considered vulgar, to be used only by people in the theater or of dubious reputation and not in polite society.
In 1922, while on holiday in Europe with his wife, Factor visited the Leichner headquarters in Germany. He was by then the biggest retailer of their theatrical stick greasepaint, yet Factor was snubbed and kept waiting at reception.[5] Upset at this treatment, he left and immediately cabled his sons to begin selling his own brand of greasepaint. Until then, Factor had made his own greasepaint for his clients, but had made no attempt to market it while he was representing other brands. Now he concentrated on his own products, which he offered in a collapsible tube instead of in stick form. His tube greasepaint was not only more hygienic, but could be applied thinly and evenly. Soon Max Factor's version was the leading brand.
By the 1920s, his sons Davis and Frank were heavily involved in the business, with Davis the general manager and Frank assisting his father in the development of new products. In 1925, the company received its biggest order to date when it had to complete a rush order to supply 600 gallons of light olive makeup for the movie Ben-Hur to ensure the skin color of the extras used in filming undertaken in America would match that of the darker-skinned Italian extras in the scenes filmed in Italy.
For the 1926 film Mare Nostrum, Max and Frank Factor developed the first waterproof theatrical make-up.
By the 1920s, Max Factor was becoming known outside the film community, which led to the company developing an in-house PR department in the early 1930s.
While Max Factor was satisfied to remain a specialized supplier of products to the film community, his children were convinced they could grow the company into a much larger enterprise. National distribution began in 1927 when Sales Builders, an established distribution company, obtained the rights to advertise, distribute and sell Factor's products.[7] Due to his strong connection with the film industry, Max Factor was able to use celebrity endorsements in advertising. In return for a nominal payment of US$1 to the actor, the advertising would also promote the star's latest film.
Development of Panchromatic
The introduction of sound-on-film led to the replacement of the old noisy carbon arc lights by tungsten lights, which were less hot and created a softer light. At the same time the orthochromatic film, which until that time had been used by the industry, was replaced by super-sensitive faster Panchromatic film which noticeably darkened skin colors. These developments required six months of intensive development to create make-up compatible with the new environment. Because they had been designed for black and white film the existing products were unsuitable for everyday use. This new Panchromatic make-up was trademarked in October 1929.[8]
Development of Pan-Cake
The development of Technicolor film required the company to develop a new line of products as its existing Panchromatic make-up left a slight sheen on the skin which reflected surrounding colors. As a result of how bad they looked in color many actors and actresses refused to appear in color films. Because Max Factor was recovering from being hit by a delivery van at the time, Frank Factor took the lead in the two years it took to develop a suitable make-up, initially called the "T-D" and then renamed the "Pan-Cake" series. It was sold in a solid cake form and applied with a damp sponge which offered the advantage of concealing skin imperfections under a transparent matte finish. Its first appearance was in the film Vogues of 1938.[9] The Pan-Cake make-up was made for on-screen looks but was wearable for day-to-day looks.[10]
It was an immediate hit and its advantages led to women stealing it from the film sets and using it privately. Its only disadvantage for everyday use was that it could not be used at night as it made the skin too dark under all but the powerful lights used in film studios. While Max Factor wanted to reserve the product for film use, Frank Factor was open to the commercial possibilities and began developing lighter shades. At the time the company was only able to produce enough to meet studio demand, which delayed commercial release until production could be increased. The company used the release of Vogues of 1938 in August 1937 and five months later The Goldwyn Follies, the second film to use the make-up, to commercially release Pan-Cake to the public, backed by a color-based national advertising campaign. It immediately became the fastest and largest selling single make-up item to date, as well as the standard make-up used in all Technicolor films.
In the 1930s, Factor helped to develop a mask-like device to measure the contours of subjects' faces. He called it the "Beauty Micrometer". Its purpose was to detect even barely-visible structural flaws, that might be magnified and more-noticeable on camera. A technician could then apply makeup to mask the problem.[11]
Max Factor's death
After Max Factor's death in 1938, Frank Factor took the name Max Factor, Jr., and expanded the still private cosmetics firm, along with members of the immediate family including Sidney Factor, Louis Factor, Davis Factor and Max Firestein.
In 1939 Max Factor, Jr., began development of a smear-proof lipstick which would also both be non-irritating and not change color. A kissing machine was constructed to test the formula's resistance to fading. The result was released in 1940 as "Tru-Color" in six shades of red.
During World War II, Max Factor developed make-up shades for use by the US Marine Corps in camouflaging faces.
In 1947 after 26 months of development by Max Factor, Jr., the company released "Pan-Stik", a cream make-up supplied in stick form and designed to take advantage of the latest changes in studio lighting and film stock. This product was quick to apply as well as non-greasy. It was released to the public in 1948 and was immediately commercially successful.
In 1951 the company expanded their range to offer a range of male shampoo, aftershave lotion, deodorant and shaving foams.
The introduction of color television lead the company to develop Max Factor Color TV Make-up, which became the standard for use in color television.
In 1955 the company released "Electrique", its first fragrance and three years later "Primitif".
In 1956 Max Factor inc. purchased Sales Builders, which had until that time handled all of their national sales and distribution.[12] This led to a complete reorganization of the company's American markets, advertising, sales and distribution division.
By the 1960s, Max Factor, Jr., Max Firestein, and grandsons Donald Factor, Alfred Jay Firestein and Chester Lee Firestein were still involved. Under his leadership, in 1965 Max Factor, Jr., established "Geminesse", a line of makeup, skincare and perfume products that were sold only by uniformed clerks in department stores. The packaging and products were different; many of the containers were designed to resemble Greek sculptures.
The early 1960s saw the company become a public company and list its Class A stock on the New York Stock Exchange. This period also saw the third generation of the Factor family, Barbara Factor, Davis Jr. Factor, Donald Factor, Alfred Firestein, and Chester Firestein rising to senior positions within the company. His place of work is now a museum located in downtown Hollywood.
Merger with Norton Simon
By the early 1970s Sidney Factor had retired from the board, and Barbara Factor, Donald Factor and Davis Jr. Factor from the third generation had also left the company to pursue other interests. As a result, there was decreasing family involvement. Davis Factor was still board chairman while Alfred Jay Firestein was president and CEO when in 1973 the company agreed to merge with Norton Simon. This event was marred weeks later by the sudden death of Alfred Jay Firestein at the age of 48. Chester Firestein succeeded him as president of the company, only to resign three years later in 1976, to devote his time to his personal interests; he was replaced by a non-family member. His departure, together with that of Max Factor, Jr., in the same year, meant that there were now no members of Max Factor's immediate family working for the company.
During Chester Firestein's time in charge the company expanded overseas and launched many new products including Musk For Men, UltaLucent Waterproof make-up and, in 1975, the successful Halston line of fragrances, which quickly became the second best-selling designer fragrance in the world, trailing Chanel No. 5.
It was under Norton Simon that Max Factor launched "Maxi", a line of makeup aimed at a younger, more savvy consumer. Maxi sold products aimed at adolescent tastes, such as lip gloss, color rubs and "mood" lipsticks. Maxi was priced to compete with market leaders Bonne Bell and CoverGirl. Neither Maxi, Geminesse, nor Max Factor were able to lift the company's declining profits and market share.
In 1983 Norton Simon was taken over by Esmark, by which time no one in the Factor family was involved in the company's day-to-day operations. A year later Esmark merged with Beatrice Foods, which lumped Max Factor into their Playtex beauty division and moved the Max Factor headquarters from Los Angeles to Stamford, Connecticut. In 1986, Ronald Perelman of Revlon bought the Playtex beauty division for $500 million. In 1991, Revlon sold Max Factor to Procter & Gamble for $1.5 billion.
By the first quarter of 2010, Procter & Gamble had discontinued Max Factor in the United States, instead focusing its marketing efforts on the more successful CoverGirl cosmetics line. Max Factor continued to be marketed overseas.[13]
In June, 2015, Max Factor was one of a number of beauty brands purchased from P&G by Coty[14] for $12 billion. Coty relaunched Max Factor in 2018.[15][16][17]
Innovations
Max Factor is credited with many cosmetic innovations, among which are:
1914: Released the first cosmetic made specifically for motion pictures, a thinner greasepaint made in 12 shades. It was in cream form and packaged in jars, as opposed to the thicker stick grease paints used for theater.
1917: Released "Supreme Liquid Whitener" which provided the means of obtaining an alabaster smoothness on the neck, shoulder, arms and hands.
1918: Released "Color Harmony", a range of face powder which due to its wide range of shades allowed the customizing of consistent make-up for an individual actor or actress.
1925: Released "Max Factor's Supreme Nail Polish," a metal pot of beige-colored powder that was sprinkled on the nails and buffed with a chamois buffer, to give nails shine and some tint.
1927: Released "Society Nail Tint," a small porcelain pot containing rose colored cream. Applied to the nail and buffed, it gave a natural rose color. "Society Nail White" was also released. This was a tube of chalky white liquid that was applied under nail tips and left to dry. The result resembled the modern French manicure.
1928: Developed cosmetics specifically for use in black-and-white films. Max Sr. was awarded an Oscar award for this innovation.
1935: Released "Pan-Cake", forerunner of modern cake makeup, originally developed for color films.
1940: Released "Tru-Color" lipstick, the first smear-proof lipstick. Created the "Hunter's Bow" shape that is popular among the pin-up.
1948: Released "Pan-Stik" makeup.
1954: Released "Erace", the original concealer, and developed a line of cosmetics specifically for color television's needs. (This line remained the standard for TV cosmetics until the arrival of HDTV.[citation needed])
1971: Released the first "waterproof" make-up.
1980: Japanese subsidiary acquired an antioxidant derived from sake wine, called Pitera. Subsequently, launched Max Factor Secret Key with Pitera, which would later be renamed SK-II.
1988: Launched the world's first clear colorless mascara
2000: Launched the first 12-hour long-lasting non-transfer lip color, "Lipfinity" lipstick
Cosmetics are composed of mixtures of chemical compounds derived from either natural sources or synthetically created ones. Cosmetics have various purposes, including personal and skin care. They can also be used to conceal blemishes and enhance natural features. Makeup can also add colour to a person's face, or change the appearance of the face entirely to resemble a different person, creature, or object.
Lip gloss is a cosmetic used primarily to give lips a glossy luster, and sometimes to add a subtle color. It is distributed as a fluid or a soft solid The product is available in ranges of opacity from translucent to solid and can have variously frosted, glittery, glossy, and metallic finishes.
Lipstick is a cosmetic product used to apply coloration and texture to lips, often made of wax and oil. Different pigments are used to produce color, and minerals such as silica may be used to provide texture. The use of lipstick dates back to early civilizations such as Sumer and the Indus Valley Civilisation, and was popularized in the Western world in the 16th century. Some lipsticks contain traces of toxic materials, such as lead and PFAS, which prompted health concerns and regulation.
Coty Inc. is an American multinational beauty company founded in 1904 by François Coty. With its subsidiaries, it develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes fragrances, cosmetics, skin care, nail care, and both professional and retail hair care products. Coty owns around 40 brands as of 2024.
Max Factor Sr., born Maksymilian Faktorowicz, was a Polish-American businessman, beautician, entrepreneur and inventor. As a founder of the cosmetics giant Max Factor & Company, he largely developed the modern cosmetics industry in the United States and popularized the term "make-up" in noun form based on the verb.
Rouge, also called blush or blusher, is a cosmetic for coloring the cheeks in a variety of shades, or the lips red. It is applied as a powder, cream or liquid.
NARS Cosmetics is a French cosmetics and skin care company founded by make-up artist and photographer François Nars in 1994. The cosmetics line began with twelve lipsticks sold at Barneys New York. Since then, NARS has created various multi-use beauty products and is now a subsidiary of Shiseido. It mainly sells in department stores in about 30 countries including the Americas, Europe, Japan and Southeast Asia.
Francis Factor, also known as Max Factor Jr., was an American businessman who was president of the Max Factor Cosmetics empire.
The history of cosmetics spans at least 7,000 years and is present in almost every society on earth. Cosmetic body art is argued to have been the earliest form of a ritual in human culture. The evidence for this comes in the form of utilised red mineral pigments including crayons associated with the emergence of Homo sapiens in Africa. Cosmetics are mentioned in the Old Testament—2 Kings 9:30 where Jezebel painted her eyelids—approximately 840 BC—and the book of Esther describes various beauty treatments as well.
Foundation is a liquid, cream, or powder makeup applied to the face and neck to create an even, uniform color to the complexion, cover flaws and, sometimes, to change the natural skin tone. Some foundations also function as a moisturizer, sunscreen, astringent or base layer for more complex cosmetics. Foundation applied to the body is generally referred to as "body painting" or "body makeup".
Cosmetics in the 1920s were characterized by their use to create a specific look: lips painted in the shape of a Cupid's bow, kohl-rimmed eyes, and bright cheeks brushed with bright red blush.
Western cosmetics in the 1970s reflected the multiple roles ascribed to the modern woman. For the first time since 1900, make-up was chosen situationally, rather than in response to monolithic trends. The era's two primary visions were the feminist-influenced daytime "natural look" and the sexualized evening aesthetic presented by European designers and fashion photographers. In the periphery, punk and glam were also influential. The struggling cosmetics industry attempted to make a comeback, using new marketing and manufacturing practices.
Theatrical makeup is makeup that is used to assist in creating the appearance of the characters that actors portray during a theater production.
Contouring is a makeup technique that uses cosmetics to define, enhance and sculpt the structure of the face or other body parts, such as breasts.
Ombré is the blending of one color hue to another, usually moving tints and shades from light to dark. It has become a popular feature for hair coloring, nail art, and even baking, in addition to its uses in home decorating and graphic design.
Kylie Cosmetics, LLC is an American cosmetics company founded by Kylie Jenner. The company began selling Kylie Lip Kits, a liquid lipstick and lip liner set, on November 30, 2015. Formerly known as Lip Kit by Kylie, the company was renamed Kylie Cosmetics in 2016.
Fenty Beauty is a cosmetics brand by Rihanna, that was launched on September 8, 2017. Popular for its broad inclusivity across various skin tones, its Pro Filt'R foundation became high-demand upon first release. The original foundation launch included 40 shades, and has since expanded to 50. The inclusion of Fenty Beauty concealer includes 50 shades, offering a wide variety for all skin types.
Jeffree Star Cosmetics, Inc. is an American cosmetics company founded by Internet personality and musician Jeffree Star. Star invested his life savings to start the company's makeup line in 2014, later detailing the bankruptcy he had been facing following his music career. It launched with three liquid lipstick colors. The company is estimated to sell US$100 million annually. All products are vegan and cruelty-free. The company is co-owned by Star and his business partner Jeff Cohen.
Jacquelyn Lonje Olayiwola Oyeshola Bolayemi Aina, better known as Jackie Aina, is an American beauty YouTuber. She was born to an African-American mother and a Nigerian father of Yoruba descent. She is a YouTuber and social influencer known for advocating for the visibility of people of color in the cosmetic industry. She has partnered with Anastasia Beverly Hills, e.l.f. Cosmetics, Too Faced, Sephora and Sigma Beauty.
Male cosmetics include all cosmetic products marketed towards men, such as makeup, skincare products, hair care products, body care products, sun care products, perfumes, and other decorative cosmetics.
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