The Influence of Max Factor

Max Factor showing Jean Harlow how to apply her makeup.

Hollywood’s influence on the world is something that can be debated at great length. Movies have had political and religious messages. Films have sometimes supported morals and been blamed for glorifying the lack of them. Movies have educated the masses by providing a view into the past as well as lied to us by re-writing history to simplify their stories. The one area of influence that it has been most successful at is that of how the public looks at themselves physically.

Before movies, people only knew of what they saw worn by other people they passed on the street or what they saw in a store window or even perhaps in a catalog drawing. After movies began showing, clothing and hairstyles began changing at a rapid pace. Clothing retail and hair salons became booming businesses as movie audiences wanted to wear the latest styles being worn by Hollywood stars in recent films.

One of the biggest changes came in the form of makeup. Before movies the only people who wore makeup were actors on the stage or women with less than honorable reputations, hence the expression “a painted lady.” Hollywood soon not only made cosmetics acceptable for all women and everyday use, it also made it practically a necessity.

The original driving force behind movie makeup was Max Factor, who immigrated from Poland to the United States in 1904 and moved his family to Los Angeles where he founded Max Factor & Company in 1909. At this time actors were using what was called greasepaint, which was something that had been used by actors on the stage. It unfortunately only came in one color.  Max Factor experimented and came up with his first cosmetic product in 1914 called “flexible greasepaint.” By 1918 he developed face powder of different hues that he called "Color Harmony" allowing for different shades on different actresses.

Soon, some of Hollywood’s most notable actresses like Gloria Swanson, Mary Pickford, Pola Negri and Clara Bow demanded his products and services. In 1928 Max Factor bought a building at 1660 North Highland at Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. Actresses like Jean Harlow, Claudette Colbert, Bette Davis, Norma Shearer and Joan Crawford would walk in for a day of pampering and make overs. There were rooms for blondes, brunettes and red heads. It was here that Max Factor suggested a starlet named Lucille Ball dye her hair red and it was there where another, named Norma Jean, dyed hers blonde and became a Hollywood legend.

Max Factor became synonymous with movie makeup. Johnny Mercer referenced him in the song "Hooray for Hollywood,” first heard in the 1937 movie Hollywood Hotel. Listen for the line, “Be an actor, see Mr. Factor, he’ll make your kisses look good…”  

Rita Hayworth helping to advertise Max Factor makeup and her new movie "Gilda."

Not only were actresses wearing his products on film and in society but ad campaigns sprang up in magazines with the likes of Judy Garland, Barbara Stanwyck, Lana Turner or Rita Hayworth hawking Max Factor makeup. They carried such lines as “For that smooth young look” and “For an adventure in new beauty.” Often the ads made mention of the featured actress’s latest film release. Max Factor and Hollywood had a very symbiotic relationship. They each benefitted by helping the other sell their product.    

Max Factor and his family owned the company until they sold it for $500 million in 1973. It has since exchanged hands several times and is currently owned by Procter & Gamble. There are many makeup brands on the market today, some more successful than others. Absolutely all of them owe a debt of gratitude to Max Factor.

As for the Max Factor building in Hollywood, it is still there and is currently the Hollywood Museum, where it features the makeup rooms used by some of the most beautiful women in the world as well as a plethora of Hollywood movie costumes, props and mementos. No other place in Hollywood better represents just how influential Hollywood movies have been over the years on the movie going public.