Vintage 1945 Leslie Brooks for Max Factor’s Pan-Cake Makeup

Posted by & filed under Beauty, Fashion, Vintage.

This Max Factor ad from 1945 is very glamorous! It is for the original Pan-Cake foundation makeup created by Max Factor for Technicolor pictures. Pan-Cake was touted as creating a lovely new complexion, helped to conceal tiny skin flaws and it stayed on for hours without re-powdering. It must have been revolutionary at the time for ordinary women to have access to such “movie star” makeup.

As was customary in Max Factor’s advertising, they used actresses as models while promoting their latest movie. Leslie Brooks was featured in this ad. She starred in Columbia’s Technicolor Production of “Tonight and Every Night”. I am not familiar with the actress or the movie, but she certainly is lovely and the movie sounds intriguing!

~Marilyn

Crochet a Vintage 60s Shell Skirt and Scarf – Free Pattern

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Happy Valentine’s Day, dear friends! I thought I’d share this Pretty in Pink vintage 60s crochet pattern. Swinging skirt with rows of shells in graduating sizes is easy to work from waist down in single, double, triple crochet. Make the scarf to match. Instructions are below – enjoy!

~Marilyn

Crochet a Vintage 70s Flamboyant Granny Square Afghan – Free Pattern

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This is a beautiful vintage 1973 crochet pattern for a Flamboyant Afghan. The granny squares are crocheted in a lucid pattern that uses simple chains and double crochet. From the nimble fingers and lively imagination of designer Liz Dominick. Instructions are below. Please click on images to enlarge.

Enjoy! ~Marilyn

Crochet a Vintage Mod 60s Spring Cardigan – Free Pattern

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Perfect for springtime, this is a lovely vintage 1966 cardigan sweater to crochet. I love the open, airy design. It is so pretty in pink, but you can make it in any color you wish! Instructions are below. Please click on photos to enlarge.

~Marilyn

Crochet a Vintage Mod 60s Coat – Free Pattern

Posted by & filed under Daily Life, Fashion, Vintage.

Here is a really pretty vintage 1966 crochet pattern for a knee-length buttoned coat. I love the 3/4th length sleeves and collar, and its intricate airy design would be perfect for springtime wear. Instructions are below. Please click on photos to enlarge.

~Marilyn

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Vintage 1940 Max Factor’s Hollywood Red Lipstick

Posted by & filed under Beauty, Fashion, Vintage.

Max Factor cosmetics was founded in Los Angeles, California in 1909 by Maksymilian Faktorwicz, a beautician from Poland. Max Factor specialized in movie makeup, and demonstrated the importance of custom, technical makeup application according to individual nuances and facial structure. He was originally satisfied to remain a specialized supplier to the film industry, but his children were convinced they could grow the company into a much larger enterprise. National distribution began in 1927.

Since he had a strong connection with the film community, Max Factor was able to use celebrity endorsements in advertising its products. In return for nominal payment of $1.00 to the actress, the advertising would also promote the star’s latest film.

This stunning Max Factor ad is from the October 1940 issue of Woman’s Home Companion magazine.  True to formula, it features actress Madeleine Carroll who was able to promote Cecil B De Mille’s Paramount Picture, “North West Mounted Police”. Tru-Color lipstick by Max Factor Hollywood featured 1. lifelike red of your lips 2. non-drying, but indelible 3. safe for sensitive lips 4. eliminates lipstick line. For 10 cents you could also mail for purse-size make-up kit. This included a purse-size box of powder, rouge sampler and miniature Tru-Color lipstick in your specific harmony shade.

Max Factor is still sold, and here’s an example of their new lipstick versions. You can still get those glamorous 1940s Hollywood movie star lips today!

~Marilyn