Makeup Museum

Some fun vintage lipstick cases! Which one are you? I’m the mermaid, of course. 🧜‍♀️But I’m also feeling Party Time. 🍸

1. Barbershop pole, Ernest Steiner, 1951
2. Pig, unmarked, ca. 1930s
3. Couturine, Revlon, late ‘50s-early ‘60s
4. Sailor (I think?), Bliss Brothers, ca. late 1930s-‘50s
5. Mermaid, Rich-On/BR, 1980s
6. Leaning Tower of Pisa, designed by Louis Nichilo, 1950s-‘60s
7. Fire hydrant, unmarked, 1951
8. Party Time, Park & Tilford, 1950s
9. Bathing beauty, Boots 17, 1968 (very similar to Cutex’s Bikini Beat cases from several years prior!

📣 Cosmetic History and Makeup Studies Network Salon - join us for this FREE online discussion!

This Friday, March 13th, 12pm ET/4pm GMT

I am thrilled to interview Eileen G’Sell, author of “Lipstick”, part of the Object Lessons series (Bloomsbury, 2026)

“From Revlon to Glossier, from Marilyn to Gaga, lipstick is as shape-shifting and unwieldy as femininity itself. Who wears lipstick today – as a matter of routine? And for those who do, is it out of obligation to a strict feminine standard, or some other reason entirely? Lipstick reconsiders the beauty world’s most conspicuous – and contentious – tool of artifice. Tossing expired ideas about femininity like so many tubes of melting wax, Lipstick explores how self-adornment can be a source of play, pleasure, and transformation, as well as how lipstick can knock gender norms off balance.”

Registration: https://chmsn.wufoo.com/forms/chmsn-salon-13th-march-2026 OR see my bio for the link OR DM . 💄

Brown Skin Beauty: mystery solved! You might remember I posted this face powder box a while back (swipe to see) and was very puzzled by it allegedly being produced by a Memphis-based company called Darboux, since neither the rest of the Darboux line nor the copy on the back seemed to align with the product at all, and the trademark for Brown Skin Beauty face powder was registered to Chicago-based Valmor (which we know with certainty released products intended for Black customers). I think what happened with the previous box I posted was that someone had mistakenly put a Brown Skin Beauty box lid on a Darboux powder box, especially since every other Darboux powder I’ve seen has a lid with the Darboux name on it. No wonder I was confused! The copy on the back of this one that the Museum recently acquired confirms Brown Skin Beauty was from Valmor. Glad I got to the bottom of this, but it’s a cautionary tale for collectors. Sometimes objects get mixed up and it’s important to really inspect them before buying. This is a key piece of Black makeup history (and the graphics are fantastic) so I didn’t give it too much scrutiny – I was just so eager to add it to the Museum’s collection. Anyway…have you ever acquired something and find out later it wasn’t what you thought? 🤔

The Makeup Museum was the recipient of not one but two incredible vintage compact collections this year! I’m so very grateful and honored to be their custodian, and I can’t wait to tell you about the individuals behind them in 2026. Huge thanks to the donors for their generosity! How was your year? What’s in store for 2026? 🎆

“Hey, do you think it looks really different around here lately?” “I dunno, maybe?” 😂Staff is a little confused but I think they understand the museum has finally moved to new headquarters. Today they helped celebrate the museum’s 17th anniversary by…not doing anything but be very lazy and comfy in the new Plushie Cove. Have you celebrated any milestones or moved recently? 💖🏡