The 1900's
Although makeup was widespread and available, women during this time would stick to one cosmetic product if they wore any at all. Women were to be modest in clothing, behavior, and makeup application (Bowen, 2016).
This trend lead to chemists to play with colors and materials. Max Factor created blush creams
and T.L. Williams made mascara for his sister which would later turn into Maybelline.
When women went to work during World War I, they had a say in where some of the money was spent. It was spent on makeup. Thus, the makeup industry had a boom in the U.S. (Important cosmetic industry, 2016).makeup industry had a boom at this time in the United States (Important cosmetic industry, 2016).
The 1920’s: Flapper girls and dark eyes
As more people flooded large cities leaving country life behind, dark eyes became the ‘it’ look with thick mascara. Deep reds were a popular color for the lips. The trend began as the movie industry boomed (Bowen, 2016).
Makeup was in such demand, it began to be mass marketed for the first time in America.
As the movie industry continued to grow, so did the cosmetic products available. A big change came in 1928, when Max Factor created “pancake makeup” for cinematography (Important cosmetic industry, 2016).
1930’s: Long, skinny brows
The market crash in 1929 that lead to The Great Depression changed how females spent money and how they wore makeup. Movies, still being a favorite pastime, influenced women to have thin eyebrows and deep maroon or berry colored lips (Bowen, 2016). In an attempt to lure women to spend on makeup, Max Factor creates lip-gloss (Important cosmetic industry, 2016).
In 1938, Congress passed the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C) changing the way products were labeled and which ingredients could be used. If an item was labeled a drug, as products often were, it had to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before it could be sold. If an item was labeled a cosmetic, it did not need FDA approval (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2016).
1940’s: Next to nude eyes
With the start of WWII, women had to go to work in factories. Money and cosmetics were scarce. The biggest new product of the time was leg makeup which was used in place of stockings as they were also scarce (Important cosmetic industry, 2016).
As the war continued, females and beauty became a way to boost the morale of soldiers and thus pin-up girls were created. They wore red lipstick and gloss and were supposed to remind armed forces that they had beautiful women waiting back home (Bowen, 2016).
1950’s: Cat eye
Movies and movie stars were still all the rage in the 50’s. Marilyn Monroe started the winged eyeliner trend that dominated the decade when she donned the looked in the movie The Asphalt Jungle. The look was paired with soft demure lips creating an overall elegance (Bowen, 2016).
It was also during this time advertisements made there way from print to television(TV). Large companies began to sponsor entire TV programs. Advertising agencies began targeting consumers based on demographics and the consumer was born. People were buying more products more often than ever before.
The 60's and 70's
With the 1960’s and 1970’s, cosmetics saw a huge shift as the free spirit movement took over. Hippies, as they were called, were all about being natural with makeup and clothing. It was also in this time period that glam took ahold. Characterized by elegance, beauty, and charm, glam is about being extravagant and attractive. It was this era that changed beauty and fashion into what we know it to be today (Bowen, 2016).
The 1980's: The Red Lip
The 1980’s changed the way makeup was implemented back into fashion. Face makeup was still naturally lighter like what was seen in the 60’s and 70’s. However, industry leaders changed the natural lip to a bold red lip which matched the strong wardrobe pieces of women in the workplace. Popular colors included red, purple, pink.
Also the popular discussion of skin cancer became talked about and for the first time. "To tan or not to tan?" was the question most talked about regards to safety. Many people spent hours under sun beds up until this point. With the realization that tanning caused skin cancer, we saw bronzing face powders and bronzing beads for the first time in cosmetics.
The 1990's
Lighter foundations continued to be a trend into the 90's. The continued use of these products lead to an explosion of better quality foundations. Companies like Marks and Spencer launched affordable makeup ranges to become more available to everyone. For the first time the internet became an available source to buy makeup (Plechan, 2010).
During the 1990’s, a widely popular trend known as “grunge” emerged. The look included heavy black eyeliner, smokey matte eye shadows, dark lipstick, and thin brows accompanied by a fair skinned foundation. Women would wear foundation 1 to 2 shades lighter to make their eyes pop. Some popular celebrities who donned this look were Kate Moss, Drew Barrymore and Courtney Love.
At the end of the decade, media discouraged the grunge look because because it glamorized the Hollywood drug scene.
2000's & Today
American’s are constantly busy and always running around. Since the 2000’s, American’s have wanted to condense their beauty routines. With any trend, it was important for the cosmetic industry to keep up.
The popular time-saving products we have today are a response to the busy lifestyle of consumers. There has been a surge of multifunctional products such as anti-aging products, bb/cc creams with SPF included, and lip and cheek stains. Long lasting products have also become a must have in the busy life the consumer lives. Reapplying makeup can be a hassle when the consumer is out and about so having long lasting products is a game changer. Popular products include 24 hour foundations, waterproof mascara, eyebrow gel, makeup setting sprays, and liquid lipsticks. These products are made to withstand a full day of work and errands and to stay looking flawless while ending the day going out.
Today’s marketing and sales tactics work heavily with online influencers and social media. With the marketing being so heavily online, more companies realized that they didn’t need the overhead costs of selling products in other stores. Cosmetic brands started going straight to the consumer and cutting out the middleman. By eliminating the traditional retailers and allowing online retailers to communicate directly with the consumer, research has shown an increase in profit, and expects to see growth in online retail for cosmetics. Influencers have taken interest in this new trend and have started their own cosmetic lines (Leonard, 2011).
Trends Through the Years
The cosmetics industry has seen an ebb and flow in when, how much, and on whom their products were worn. Below is timeline of the biggests trends throughout the history of the United States.
