We all use products such as moisturiser, shampoo, and make-up every day, but have you ever stopped to think about where they all began? For example, did you know that before NIVEA Creme was invented in 1911, the only beauty product available was water, soap and powder? beautydirectory takes a look at those pioneering products that began a revolution (and are still relevant today).
Moisturiser
NIVEA was responsible for creating the first skincare cream ever developed - . While experimenting with a white mixture consisting of water, oil, glycerin, citric acid, and eucerit, pharmacist Dr. Oscar Troplowitz (owner of the Beiersdorf enterprise) and dermatologist Prof. Paul Gerson Unna discovered how to create a long-lasting, stable ointment base that became the first ever durable moisturising cream.
The innovation began the evolution of moisturisers as we know them today. It has been proven to out-perform some of the most expensive skin creams in the world even today. The formulation remains the same today as it was in 1911,” says NIVEA research and development expert Ken Lee.
NIVEA is also responsible for other trailblazer inventions such as the first , the first , and the invention of chemical filters to develop the first .
Shampoo
The now $5.5 billion hair care industry all started with a German chemist in 1898. It was that year that an unknown chemist by the name of Hans Schwarzkopf developed the first water-soluble powder shampoo from his small drugstore in Berlin. But the real international breakthrough came in 1927 when launched the first liquid shampoo and the first hair conditioner.
"From Berlin to Hollywood, everyone agreed their hair had never shined more beautifully. Before liquid, or even powder shampoo, the typical shampoo was an ordinary soap that was difficult to massage into hair and left a dull film. If you had a lot more money, you used hair oils, which didn't really clean the hair at all, but delivered the 'expensive' shine. It's easy to understand why Hans Schwarzkopf's discovery of shampoo caused such a big sensation," says Schwarzkopf national technical educator Grant Withnell.
Make-up
After introducing the first eyeshadow and eyebrow pencil for use by the general public in 1916 (they were previously only available to people acting in the theatre), went on to develop the first lip gloss in 1928. But one of his most popular innovations would have to be the development of foundation. Originally called Pan-Cake Make-Up, this corrective make-up was created for actresses in conjunction with the launch of technicolor film. Actresses liked the foundation so much that they started taking it home to use in the day-time. Word began to spread, and Max Factor launched foundation to the public in 1935.
Pancake foundation is still relevant in the beauty industry today, with the product remaining close to its original formula. Pancake has stood the test of time because it is a very simple yet very effective product. It found its loyal consumers years ago and is still competitive now because it has simple benefits and a convenient format,” says Procter & Gamble cosmetics associate brand manager Daniil Kurilov.
Opaque nail polish
Using pigments instead of dyes, 1932 saw Revlon founders Charles and Joseph Revson and chemist Charles Lachman create a product that offered women a rich-looking, opaque nail enamel in a wide array of shades never before available. "Revlon’s product was revolutionary. It was opaque. All the other nail polishes on the market were transparent. Charles saw the potential in this difference. The others were made with dyes and were limited to three shades of red – light, medium and dark. Revson felt that polish made with pigment and in a wide variety of shades could capture the market," says Revlon beauty publicist Amy Wagner. While Revlon nail enamel has evolved with technology, the product has not changed significantly in the last 80 years.
Dry shampoo
In the 1970s, French pharmacist Pierre Fabre wanted to develop a product which could help those who were bedridden to clean their hair without the use of water. Klorane Oat Milk Dry Shampoo was the first to develop a botanical dry shampoo which allowed the hair to be cleansed without water. At the time, the only products available to achieve this were regular shampoos or talcum powder, which were inconvenient to use and left a powdery residue.
Klorane Oat Milk Dry Shampoo’s unique formula of corn and rice starch, natural microspheres and oat milk extract was gentle on the scalp, easy to apply (aerosol), and offered an effective cleansing option when you didn’t have time to wash your hair,” explains Klorane brand manager Melissa Salemme. Oat Milk Dry Shampoo remains true to its original formula.
Make-up with skincare benefits
Born in 1994, was the first full make-up line on the market to offer both colour enhancement and benefits to the skin. "I've always been an ingredient reader and I've always been conscious of what I put in and on my body, so one day it all came together and I thought, "Why couldn't we have a make-up that's good for the skin?" That started a journey of discovery that was initiated by looking at what was in traditional make-up that might be having a negative effect on the skin and then seeing what could be added to our formulas that could benefit the skin. The journey continues as ingredients get more and more interesting," says Jane Iredale.
Lip balm
Like many people, Alfred Woelbing suffered from cold sores and dry chapped lips. However, unlike many people, he had an entrepreneurial spirit and a knack for kitchen chemistry. In 1936, Woelbing decided to solve his painful condition for himself and concocted a remedy for his cold sores. He began making by hand, pouring the lip balm into the famous yellow-capped jars in his kitchen. Woelbing produced Carmex from home for many years, moving into a full production facility line in the 1950s and then to its current manufacturing site in 1975.
Mascara
In 1864, Eugene Rimmel invented Cosmetique Superfin, an innovative product to darken and enhance lashes. Cosmetique Superfin was an early version of the legendary Water Cosmetique. Created in 1880, Rimmel Water Cosmetique is believed to be the world’s first non-toxic mascara.
In 1917, the next step in mascara was to be developed. Two years earlier, 19-year-old entrepreneur Tom Lyle Williams was watching his sister Mabel apply a mixture of Vaseline and coal dust to her eyelashes to give them a darker, fuller look. Williams adapted this idea with a chemistry set, going on to see his company Maybelline produce "the first modern eye cosmetic for everyday use" in 1917. In the 1960s, Maybelline was also responsible for developing Ultra Lash - the first mass-market automatic device.
Make-up finishing spray
was founded in 2005 with the sole purpose of creating products that would keep make-up looking fresher. Their revolutionary make-up finishing spray concept was launched in 2007 and was originally used on movie sets in Hollywood, so make-up artists could have fewer touch-ups throughout long days of filming. After being featured on NBC's Today Show as a "genius product" in 2008, Skindinävia introduced the concept of the "make-up finish", the first make-up setting sprays made for individual skin types.