Women Through The Ages

A history of beauty and skin care in the 20th century

There is hardly any topic that women have concerned themselves with as much as the preoccupation with beauty, skin care and outer appearance. Whether one rather strives for a natural ideal or uses more make-up – even the rejection of any beauty rituals and toiletries, whether consciously or subconsciously – display a decision for your own appearance. The approach to and ideals of beauty have changed dramatically over the centuries and in the twentieth century every decade brought up new products and new trends.

In order to show the change of women throughout the century, we asked travel photographer Elisaveta (Fernweh'o'sophy ) to model for us. In collaboration with Berlin-based stylist Lena Schleweis and photographer Ashley Ludäscher we recreated three iconic looks of the 30s, 60s and 80s. Elisaveta's transformation is the perfect example of how womanhood and its outer appearance ideals have changed throughout the last 100 years. Come with us on this exciting trip!

1920

The 1920s were exciting years for women. Their role in society changed. Job and career increased in importance and some first women achieved leading positions. Expectations in terms of appearance increased alongside though. More and more clothes came off the rack and in standardized sizes. Dresses were no longer tailored to an individual shape. This trend was also supported by the mass media which ran advertisements promoting the image of young and thin women as the ideal – not unlike today.

The use of make-up increased too, as women tried to gain an advantage over men in the job world by ›looking good‹. The heavily made up 1920s look developed as a response to the demure femininity promoted before the war. Lifes and life styles moved at a faster pace than ever facilitating the emergence of an international culture dedicated to beauty.

A magazine piece from the 1920s on Broadway actress Suzanne Sheldon allows an insight into the similarities of beauty regimes then and now. Drinking six to eight glasses of water was thought to have a beneficial effect on your appearance as was a reasonable amount of exercise and washing your face every evening. Other measures like wearing an elastic bandage to prevent a double chin though are now a thing of the past.

A variety of skin care products treating conditions ranging from wrinkles to spots and freckles were available. Their application and effect were popular magazine topics. Cold cream was arguably the most important product for a smooth and radiant complexion.

1930

In the 1930ies the difficult economic situation brought about by the global economic crisis forced more and more women to work. Most of their jobs were menial and badly paid. After a long day at work they were still expected to run their own households and look after their families. This double burden became increasingly commonplace.

In Nazi-Germany, however, the seizure of power by the National Socialists put women into an especially difficult situation: Working women were frowned upon. They were expected to dedicate themselves to »reproduction and care for the family«. Systematically introduced restrictions led to a considerable decrease in the number of women doctors, lawyers and judges. Also, women were allowed to make up no more than 10% of the entire student body.

The ideal of beauty shifted to one of a more restrained use of make-up than had been popular in the 1920s. Eyeliner, lipstick and rouge still retained their status as basic daily make-up equipment but were applied less heavily than they had been to create the vintage vamp look of the previous decade.

The cold cream face cleanses became an essential part of a 1930s woman’s daily beauty regime. Moisturisers were oftenhome-made using beeswax, oil,water and borax to save money.Cold cream had the advantageof being less drying to the skinthan soap. A variety of tonicsand lotions were applied tothe cleansed skin to clarify thecomplexion. Compared to today’sproducts, these tended to behigher in fat and oil as theseingredients were thought to fill infacial lines.

1930 / 1940: Recreating Marlene Dietrich

1940

The 1940s were shaped by World War II. The lack of men led to an increased demand for women in the workplace. They took on jobs traditionally held by men and made careers for themselves. The idea of the ›weaker sex‹ changed – although this change would (temporarily) revert once the men returned.

A beauty regime that was supposed to fit into an already full day between a job and household chores required practicability and convenience. A fresh and natural look carefully accented by full lashes and shiny lips became the ideal. Such a premium was put on a well-groomed appearance that lipstick for example was provided for free in women’s dressing rooms at American armament plants.

Branded skin care products were extremely hard to come by throughout the decade and homemade creams and lotions boomed. In addition to facial care – which was now mostly done using soap and water because oil was scarce – hand care became increasingly important and specially composed lotions for women doing manual labour were created. Advertisements focussed less on the sale of luxury products but put the family value of items like tooth paste, dandruff cures and soap front and centre.

1950

The return of the men from the war forced the women back into their role of wives and mothers. Women in further education read domestic sciences in order to prepare for their family life. A return to familiar patterns and roles, which at least facilitated the return to a certain normalcy after years of traumatizing war experiences.

For women of the 1950s also hailed a return back to looking glamorous. Film stars like Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn promoted a soft and feminine image as well as the sought after ›peaches and cream‹ complexion. Makeup became an increasingly important industry product and a range of new items for the general use was created. Skin care regimes still focussed on cleansing and moisturizing using creams and lotions high in fat.

1960

The 1960s saw drastic and far-reaching changes in society. Many women were no longer content ›just‹ being housewives and the pill gave them added independency in planning their lifes. Consequently the percentage of working women rose again in the 1960s – along with their dissatisfaction about their disadvantages in the work place. The women’s movement over time accomplished gradual successes where the inequality of pay, chances for career advancement and the equal treatment of men and women in society were concerned.

The advent of the women’s movement also had an effect on the idea of beauty. Prominent women, like the model Twiggy, didn’t represent a feminine ideal but rather an androgynous look. Youth became an increasingly important subject.

The 1960ies were a somewhat quiet decade in the cosmetic industry. Skin care lotions remained relatively basic in their composition but they protected the delicate skin barrier and provided essential fats. Active ingredients like vitamin A, a staple component of today’s products, were known but cosmetic manufacturers had not found a way to use them successfully in their products yet. Most of the ingredients came from animals. Today these have been almost entirely replaced by synthetic agents or materials resourced from maritime commodities, like algae.

The idol of the 60s was Brigitte Bardot. The main focus was placed on a dramatic eye with bold, winged liner in jet-black. The look was completed with long lashes, a hint of blush and lips in nude or a soft rose. The hair was worn long with a lot of added volume, but not as perfectely done as it was in the 50s. Fringes were common, but usually worn out of the face with hair-bands.

1970

The women’s movement remained en vogue in the 1970s with more and more women joining and rallying for equal rights. A stronger basis in society translated into real impact leading to notable successes like the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the constitution of the United States and major reform of marriage and family laws in Germany.

The question of what exactly constitutes beauty was discussed for the first time in this period. Predetermined ideals weren’t followed blindly anymore but individual definitions of beauty emerged. The care for one's own body became a strong focal point and many new methods were trialled. Make-up was chosen with view to individual situations and purposes. A natural and discreet make-up worn by day would make way for dramatically accented eyes and considerable amounts of glitter at night (e.g. at a club).

Complexions that appeared sunkissed became very popular. Despite extensive research by manufacturers of related cosmetics, the long-term damages of continued exposition to sunlight weren’t widely known (yet) and sun protection in excess of SPF6 was almost impossible to sell. Sun burn was treated with a newly discovered agent called aloe vera. Anti-ageing products and foundation were added to the skin care repertoire.

1980

Compared to the eventfulness of the previous decades, the 1980ies were relatively quiet. The changes that had been fought for before became apparent and started to take root. Working women were ›accepted‹ rather than the norm. But women were ambitious and went for the same careers as men. The popular idea of the ›working girl‹ emerged. An increasing number of girls attended university and embarked on careers (that lasted until they had their first child). Successful women like Margaret Thatcher became their new role models.

The modern woman’s new status was also reflected in her appearance: The baby doll image was given up in favour of confidence and sex appeal. Shoulder pads, high heels, grey dress suits and a make-up-free face – a look combining masculine power and femininity. Permanent make-up, which uses tattoos to create lasting eyelid lines and coloured lips, also emerged in the 1980s.

Skin care advanced greatly. Active ingredients like vitamins A and C could finally be used in a way that allowed them to filter through the outermost layer of the skin right into the epidermis. This was achieved by using liposomes (equal to fats) as vehicles for the vitamins transporting them into the skin where they were released and dissolved. A whole host of new cures, ointments and creams created to combat the signs of skin ageing was created.

During the 80s Madonna was idolized. The make-up was utterly colourful and full of contrasts with added sheen and glitter. Eyes, lips and cheeks were accentuated, eye shadow even applied up to the brows. Perms, bleached cotton hair, fringes and quiffs were kept in place with huge amounts of hair spray and worn with colourful or punk-rock inspired accessories.

1990

The public rallies organised by the women’s movement have vanished and made way for equal rights to manifest naturally. The increased self-esteem and self-confidence of women in the 1990s were reflected in the creation of terms like ›girlies‹ and ›girl power‹. Young women were encouraged to fulfil their potential and the employment rates of men and women slowly converge. The idea of ›male professions‹ began to erode.

The concept and the idea of beauty were shaped by a multitude of trends, some of them diverging greatly, like minimalism, supermodels and grunge. Women used their bodies to express themselves by getting tattoos (e.g. of the permanent ink or non-permanent transfer variety) and applying henna body art or piercings. Hair dyes also became very popular.

Cosmetic research scientists focussed on the ageing process of the skin and its effective treatments. By investigating its reasons they were hoping to find a way of stopping it.

The properties of individual agents were examined leading to new products tackling individual signs. Some of the main ingredients used back then, like vitamin E or the coenzyme Q10, still form the basis of today’s anti-ageing products. Others like alpha hydroxy acids, hailed as magical cures back then, have disappeared again because of side effects including skin irritation and an increased sensitivity to light.

2000 - today

Only four years after the end of the 2000s, it ishard to find a generalization - the historicization ofthe decade has not yet started. Therefore, we areexcited to see how future generations will view ourimage of women and beauty.

We can definitely say that our time is characterizedby a pursuit of individuality. The majority of womenvalue a well-groomed appearance and »goodlooks« - and individuality plays a major role. Thedesires for one's own skin are not universal but individual.The ideal skin is not perfect, does not correspondto prescribed standards, social standardsor conventions.

It is also independent of age. The trend that wasalready apparent during the 1990s - the focus onskin ageing and anti-ageing products - is also nowan important field for researchers and the focus inthe development of skin care routines.