ReTRo HouSeWiFe

RETRO-SPECTIVE THE DECADES PAST:

Beauty Secrets of the 1940s

The 1940s were heavily influenced by World War II, and beauty standards, cosmetics use and fashion were no exception. The 40s always make me think of Ingrid Bergman in the 1942 movie Casablanca; serious, glamorous but in a very subdued, sophisticated way. The look was wholesome, not showy. Both because people were still reeling from the effects of the Depression, and because the US was sending young men off to Europe to fight and die people just weren't in the mood for excess and flamboyancy.

So, looking at the advertisements of the 40s you will notice a few Ingrid Bergman look-alikes here and there.

On the right we have a 1941 Ad for "Don Juan" Lipstick, and their new color, MILITARY RED. ...stays on though you eat, smoke, drink or kiss...

Not a Look-Alike, the Real Deal! Photo poster of Ingrid Bergman.

A frequent theme throughout advertisements in the early to mid 1940s was the common effort to help "speed victory" by doing one thing or another. Whether it was by planting a veggie garden in the backyard (so the farmers could send their crops to the soldiers), or as in this ad for Camay, for women to join the WAC (Women's Army Corps).

Everybody pitched in, sacrificed, suffered and contributed in whatever way they could,  and in the end, we won. See how that works?

Beauty Secrets

The ones that I know choose fine soap and always massage the scalp thoroughly. The Blondes use lemon rinses and the Brunettes use vinegar. They are all unanimous in their choice of lintless towels for drying the hair by friction and after a shampoo they always sit in the sun. Of course they have already, found their place in the sun!

The other day a Redheaded beauty revealed a real beauty secret. She says that when she shampoos she uses a real beauty sponge. The sponge is easy to prepare and it is well worth the effort. Blend together one cup of oatmeal, one tablespoon of almond meal, one tablespoonful of bicarbonate of soda. Put this beauty mixture in a small square or a bag of cheesecloth. Squeeze it in your bathwater and use it like a sponge to cleanse and soothe your body skin. This secret was handed down to her from a Victorian beauty.

The women of those days did not have all the cosmetics which are available today so they created some very effective beauty aids. At a party the other afternoon a clever little star was wearing a Navy Blue linen sunsuit, banded in rows and rows of White cotton braid. She says that she took a tip from her Navy boyfriend and cleans those rows of braid with a nailwhite pencil such as you use for bleaching your nails. Her braid is always spanking White.

A slim and slender star says that her nice body line is due to exercise. She never misses taking a few minutes exercise night and morning. Her routine is s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g.  Lois Leeds, The Charleston Gazette, 1949

Voted the "Prettiest" Girl of her class, Girl's Latin School Class of 1948

She was voted as having the "Nicest Smile"