Rachel Lynn Geiger
December 13, 1996
AMST 205 Sec. 0201
Project 3

Being a planned community, the residents of Greenbelt depended on their own resources for anything from the local baby sitter to news from the other cooperatives in the nation to consumer advice. In 1938, much of this information was spread throughout the community via the Greenbelt Cooperator, their weekly newspaper. As the paper became widely read and respected, merchants found it an excellent means of communicating with their Greenbelt consumers.

Approximately half of a Greenbelt Drug Store's advertisement was devoted to cosmetics and skin-care products.

LARGE LIPSTICK - - - - $0.29

8 oz. HAND LOTION - - - - $0.39

LARGE FACE POWDER - - - - $0.49

PERSPIRATION SUPPRESSOR - - - - $0.37

8 oz. CASTILE SHAMPOO - - - - $0.29

1 lb. FINE TALCUM POWDER - - - - $0.49

TOOTH POWDER - - - - - $0.25

1 lb. BORATED TALC - - - - $0.29⁴

An advertisement for Madeline Hairdressers took about a third of a page to sell permanent waves.

National advertisements, found in magazines and larger newspapers, were the backbone of the consumer cosmetic industry. This is where women discovered products, through their "slice of life" cartoons and "revolutionary breakthrough" advertisements.

During 1938, the use of comic strips were very popular to sell cosmetics and skin care products. Here is the dialogue found in a bath soap ad with Claudette Colbert explaining the romantic benefits of the product.

FRAME ONE:

Lovely skin wins romance, so why take chances with unattractive cosmetic skin

FRAME TWO:

Cosmetic skin develops when pores are choked with dust, dirt and stale cosmetics. Lux Toilet Soap's active lather guards against this danger

FRAME THREE:

I always remove cosmetics thoroughly with Lux Toilet Soap. It's the safe, easy way to keep skin soft and smooth

9 out of 10 Screen Stars use Lux Toilet Soap⁶

New "treatments" were all the rage during this time. The economy was beginning to rise once again and the world seemed to be full of promise. "Revolutionary" products that appeared decadent yet, were extremely cost effective followed this euphoric wave of hope.

A new discovery has made face powder actually softening to skin texture! Thanks to the amazing new air technique, COTY now adds a beneficial ingredient--which has never been used successfully in face powder before. This ingredient guards against excessive drying. Therefore, "Air-Spun" never makes your complexion look dry or flaky. After powdering, your skin feels dewy fresh . . . looks vibrant and alive! Shades are warmer and younger because blended by air! Truly, COTY "Air-Spun" is more than a new face powder--it is a new cosmetic!

COTY offers "Air-Spun" Face Powder in fourteen flattering shades . . . in such beloved odeurs as L'Aimant, L'Origan, "Paris," Emeraude, Chypre. One Dollar. NEW! "AIR-SPUN" ROUGE--blended by whirling air in the same way as the Powder, it has the same exquisite smoothness and glowing, life-like colors. $0.50

Lastly, endorsed products became extremely popular during this time as well. Mary Pickford, a silent movie super star even came out with her own line of makeup.

IN OFFERING TO THE WOMEN OF AMERICA the exact beauty aids which I personally have been using, I have insisted, despite precedent, that they be priced within the reach of all women . . . I can truthfully say that I have found these few wholesome, simple and effective skin-care preparations the most satisfactory I have ever known. Naturally, only the very finest ingredients have been used.

When I had these products made up for my exclusive use, they actually cost me considerably more than the prices I have placed on them for you. To cite just three instances, the cleansing cream, the tissue cream and the soap literally cost me four and five times the amounts at which I am pricing them. These moderate prices are possible because large quantities are now being made instead of just enough for my own personal requirements. Again let me assure you every ingredient remains the same.

If you will but try Mary Pickford cosmetics, I am confident you will be as gratified with the results as I have been.