Flawless Beauty Maybelline!

 

1997 Maybelline commercial “Maybe she is born with it.”

#Maybelline

“Flawless Beauty”

1925 Wedding album pictures of Chester Randolph and Maybel Hewes

How did the love story of Maybelline begin? Maybel Williams was the older sister of Thomas Williams who was a chemist. The untold truth of Maybelline. Maybel was in love with a gentleman by the name of Chester Randolph Hewes, but he was in love with another woman. She did the next best thing. Instead of being stagnant, she turned to cosmetics that were available in her time. She would use petroleum jelly to enhance her natural lashes and eyebrows. However, Thomas had a better idea; he added carbon dust to the petroleum jelly which darkened her lashes and brows.

The product was a success that within two years Maybel had the man she loved, and Thomas created the company. He introduced the first mascara to the world. He partnered with the Pharmaceutical Company Park, Davis & Company. Eventually, they launched the team's first product called Lash-brow-line before it was known as Maybelline. Thomas secured an office near his home in Chicago which was called Maybell Laboratories. Lash-brow-line was advertised in the newspaper and could be ordered exclusively through mail orders. Amazing history ads of Maybelline. Thomas then produced a Maybelline cake mascara that was a big hit. So big that women began to ask for this product at the drugstore.

Maybelline's marketing strategy was a grand success, having models representing the Maybelline brand. One of the company’s strategies implemented in the 1930s was to employ popular screen stars such as Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth. Both represented brow pencils and eye shadows that were first featured, beginning with advertising in the newspaper. As a result, the brand rose to become America’s number one mass-market make-up brand. As time progressed to the next level of marketing, Maybelline benefited from advertising on television, with Linda Carter becoming the first official spokesperson. The world-renowned actress who starred in the famous television series during its time, Wonder Woman, was the envy of every woman in America. Maybelline, being the cosmetics magnate that it is, utilized the strategy of highlighting the actress’s fame and beauty by portraying the actress in a provocative way that every female regardless of age wanted to be like her. Consequently, after the first television syndication, the company launched a full complement of face and lip products that increased their revenue significantly.

By the 1990s, Maybelline rebranded their product to focus on the younger, more natural elegant beauty through the supermodel, Christy Turlington, thereby initiating the famed catchphrase, “Maybe she’s born with it.” The slogan’s play on words gave the impression that makeup enhances a woman’s own innate features. Being a Supermodel. This revolutionized the makeup industry from a bold palette to a natural look, appealing to the more common, everyday woman. Magazines were filled with ads featuring the supermodel’s diverse looks.

Due to the success of their marketing strategies, competitive advantage and increased revenues, Maybelline attracted the merchant banking investment group, Wasserstein Perella & Company, who bought Maybelline in 1990. The company was subsequently sold to the cosmetics conglomerate L’Oreal. With the experience that L’Oreal already possessed, their effective strategy was to continue to recruit supermodels to represent and promote their product lines. The company was insightful enough to know that middle-class working women could not afford costly cosmetics. Therefore, the company developed high quality products with affordable prices. By the year 2000, one brand of mascara, Great Lash, was sold every 1.2 seconds. 

Now that we know the history behind the creation of Maybelline and its progression over the years. Let us get to the fun part of the type of products that are sold in Maybelline to further illustrate how you can be “born with it”! 

Eye Makeup – Shadow quads, so many colors to choose from depending on your skin tone. A pallet of colors choose colors that make your eyes look fabulous and it will stand out in pictures. It is a great idea to visit a makeup artist and share colors that you like. But keep an open mind when choosing colors that will suit your skin tone and eye color. A little goes a long way, no need to overdo it.

Eyeliner – Two colors available in black and blue make your eyes pop. Try the cat eye effect by placing the liner on your upper lid close to the eye lashes, then apply a thin line. What a dramatic effect you will see! Graphic details with eyeliner. If you need to learn how to apply eyeliner, YouTube will have videos that show you step by step on how to apply eyeliner.

Makeup Kits - Maybelline has a kit called the City Kits All-in-One Eye & Cheek palette. Buying the kits. For example, when getting married, unless the makeup artist is invited to the wedding to apply your makeup, one innovative and clever idea is to buy this kit for touch ups. This is especially helpful as your makeup wears off after greeting and thanking all the guests for attending this special event.

Lipstick – Maybelline has several shades to complement your skin tone, if you feel like a dramatic look then try a red lipstick. Sensational lipstick shades. With so many shades, choose from dark to light in color. When you apply lipstick make sure to check your teeth so as not to have lipstick on your teeth. Also, take a tissue and fold and place between your mouth to lessen the dark look of the lipstick.

Hydrating & Liquid Foundation Makeup - Maybelline 

Foundation – Maybelline has 6 foundations for combination skin. Matching your foundation. If you do not know which foundation is right for you, feel free to approach the make-up counters and one of the makeup artists will be able to tell you which shade suits your color. The techniques of contouring can work wonders that you can afford. When you apply Maybelline’s foundation it covers up all your imperfections on your skin. You look great and feel like a million dollars, knowing that you have a foundation with many benefits. It provides 24 hours of coverage, the red vanishes on your face, dark circles recede, and your acne and scarring disappear. Once you try Maybelline foundation, you will never try anything else.

Maybelline is now fully established, and this year marks a century in the beauty business. While trends come and go, nothing has really changed fundamentally in beauty. I enjoy hearing the catchy tune Maybelline has whenever they advertise on television “Maybe she is born with it.” Everyone woman wants to feel good and look great no matter the age.

I was impressed with the Maybelline Brave Together mission since it helps women of all ages who are dealing with anxiety and depression. Maybelline has provided the tools for those who would like a clear understanding of self-care maybelline mental health resources. This is especially important in the times we live in today.

BIO: 

My name is Veronica Stanford, and I am a student at Union County College pursuing a career in Marketing. I enjoy wearing makeup and especially makeup that makes me feel good about myself inside and out.