MAX FACTOR

Max Factor was the father of modern makeup. MAX FACTOR: The Man Who Changed The Faces of the World is his extraordinary story.

Nice women never wore makeup. Even the word was taboo in polite society—until Max Factor entered the scene. Born in Poland in 1877, Factor worked as a beautician for the Russian royal family, the Romanovs. In 1904, he fled to America, where he opened a cosmetics store in Los Angeles. Creating makeup originally for silent films, then the talkies, and, ultimately, color motion pictures, Factor designed looks for Katharine Hepburn, Rita Hayworth, Bette Davis, and countless other beauties of the day. Soon women everywhere wanted to look like their favorite glamorous stars, and Factor was there to help, bringing his innovative cosmetics to the general public. He revolutionized the world of beauty by producing many firsts: false eyelashes, lip gloss, foundation, eye shadow, the eyebrow pencil, concealer, wand-applicator mascara, and water-resistant makeup. A true innovator, he also introduced the concept of color harmony and the celebrity-endorsed cosmetics advertising that forms the glamorous backbone of the modern industry. Factor was a pioneer in developing makeup for the movie industry, giving Hollywood's "Golden Age" stars signature looks that were copied a million-fold by ardent fans — all using his makeup. Unknown to most, Factor also made most of the wigs used in movies during the "Golden Age" of Hollywood. He eventually took Max Facgor to heights Max himself could never have imagined in his early years. His entire family — sons, daughters, and son-in-laws — were all well-versed in the many divisions of the Max Factor Corporation and carried on this work long after his death. Basten's biogrpahy not only tells the story of the meteoric rise of Max Facgor as a world leader in the cosmetics industry, but he also leaves the reader with a wealth of knowledge with regard to the history of movies and television. Fred E. Basten is the author of numerous books about Hollywood and the entertainment industry. A graduate of UCLA, he was the assistant to the public relations director at Max Factor in Hollywood. Now a freelance writer, he lives in Santa Monica, California