![]() Soon, movie stars were eager to sample the "flexible greasepaint," while movie producers sought Factor's human hair wigs. With this major achievement to his credit, Max Factor became the authority on cosmetics for film making. Unlike theatrical cosmetics, it would not crack or cake. ![]() By 1914, he had perfected the first cosmetic specifically created for motion picture use-a thinner greasepaint in cream form, packaged in a jar, and created in 12 precisely-graduated shades. Greasepaint in stick form-although the accepted make-up for use on the stage-could not be applied thinly enough, nor were the colors appropriate, to work satisfactorily on the screen during the early years of movie-making.įactor began experimenting with various compounds in an effort to develop a suitable make-up for the new film medium. Initially, he established a shop on South Central Avenue, and advertised the business as "Max Factor's Antiseptic Hair Store." After the foundation of "Max Factor & Company" in 1909, he soon became the West Coast distributor of Leichner and Minor, two leading theatrical make-up manufacturers. Later that year, Factor moved his family to Los Angeles, California, when he saw an opportunity to provide made-to-order wigs and theatrical make-up to the growing film industry. On January 21, 1908, Factor married Jennie Cook (March 1, 1886 – December 3, 1949), a neighbor. Despite the birth of Louis on August 29, 1907, the marriage was short-lived and ended in a prolonged court battle, as result of which Factor obtained custody of all of his children. Anxious to provide a mother for his four children, he married Huma "Helen" Sradkowska on 15 August 1906. However, on March 17, 1906, his wife collapsed and died from a brain hemorrhage. In August 1904, Max and his wife had their fourth child, Francis "Frank" Factor. With assistance from his brother and uncle, Factor recovered and opened a barber's shop. His partner in the venture stole all of his stock and the profits. He sold his rouges and creams at the 1904 World's Fair, operating under the newly re-spelled name Max Factor. Moltke III and were processed at Ellis Island on Februhe had US$400 in his possession. After meeting up with his family they traveled in the steerage class on board the S.S. Worried that he would not be released from his royal service, he arranged with the assistance of a friend to take a rest cure at Karlovy Vary - according to one version of his escape from the royal service. By 1904, concerned about the increasing anti-Jewish persecution developing in the Russian Empire, he and his wife decided to follow his brother Nathan and uncle Fischel to America. He married Esther Rosa (whom he called Lizzie) and by early 1904 they had produced three children, Freda, Cecilia and Davis. The Russian nobility appointed Factor the official cosmetics expert for the royal family and the Imperial Russian Grand Opera, an honor which led to him being closely monitored. He became well known when a traveling theatrical troupe wore Factor's cosmetics to perform for Russian nobility. Upon his discharge, he opened his own shop in the town of Ryazan, selling hand-made rouges, creams, fragrances, and wigs. He spent the years from age eighteen to twenty-two undertaking his compulsory military service in the Imperial Russian Army, where he served in the Hospital Corps. By the age of fourteen, he was working at Korpo, a Moscow wig maker and cosmetician to the Imperial Russian Grand Opera. ![]() That experience enabled him to gain a position at Anton's of Berlin, a leading hairstylist and cosmetics creator. At the age of nine, he was apprenticed to a wig maker and cosmetician in Łódź, in central Poland. His father, a hard-working grocer, rabbi, or textile mill worker (depending upon the source), could not afford a formal education for his four children.īy the age of eight years, Factor was working as an assistant to a dentist and pharmacist. Early life įactor, of Polish-Jewish descent, was born in Zduńska Wola to Abraham Faktorowicz (1850/52 – before 1938) and Cecylia Wrocławska. He is also known for doing makeovers for starlets and giving them their signature looks his most iconic works include Jean Harlow's platinum hair, Clara Bow's bob, Lucille Ball's false lashes and red curls, and Joan Crawford's "Hunter's Bow", or overdrawn lips. ![]() As a founder of the cosmetics giant Max Factor & Company, he largely developed the modern cosmetics industry in the United States and popularized the term " make-up" in noun form based on the verb. Maksymilian Faktorowicz (September 15, 1877 – August 30, 1938), also known as Max Factor Sr., was a Polish-American businessman, beautician, entrepreneur and inventor.
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