LBCC Historical

From the lab floor! We went live to share our excitement today regarding the experimental archaeology of making and sampling our many original 1940s cake mascara recipes!
Plus one made a crayon 🖍️ yes I wrote that right! 🤪



https://www.instagram.com/reel/DeLKpGZEcmk/?stkn=MWthZ20zdzZuMm1vZQ==

👀👁️🫡 Orignal 1940s cake mascara R&D day in the lab here at LBCC Historical! Check out our experiments and what we learned so far! What worked- what didn’t! And also why does the 1944 field kit from the US Army Corps recipe activate with oil? 🤷🏼‍♀️ We have no idea! 🤪🧐 #cakemascara #experimentalarchaeology #1940svintage #lbcchistorical #vintagemakeup

💅🧩 A WWII-era puzzle: Four vintage beauty products spanning from 1940s - 1950s with one major WWII connection. 🙌🏼🏺✨

👀 🫡 At first glance, they look like simple small even tiny vintage fragrance bottles. But look closer at the textures, labels, and closures... they tell a facinating story (I think!) 🤪

What do all four of these formulations have in common, and how did WWII reshape how they were made and applied? How did wartime supply constraints change the texture and delivery of perfume?
Can you guess what connects these exact formulations to wartime ingenuity?

Drop your theories in the comments below, and stay tuned for the full archive breakdown! 👇

💄 a little somethin somethin we have been working on! 🏆🥂

lbcchistorical

💄⏰Last year we posted this gem!
“ What suited a girl of 1926 is “dated” for the girl of 1936.”

Question: As you grow and change have your tastes, and chosen beauty products changed too?

📚 We just picked up this fantastic collection of, “The Ladies World” magazines. Bound in a giant book- as was common.
We start from October 1892 and the last addition we have is December 1894! Excellent condition!!!

👉🏼🥂 so what comprises the ladies world in the 1890s- let’s find out!!

📸 I have super interesting snippets here for you to read and look at! 🤓💄 I promise you won’t be disappointed in the fascinating Victorian ladies world!

Photo 2: 🎨 Drenching your walls and ceiling are now popular once again. But the Victorian’s already knew that. Find out what colors they used to drench their walls and ceilings!

Photo 3: 👻 every good Victorian needs a planchette! Find out why!! 😂🥂 (also sign me up!)

Photo 4: 👗Fashionable bodices for December 1892 - think holidays

Photo 5: Viola Cream advertisement- we have a lot of recipes for Viola Cream- 🧴 want to try it?

Photo 6: 🐑 find out why skin lubrication is important! What should you lubricate your skin with? Find out.

Photo 7: 🛌 Women’s Health- Ladies you need rest! Not tonics…. Except for Quinine… that one is ok .. find out more and show this to your Dr. …and partner!! 💤

Photo 8: Pozzoni’s complexion powder advert! They had money to spend on advertising plus you get a free gift! 🎁 find out what it is!! “All mothers should have one!”

Photo 9: 🤮 this one you just have to read! Cause yeahhhh 😱🫣
Photo 10: 🍎🍏 it’s fall- the Victorians liked apples so go make you some Victorian apple recipes! 📜

Photo 11: MASSAGEO!!! You need to read it to believe it! 😂🤪

Photo 12: The cheapest beauty book ever! (Seriously like today it would cost like $1.47! 💄📚

Photo 13: 💄👉🏼cosmetic product peddling issue! Read the BEWARE section!! This is facinating cause it’s a very historical issue!

Ok enjoy! And this is just a few pages in!

🤓 💄✨😬
Look what I found! 🫣😂🥰

I’m sure you all have seen the vintage video of the woman at personal powder blending bar. By the 1930s these were set up in some department stores. However, if you were into the home diy or wanted to be bold, you could buy this LUXOR POWDER KIT- to try your hand a blending your own shade in the comfort of your own home.

Today I’m supposed to be doing administrative work- but I had to take a short break to secure this beautiful addition to our archives…. I’m also multitasking and working on something completely different dealing with an original amazing soap 🧼 box label in our collections! Photos soon! ….. 😬🫣 not sure how much administrative work is actually getting done! 😂

BUT……
I have been trying to find a complete set for a long time (I think we are missing just one powder Rosee) - so when this one popped up, I had to snag it right away! Join me in my excitement as we get ready to receive the Luxor powder blending kit from the 1930s! 💋💄

I was absolutely thrilled when the amazing online magazine History Workshop invited me to select an object from the museum’s collection to be featured in their Radical Objects series. I chose this 1920s powder box by Tuskegee Belle, a brand that catered to Black women. Check out the article via the link in my bio! And definitely check out the other articles - History Workshop is doing really fantastic work! It’s exactly what I envision for the Makeup Museum. ❤️

We are super excited!! You don’t want to miss this one!! 💋

Speaking of books, be sure to register for a very special online event featuring Sarahjane Downing author of Beauty and Cosmetics in the time of Jane Austen, and Alicia Schult of LBCC Historical Apothecary LBCC Apothecary! Hosted by the Cosmetic History and Makeup Studies Network, the session will delve into Regency era beauty and feature some of Sarah Jane’s original illustrations. Email [email protected] to sign up. It’s free!

Details:
Series: CHMSN Salon Series
Date: September 11th, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM GMT
Where: Online