1940s Research

 

1940s Research:

The second World War started in 1939 and came to an end in September 1945, resulting in men and boys as young as 16 being sent to fight in the war, this meant that women were left at home and more women were going to work, they would work in the shops and factories while the men were away. Millions of lives were lost during the war with one of the biggest tragedies being the Holocaust which resulted in the mass genocide of 6 million Jews (History, 2009).

Due to working during the war, women didn’t prioritise makeup however, it was still used. Due to rationing there wasn’t many products available meaning women had to be creative and often returned to using old techniques which were seen as outdated, but they were also referred to as being better than nothing. These substitutes included “burnt cork for mascara, cochineal or beetroot juice for lipstick, bi-carbonate of soda for deodorant and gravy browning for leg tint” (Hair and Makeup Artist Handbook, 2013). Florence Fryer-Kelsey said “We had no real cosmetics so we dyed our legs to look like stockings and wore beetroot juice for lipstick…” and rationing in Britain lasted until 1954 which means that women continued to use substitutes however old theatrical makeup was found in second-hand shops and women would queue for hours in order to get some makeup (Hair and Makeup Artist Handbook, 2013).

Lipstick was “good for the morale of the nation” and wearing lipstick was seen as women keeping their femininity while doing “men’s work” which they were applauded for (Hair and Makeup Artist Handbook, 2013). In 1941 Elizabeth Arden released a series of products called Victory Red and, in the USA, lipstick was rationed however in Britain, lipstick was in very short supply which meant that it was extremely precious.

"Victory Red" from Elizabeth Arden.

Red was the colour of the decade for lipstick, this varied from a classic red to reds with undertones of blue, orange, brown and pink. Lipstick was also matte which means that Vaseline was used to make the lips glossy until Max Factor released the Lip Pomade, lipstick was often very staining which means that only a little bit was needed, this also meant that it would last a long time (Hair and Makeup Artist Handbook, 2013). Lip lines also started to become popular in the late 1940s and after the war lighter shades were sold. The Hunter’s Bow was the desired shape which was created by Max Factor for Joan Crawford in the 1930s but was copied a lot in the 1940s.

Joan Crawford with her distinctive Hunter's Bow lip and arched brows. She is often credited as having made both elements popular (1946)

Due to the shortage of cosmetics there was very little supply of rouge, women would often use lipstick as rouge. The lipstick would be applied to the apples of the cheeks then blended out, obvious rouge was not appealing in the 1940s and it would also be used around the face to create a slight contour. Rouge itself was sold in cream and dry formulas sold in “cardboard pots or as part of a compact” (Hair and Makeup Artist Handbook, 2013).

Foundation was sold in natural shades and the desired look was a “healthy glow” which was a “sun-kissed glow,” Max Factor’s Pan Cake foundation was still extremely popular and this led to the release of the Pan-Stik in 1948 which was a cream foundation sold in a tube that was easy to apply, this was first released to actresses and was used for film but it was released to the public shortly after. Pressed powder was used to set the foundation and women would happily “powder their nose” in public after seeing women do it in films (Hair and Makeup Artist Handbook, 2013).

Eyebrows were defined but they were not overplucked, they could be arched or rounded, and eyebrows were groomed, defined, and shaped with an eyebrow pencil which came in brown or black. Eyebrow pomades were also created for unruly eyebrows however Vaseline could also be used (Hair and Makeup Artist Handbook, 2013).

Mascara was available in black, brown, and blue and was mostly applied to the upper lashes, but some women chose to apply it to both upper and lower lashes. Women would use burnt cork as mascara during the war due to the cosmetic shortages (Hair and Makeup Artist Handbook, 2013).

During the war eyebrow pencils would be used to create subtle emphasis to the lash line which meant that colours available were black and brown. However, towards the end of the decade the doe-eyed trend began which continued into the 1950s, this led to eyeliner pencils becoming widely available in multiple colours including blue, walnut brown, and green (Hair and Makeup Artist Handbook, 2013).

During the war eyeshadow wasn’t widely available meaning women used substitutes such as burning a candle under a jar which would create a sooty residue which was then mixed with petroleum jelly to make a grey paste which was then applied to the eyes. Colours were often grey or brown, however, there was some greens, blues, and violets were available and after the war more colours were available including gold for evenings.

Colours for all occasions for the brown-haired woman from Helena Rubinstein (1945).

Application of eyeshadow was simple as 1 colour was applied to the eyelid using your finger, this was then blended towards the eyebrow however it would only slightly go beyond the corner of the eye, this meant that women wore 1 shade only and there was no shading in the crease or highlighting the brow bone (Hair and Makeup Artist Handbook, 2013).

Max Factor's guide to applying eye makeup (1940).

Gene Tierney with classic 1940s makeup.

Going to see a film was a common way of spending the evening and coloured films allowed women to see which shades their favourite actresses wore and the looks found in movies were copied by ordinary women, the glamour look of film starts was desired, however, magazines would show pictures of women looking glamourous at work in their work clothes.

Rita Hayworth.

Long hair was hazardous due to the risk of it getting trapped in machinery like in factories or on farms, this led to short hair being required, to persuade more women to cut their hair short, Veronica Lake cut her hair short. Women in the armed services had to follow the rules which included the hair being off the collar while at work, a hat was part of the uniform which meant that the hair was styled to fit this. Products such as shampoo were short supplied and water was rationed which meant that women would rarely wash their hair, scarves were used to protect the hair from dirt while working in the factories.

Example of working woman’s headwear during the war.

People moved away from utility clothing after the war and new products were used despite rationing being firmly in place and “ these new products and fashions were heartily taken up because people wanted to leave the drabness of war behind them” (Hair and Makeup Artist Handbook, 2012).

Hair was mostly cut in a U shape curving up towards the ears, long hair was often set and left in pin curls under a head scarf, however, for less dangerous work “the back could be secured in a snood with the front waved or pinned off the face” (Hair and Makeup Artist Handbook, 2012).

Waved and curls were extremely popular and a pageboy was one of the most popular hairstyles which consisted of “a smooth and curled under roll that goes all round the sides and back of the hair” and this style best suited medium to long hair (Hair and Makeup Artist Handbook, 2012). 

(Colour picture): A smooth pompadour. (Black and white): Everyday women with half waved and then full waved pompadours.

Braids, hair clips, grips, hair nets, berets, turbans, headscarves, and ribbon were popular accessories which were added to the hair.

There was very few health and safety regulation in factories which meant that serious injuries were common. Many people often suffered respiratory illnesses due to the dust in their workplace and the number of deaths in workplaces was high, for example, in the year 1947 there was 839 deaths in places covered by the Factories Act (Union History, 2012).

Women were in factories making weapons and they were in danger due to working with explosives and dangerous machinery, in 1944 there was serious accident in Lancashire when women were filling trays of anti-tank mine fuses when one of the fuses exploded, setting off the rest of the fuses in the tray. The Daily Telegraph reported that the girl was killed instantly, and her body disintegrated and the 2 women standing behind her suffered serious injuries, the building was also badly damaged (My Learning, No Date). 

Women Working in a WW2 Munitions Factory

Women also worked with dangerous chemicals such as sulphur and these women were called Canary Girls as their skin had turned yellow because of the contact with the chemical.  

A women had an accident that meant that she fell spilled hot TNT on herself, it covered her entire face including her eyes and nose, she was taken to see a medic and when they removed the TNT from her face it was red and severely burnt, she was left with a lot of scars, however, she returned to work an hour after her accident.

Women were also sent to work on farms and they were called Land Girls, they were at risk of serious injuries and sunburn was common, but many women enjoyed their work and enjoyed helping during the war.

WW2 Land Army Woman with a Horse

Common injuries included amputation and women would often go blind if there was a detonation while at work, a pregnant woman once lost both her hands and lost her sight which means that the only way she could determine the gender of her baby was by using her lips (BBC, 2017).

Explosions was the most common cause of injury; toxic jaundice was also extremely common (BBC, 2017). 

“The type and severity of wounds sustained due to explosive munitions are usually a complex mix of ballistic, blast, and burn injuries primarily dependent on the casualties' distance from the epicentre of the explosion” (NCBI, 2007) and shrapnel and burn injuries were the most common forms of injury and people would often suffer burns and open wounds, however, people further away from the site of the explosion are less likely to suffer burns.

Office of Medical History

 John Christies was one of the most infamous killers in the 1940s, he murdered at least 6 people including his wife and he was arrested in 1953. His first murder had taken place in 1943, it was the murder of a 21-year-old woman who he strangled to death during sex. His second victim was his 32-year-old neighbour, she became unconscious after inhaling carbon monoxide, while unconscious he violently raped and strangled her, she died in the process. His next victim died in 1948 and was a woman who was wanting an abortion and she was raped and strangled by Christie, he then told her husband she had died as a result of the abortion and convinced him not to go to the police (Biography, 2014).

In 1952 be murdered his wife, he strangled her and hid her body under the floorboards, he told her family that she had fallen ill. His 5^th victim was a 25-year-old pregnant prostitute who was gassed, strangled, and raped in 1953 and her body was placed in an alcove behind a cupboard. His final victim was a 26-year-old who was gassed, strangled, and raped, her body was also placed in the alcove behind the cupboard (Biography, 2014).

After being found guilty, he was sentenced to death and hanged in July 1953 (Biography, 2014). 

Bibliography:

History (2009) World War II Available at: https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/world-war-ii-history (Accessed: 2^nd November 2020)

Hair and Makeup Artist Handbook (2013) Women’s 1940s Makeup: An Overview Available at: https://hair-and-makeup-artist.com/womens-1940s-makeup/ (Accessed 3^rd November 2020)

Hair and Makeup Artist Handbook (2012) Women’s 1940s Hairstyles: An Overview Available at: https://hair-and-makeup-artist.com/womens-1940s-hairstyles/ (Accessed 3^rd November 2020)

Union History (2012) Voices From the Workplace 1945-1995 Available at: http://www.unionhistory.info/britainatwork/narrativedisplay.php?type=healthandsafety (Accessed: 3rd November 2020)

My Learning (No Date) Women at War: The Role of Women During WW2 Available at: https://www.mylearning.org/stories/women-at-war-the-role-of-women-during-ww2/743#:~:text=Around%20950%2C000%20British%20women%20worked,to%20seven%20days%20a%20week.&text=Some%20munitions%20workers%20handled%20toxic%20chemicals%20every%20day (Accessed: 3^rd November 2020)

BBC (2017) The Canary Girls: The workers the war turned yellow Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-39434504 (Accessed: 3^rd November 2020)

 NCBI (2007) Military and Civilian Burn Injuries During Armed Conflicts Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3188083/ (Accessed: 3^rd November 2020)

Office of Medical History (No Date) Wound Blasts Available at: https://history.amedd.army.mil/booksdocs/wwii/woundblstcs/chapter6.htm (Accessed: 3^rd November 2020)

Biography (2014) John Christie Biography Available at: https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/john-christie (Accessed: 3^rd November 2020)