During the Second World War, beauty routines were shaped by rationing, resourcefulness and a determination to maintain a sense of normalcy. Shampoo ingredients were diverted to the war effort, hot water wasn’t always guaranteed and hairstyles were designed to last for days as opposed to hours. Victory rolls, pin curls and sculpted waves needed stayingContinue reading “Cornstarch as Dry Shampoo: Women Used During WWII”
Tag Archives: WW2
5 Surprising Ways Women Used Lipstick in the 1940s
During World War II, lipstick was much more than make-up, lipstick served many purposes during this period of time. With rationing, shortages and strict limits on cosmetics, women got creative! Women also became incredibly resourceful. A single tube of lipstick often had to do the work of an entire beauty bag, if you can believeContinue reading “5 Surprising Ways Women Used Lipstick in the 1940s”
The Soap‑and‑Matchstick Brow Trick Used in WWII
With cosmetics rationed and luxury items scarce, women turned to whatever they had at home and one of the most surprising innovations of the decade was the soap‑and‑matchstick brow trick. Long before brow gels, pencils, and pomades, women used a simple bar of soap to lift and shape their brows. But wartime resourcefulness added aContinue reading “The Soap‑and‑Matchstick Brow Trick Used in WWII”
How to Re‑Create 1940s Victory Rolls (Step‑by‑Step)
The iconic wartime hairstyle. Victory Rolls were a symbol of strength, femininity and wartime resilience. Today, Victory Rolls has become one of the most recognizable looks of the 1940s. Re-creating this popular hairstyle is actually easier than what most people think. With a few tools and the right technique, this classic hairstyle that defined the era,Continue reading “How to Re‑Create 1940s Victory Rolls (Step‑by‑Step)”
15 Wartime Beauty Hacks Women Actually Used
Resourcefulness, rationing, and the creativity that kept women glamorous through WWII. When the 1940s rolled around, it was a decade of sacrifice, it was however, also a decade of ingenuity. With rationing, shortages and factories re-directed to the war effort, women had to reinvent their beauty routines using whatever they could find at home. TheseContinue reading “15 Wartime Beauty Hacks Women Actually Used”
Chanel and the Occupation: Was Chanel a Spy or Wasn’t She?
Paris was occupied, couture was collapsing, as for Coco Chanel, the lady who built an empire on freedom made choices that would haunt her legacy long after the war ended. Coco Chanel built an empire on simplicity, modernity and an almost ruthless clarity of vision. But when the 1940s rolled around the 1940s, the decadeContinue reading “Chanel and the Occupation: Was Chanel a Spy or Wasn’t She?”
