Flameglo Lipstick in a Pinwheel order Red Shade and in a 1942 World War II “Paper Tube Lipstick Container”

Flameglo Lipstick in a Pinwheel Red Shade and in a 1942 World War II “Paper Tube Lipstick Container”

It is nice to know a little background information about a particular item … that is part of the pleasure of collecting. One should always know something about their vintage treasures.

This is a vintage “Flameglo Lipstick in a Pinwheel Red shade” from 1942 that was packaged in a “Paper Tube Lipstick Container” due to metal materials being used for the war effort during World War II.

Besides being a rare vintage Flameglo lipstick, what makes this lipstick so rare and special is the fact that it is one of the few remaining lipsticks being offered on the Internet, from the World War II era that is in a “Paper Lipstick Tube Container.” It is difficult for young people of today that live in the land of excess of everything to understand that things such as a simple tube of lipstick were in such short supply during World War II. Metal and many other materials that were normally used for making cosmetic containers were needed and used to make weapons and other items for supplying American-made products that would be used in World War II by American soldiers and their allies.

As a result of the metal being used for the American war effort to fight the Axis powers (which consisted of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan.) paper, wood, and plastic materials were substituted and used to make lipstick containers and compacts for holding rouge and face powder … when materials were available to make them. Just about everything during World War II was in short supply and was often rationed. When a woman was unable to buy a new tube of lipstick (even if it was encased in a paper, wooden or plastic tube,) she gently scrapped out the remaining lipstick in her old tube and melted it down in order to pour it alone or with a similar shade into an easy to access container so she could use what was left of the product.

Servicemen on leave would often attend clubs that were run by the American Red Cross and the United Service Organization (referred to as the USO,) They were places where young servicemen could go relax at various times during the day and evenings, one could play checkers, cards, read books and magazines and possibly meet new or old friends. Grandmothers and older married women provided support for the American military men by serving refreshments such as coffee, tea, “soda pop,” sandwiches, and donuts at the centers. In the evenings, they also played music on a record player for those that wished to dance … if they did order not have a small live band as some places did.

Since young men went to serve in the various branches of the military, women worked in the offices, stores, and factories, doing the jobs that the men formerly did since there were few single men available. Both young men and women longed to have a date (boys will be boys and girls will be girls.) As a result, lonely young men in their handsome-looking military uniforms would attend the USO clubs. Single young women also attended, and they were thrilled to go to such places with a girlfriend (young women would emotionally support each other because they would normally be too shy to go alone and look cheap in the eyes of others.)

When attending a USO club, a young woman would dress up in her best clothes, and wear what little makeup she possessed in order to look attractive and desirable looking. Since cosmetics were in short supply and in some places, non-existent, women became as creative as they are, and used an old theatrical stage technique of using burnt cork to use as a substitute for eyeshadow and mascara, cochineal or beetroot juice was used as a substitute for lipstick. British women kept themself smelling fresh by using bicarbonate of soda as a deodorant … women are much more ingenious in using their brains than us men who seem at times to only think with our lower brain.

When. it was available, some young women painted their legs with a tan liquid makeup (which looked like streaked mud if it was not properly applied.) British women sometimes did the same thing, but they used gravy browning to tint their legs. After coloring one's legs, if one had a cosmetic pencil (or a soft pencil substitute for one,) they had a girlfriend draw a straight line down the back of their legs to represent the “seam” of a stocking … since silk stockings were not to be found due to silk being used to make parachutes for paratroop soldiers. Once the young women were inside one of the Red Cross or USO clubs, they would sit or stand together or gather in small groups until a shy young man would approach one of them to talk or ask for a dance.

Dating during the war was limited since all of the handsome eligible young men were away somewhere serving in the military, so it was a thrilling time for both the single young men and women to be in one of the Red Cross or USO clubs. So many handsome men … so many choices … so little time … which one to decide on? ... The older married women sort of kept an eye on everyone in order to keep everything properly in the clubs … what happened once a couple left the club together … well that was another matter. But it can be said that romance did blossom and many couples did marry as a result of meeting one another at one of the Red Cross or USO clubs.

Magazine advertisements and movie posters often featured young men in uniform kissing a young lady. Such romantic advertisements were a subtle reminder to women that romance was still alive, and the ads discretely suggested that a woman should use cosmetics to beautify herself and send a picture of herself looking her most desirable looking to her loved one in the service. Men loved getting mail from home and receiving an attractive picture of one's wife or girlfriend was treasured like a piece of gold.

A deep rich looking shade of red lipstick has always been the favorite color of women and men. Today, feminists state that red is a sign of power and strength (and it is,) but to many men throughout time, the look of red lips has been a suggestive sexual allure (feminists, everyone has a right to express their own opinions.)

It has been reported that Adolph Hitler hated women wearing red lipstick. Because his Aryan ideal of a woman was a pure, un-scrubbed face. Female visitors to Hitler's vacation home called “The Berghof” (or Mountain Farm, which was located in the scenic Bavarian Alps near Berchtesgaden, in Bavaria, Germany,) were given a list of things that they must do and not do, such as avoid the excessive use of cosmetics, avoid wearing red lipstick, and a woman should never color her nails. These requests sound rather unusual and puritanical … especially coming from a man that had a long secret intimate relationship with his own niece (who supposedly killed herself with Hitler's gun.)

As a result of Hitler's dislike of red lipstick colors, American women and those in allied countries began wearing red lipstick colors as a sign of patriotism and a statement against Nazism, Fascism, and Imperialism. The famed cosmetic manufacturer Elizabeth Arden was asked to create a lipstick shade that was specifically designed for women in the military. As a result, in 1941 she created a bright, vibrant red lipstick that perfectly matched the red piping and chevrons on the women's military uniforms. The shade was called “Montezuma Red.” Another red lipstick shade was called “Victory Red” … in order to promote a positive mindset of Victory over the Axis powers.

The lipsticks that were used during the time period were matte red shades, but if one desired to display a pair of luscious and tantalizing-looking lips … one quickly applied a touch of petroleum jelly over their lips … doing so created the desired effect … it was a female's way of silently arousing, stimulating, and offering something desirable and obtainable to the man that she smiled at with those moist looking red lips.

In the 1930s, lips were cute looking like Clara Bows lips … but in the 1940s, one has to think of Joan Crawford's large and inviting “smear” of red lipstick design created and promoted by the famous Westmores of Hollywood makeup artists. … There was nothing cute about the design of the lipstick shape in the 1940s… the very large overdrawn red lips were a statement of pure sex appeal that was intoxicating to men.

This is the ideal vintage product for the vintage collector of rare vintage lipsticks or vintage cosmetic products from the World War II era. You will not find many like this rare vintage item. There are very FEW Flameglo lipsticks being offered anywhere and there are even fewer being offered in a Paper Tube Container!

Each vintage cosmetic has a unique and interesting story of its own.

This vintage item was previously part of the personal makeup collection of famed Hollywood makeup artist Ben Lane. Mr. Lane was the former Director of the Makeup Department for R.K.O. Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, Warner Brothers Pictures, and Warner Brothers Television. He was a makeup artist on a variety of classic films such as The Good Earth, Gunga Din, Show Boat, and countless other films of the Golden Era of Hollywood. His last film before his retirement was the 1981 lovable classic film “Annie.” He was one of the original founders of the Motion Picture Makeup Artists Association (MPMAA,) which later in 1937 became the IATSE - Local 706, Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Guild in Hollywood (the Film and Television union.) He was also a member of the Society of Makeup Artists (referred to as SMA on-screen credits,) and an Honorary Lifetime Member of the International Society of Makeup Artists (also referred to as ISOMA – it is an International Association of Makeup Artists.) See the ISOMA Internet website: http://isomacosmetics.com/honors.htm to see pictures of Mr. Lane working and to read more about Mr. Lane's career under the heading on the left titled: ISOMA Honors.

Mr. Lane had a large unique collection of vintage Max Factor, Miners, L. Leichner, M. Steins, Chass. D. Hess, Zauder Bros, Warner Brothers, Westmore's of Hollywood, Chesebrough-Ponds, Colgate, Cutex, DeVilbliss, Don Juan, Dorothy Gray, Edna Wallace Hopper, Harriet Hubbard Ayers, Kurlash, Charles of the Ritz, Lady Ester, Lilly Dache, Marie Earle, Louis Philippe, Luxor, Naylon by La Cross, Nu Masca, Park & Tilford, Ruth Rogers, Kryolan, Ben Nye, Bob Kelly, Hazel Bishop, Revlon, Maybelline, Shiseido, Mark Traynor, Makeup Center, Custom Color Cosmetics, ISOMA Cosmetics, and many more.

Mr. Lane also had other rare cosmetic products that were related to the beauty and film industry in his collection from his many years of working as a makeup artist in the entertainment industry of Hollywood ... such as face foundations from the 1935 Elizabeth Arden “Screen & Stage” Cosmetic line (few people today know that this line existed after Elizabeth Arden spent millions of dollars manufacturing and promoting it, in. her quest to be the new Max Factor of Hollywood ... or the Elizabeth Arden of Hollywood. Ben Lane was one of Hollywood's premier makeup artists during the Golden Age of Hollywood movie-making.

If vintage cosmetics could talk ... they would reveal amazing secrets and stories.