Max Factor

Max Factor

Company type	Brand
Industry	Cosmetics
Founded	1909 (1909)
Founder	Maksymilian Faktorowicz
Fate	Acquired by Procter & Gamble in 1991; acquired by Coty in 2015
Headquarters	Los Angeles (historical headquarters) , United States
Owner	Coty

Max Factor is a cosmetic brand owned by Coty, originally established in 1909 by Maksymilian Faktorowicz. Initially focusing on film makeup, Max Factor & Company remained under family control until it was sold in 1973 for $500 million (equivalent to about $2.84 billion in 2017). Later, in 1991, Procter & Gamble acquired the company.

History

Maksymilian Faktorowicz, born in Congress Poland, began his career as a wig maker in Moscow before relocating to the United States in 1904. Settling in Los Angeles, he took advantage of the growing film industry by supplying custom wigs and theatrical makeup products. Additionally, he served as the West Coast distributor for prominent theatrical makeup brands such as Leichner and Minor.

Noting that conventional stage greasepaint did not perform well on film, Factor innovated a "flexible greasepaint" by 1914, which helped establish his status as a trailblazer in cinematic cosmetics. He personally applied tailored makeup to stars including Mary Pickford, Jean Harlow, Bette Davis, and Judy Garland, enhancing their screen presence.

In 1918, he introduced the "Color Harmony" face powder line, offering an extensive array of shades to ensure consistent customized appearances. He developed distinctive colors for celebrities like Jean Harlow (Platinum) and Joan Crawford (Special Medium), aiding in their unique branding—for instance, emphasizing Crawford’s lips to differentiate her from imitators of Clara Bow’s look.

By 1920, influenced by his son Frank, the company transitioned from using the term "cosmetics" to "make-up," which carried greater prestige. In 1922, after being overlooked by Leichner’s German headquarters despite being their largest customer, Factor launched his own line of greasepaint packaged in sanitary collapsible tubes, rapidly becoming the market leader.

Throughout the 1920s, his sons Davis and Frank assumed significant roles—Davis as general manager and Frank contributing to product innovation. The firm handled substantial contracts such as supplying 600 gallons of light olive makeup for extras in Ben-Hur and created the first waterproof theatrical makeup for Mare Nostrum.

Broadening its scope beyond cinema, Max Factor formed an internal public relations department by the early 1930s and inaugurated the esteemed Max Factor Salon in 1935, catering to many leading actresses of Classic Hollywood.

National distribution

While Max Factor concentrated on catering to the film industry, his offspring sought to broaden the company's reach across the United States. In 1927, Sales Builders obtained the rights to promote, distribute, and retail Max Factor products on a national scale. Capitalizing on Max Factor's connections within the movie business, advertising campaigns featured celebrity endorsements, with actors receiving a nominal fee of one US dollar while simultaneously promoting their latest cinematic projects.

Development of Panchromatic

The transition to sound films replaced the loud carbon arc lighting with gentler tungsten lamps and introduced faster Panchromatic film, which rendered skin tones darker. This shift necessitated six months of research to formulate suitable makeup, as existing products tailored for black-and-white film were ineffective for everyday application. The newly developed Panchromatic makeup was officially trademarked in October 1929.

Development of Pan-Cake

The arrival of Technicolor film required innovative makeup solutions because Panchromatic cosmetics reflected colors unnaturally on screen, leading actors to avoid color productions. During Max Factor’s convalescence from an injury, Frank Factor spearheaded a two-year project to create the "T-D," later renamed "Pan-Cake" makeup. Presented in a solid cake format and applied with a damp sponge, it provided a matte finish that concealed skin imperfections. First used in Vogues of 1938, Pan-Cake was initially designed for cinematic use but quickly gained popularity for daily wear.

Despite early drawbacks—such as darkening skin under normal lighting outside studio settings—the product rapidly found favor among women using it privately. Although Max Factor preferred restricting its use to film, Frank recognized its commercial potential and developed lighter shades. Limited demand from studios delayed broader availability until production capacity increased. Following its appearances in Vogues of 1938 and The Goldwyn Follies, Pan-Cake was launched commercially with a nationwide campaign emphasizing color films, becoming the fastest-selling individual makeup item and the standard for all Technicolor productions.

Beauty micrometer

In the 1930s, Factor introduced the "Beauty Micrometer," an instrument designed to measure facial contours precisely and identify subtle structural imperfections that could be exaggerated on camera. This device enabled makeup artists to strategically apply cosmetics to mask flaws and improve on-screen appearance.

Max Factor's death

After Max Factor passed away in 1938, Frank Factor adopted the name Max Factor, Jr. and, together with family members Sidney Factor, Louis Factor, Davis Factor, and Max Firestein, grew the private cosmetics enterprise.

In 1939, Max Factor, Jr. began developing a smear-resistant, non-irritating lipstick that preserved its color throughout wear. Tested using a specially designed "kissing machine," this innovation culminated in the 1940 introduction of "Tru-Color" lipstick available in six red hues.

During World War II, the company produced camouflage makeup for use by the US Marine Corps.

Following 26 months of development, Max Factor, Jr. unveiled "Pan-Stik" in 1947—a cream-based stick makeup formulated for modern studio lighting and film technology. Released to the public in 1948, it quickly became commercially successful due to its fast application and non-greasy texture.

By 1951, the product line had expanded to include male grooming items such as shampoo, aftershave lotion, deodorant, and shaving foams.

The emergence of color television inspired the creation of Max Factor Color TV Make-up, which soon became a broadcast industry standard.

In 1955, the company introduced its inaugural fragrance "Electrique," followed by "Primitif" in 1958.

Max Factor Inc. acquired Sales Builders in 1956—previously responsible for national sales and distribution—prompting a major reorganization of its American market operations including advertising and sales departments.

By the 1960s, leadership comprised Max Factor, Jr., Max Firestein, and grandsons Donald Factor, Alfred Jay Firestein, and Chester Lee Firestein. In 1965, Max Factor, Jr. launched "Geminesse," an upscale collection of makeup, skincare products, and perfumes sold exclusively through uniformed clerks in department stores; its packaging drew inspiration from Greek sculpture to distinguish the brand.

The early 1960s also saw the company transition into a publicly traded entity with Class A shares listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The third generation—including Barbara Factor, Davis Jr. Factor, Donald Factor, Alfred Firestein, and Chester Firestein—assumed key executive roles during this period. The company’s historic Hollywood facility now operates as a museum.

Merger with Norton Simon

During the early 1970s, the Factor family's direct involvement diminished as Sidney Factor retired and third-generation members Barbara, Donald, and Davis Jr. Factor pursued other endeavors. Although Davis Factor stayed on as board chairman, Alfred Jay Firestein held the roles of president and CEO until the 1973 merger with Norton Simon. Shortly thereafter, Firestein unexpectedly passed away at age 48, with Chester Firestein stepping in as his successor. Chester resigned in 1976 to concentrate on personal matters, and coupled with Max Factor Jr.'s departure that same year, this marked the end of immediate family engagement in the company.

While Chester Firestein was at the helm, the firm broadened its international reach and introduced new products such as Musk For Men, UltaLucent Waterproof makeup, and the Halston fragrance line in 1975. The latter rapidly ascended to become the second most popular designer scent globally after Chanel No. 5. Norton Simon also launched "Maxi," a makeup brand aimed at younger demographics featuring competitively priced items like lip gloss and mood lipsticks designed to rival competitors including Bonne Bell and CoverGirl. Despite these efforts, Maxi along with Geminesse and Max Factor lines were unable to halt declining profit margins and shrinking market share.

By 1983, Norton Simon had been acquired by Esmark, by which time no members of the Factor family remained involved in day-to-day management. The following year, Esmark merged with Beatrice Foods, situating Max Factor within Beatrice's Playtex beauty division and relocating its headquarters from Los Angeles to Stamford, Connecticut. In 1986, Ronald Perelman’s Revlon purchased Playtex beauty for $500 million. Revlon subsequently sold Max Factor to Procter & Gamble in 1991 for $1.5 billion.

By early 2010, Procter & Gamble ceased Max Factor's operations in the U.S., redirecting focus towards CoverGirl while maintaining Max Factor’s presence internationally. In June 2015, Coty acquired Max Factor along with other P&G beauty brands for $12 billion and reintroduced the brand in 2018 with a renewed focus on diversity and expanding its global footprint.

Innovations

Max Factor was a trailblazer in cosmetic advancements that significantly influenced the industry, including:

• 1914: Launched the first cosmetics designed specifically for motion pictures—a thinner greasepaint available in twelve shades and packaged in jars instead of sticks.
• 1917: Introduced "Supreme Liquid Whitener," formulated to smooth skin on the neck, shoulders, and hands.
• 1918: Released "Color Harmony," a face powder collection offering extensive shade options tailored for actors.
• 1925: Debuted "Max Factor's Supreme Nail Polish," a beige powder applied then buffed to achieve shine.
• 1927: Presented "Society Nail Tint," a rose-hued cream providing natural nail color, alongside "Society Nail White," an early version of French manicure product.
• 1928: Created cosmetics optimized for black-and-white film production, earning Max Sr. an Academy Award.
• 1930: Invented lip gloss.
• 1932: Developed "Television Make-up" to address emerging requirements of the TV industry.
• 1934: Released Liquid Nail Enamel, a predecessor to contemporary nail polishes.
• 1935: Opened the Max Factor Make-up Salon in Los Angeles and introduced "Pan-Cake," an early cake makeup formulated for color motion pictures.
• 1940: Unveiled "Tru-Color" lipstick—the first smear-resistant formula—featuring the signature "Hunter's Bow" shape favored by pin-up models.
• 1948: Launched "Pan-Stik" makeup.
• 1954: Introduced "Erace," recognized as the first concealer, along with a makeup line designed specifically for color television that remained standard until HDTV technology emerged.
• 1971: Rolled out the first waterproof makeup products.
• 1980: The Japanese branch acquired Pitera, an antioxidant derived from sake fermentation; this led to Max Factor Secret Key with Pitera, later rebranded as SK-II.
• 1988: Released the world’s first clear colorless mascara.
• 2000: Introduced "Lipfinity," a lip color offering up to twelve hours of wear without transfer.
• 2008: Launched "False Lash Effect" mascara.

These breakthroughs underscore Max Factor’s leadership role in product innovation and its substantial influence on cosmetic industry trends.

External links

• Official Max Factor Site
• Max Factor Museum Archive
• Interview with Makeup Artist Jan Thomas for Max Factor
• Jasun Martz, Former Creative Director at Max Factor