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She uses Miner’s Liquid Make Up, the amazing complete wartime make-up in a bottle. But she won’t get into trouble with the instructor, because she’s bowled him over too – in a different sense. Tractors are tricky till you get the hang of them, and this pretty landgirl has just bowled over a wall. The incredibly outdated advertising copy runs as follows: The Daily Mirror advertises ‘ Miner’s Liquid Make Up’ in May 1941, which is specifically aimed at Land Girls. This would prevent against ‘powdering one’s nose right under the Sergeant Major’s eye… would, after all, be a trifle unbecoming, if not against military regulations!’Īnd makeup manufacturers were quick to answer the needs of women who were thrust into new roles, but still wanted to look good.
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Again, the Coventry Herald reports on a ‘new special all-in-one powder and cream foundation’ lately introduced to the market, which promised to stay on all day long. Miracle Make-UpĪnd the strictures of a military life saw new demands required of makeup itself. For those who look chic in navy blue the special ‘stop red’ tint is the rage, whilst the young women of the WAAF find themselves catered for with the latest ‘red wood’ colour, which has the advantage of toning admirably with Air Force blue, while remaining inconspicuous.įor many women, wearing makeup whilst in uniform allowed them to retain some of their femininity, and keep their self-expression whilst otherwise bedecked in uniformity. ‘Burnt-sugar’ is the lipstick and nail varnish vogue for girls in khaki.
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Meanwhile, the Coventry Herald in February 1940 had its own suggestions for service girls:
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With khaki, Vivid Rouge and lipstick and Deep Peach powder are more flattering. 6d.), with English Peach or Rose Rachel Complexion Powder (3s. Yardley’s had the following suggestions for making-up in uniform:įor all blues, they suggest Natural Rose Lipstick (3s.) and Cream Rouge (2s.
Making history the second world war series#
In all 640,000 women served in the three branches of the armed forces (the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS), the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) and the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS)).īut were these women, taking on new roles in the military, allowed to use makeup? The Bystander in October 1939 comments how ‘Commandants seldom object to discreet make-up’ and that ‘Yardley’s…are ‘doing their bit’ by planning a special colour series to use with the various uniforms. By 1943, 90% of single women were working in factories, on the land or in the armed forces, all contributing to the war effort. In December 1941 the conscription of women was made legal. Using pages taken from the British Newspaper Archive, we will discover how women in the three branches of the armed services used makeup, how women adapted their beauty regimes to life on the home front, and how ultimately ‘war or peace makes little difference to women as far as their looks are concerned,’ at least according to the Coventry Herald. In this our fourth and final blog looking at the history of makeup, we delve into how makeup was used during the Second World War. Flung into new roles in the armed services and other industries, their home life turned upside down during blackouts and air raids, how did women use makeup during the Second World War?