Max Factor is a renowned American cosmetics company that was established by Maksymilian Faktorowicz, a Polish-Jewish make-up artist who was born in Russia, in the year 1909. Widely regarded as a pioneer in the field of motion picture make-up and wig-making, Maksymilian Faktorowicz, also known as Max Factor, received special recognition for his exceptional work in the form of an Academy Award in 1928. Throughout his illustrious career, he had the privilege of working with some of the most iconic stars of old Hollywood, including Bette Davis, Gloria Swanson, Mary Pickford, Pola Negri, Ben Turpin, Jean Harlow, Claudette Colbert, Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, and Judy Garland. As a testament to his influence and contributions to the industry, Max Factor was honored with a star on the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Max Factor’s innovative mindset led him to develop several groundbreaking make-up techniques, including the invention of flexible greasepaint, false eyelashes, the eyebrow pencil, lip gloss, pancake makeup, a color harmony range of face powder, and Clara Bow’s signature heart-shaped lips, among others. Notably, he was also the first to popularize the term “make-up” instead of “cosmetics” when referring to his products. Max Factor’s sons, Davis and Frank, actively participated in the business and played integral roles in expanding the company beyond the realms of the movie industry.

In 1927, Max Factor introduced his first line of cosmetics that were made available to the general public. Attracting attention with its slogan suggesting that every girl could achieve a movie star look by using Max Factor makeup, the brand quickly gained popularity. Despite several ownership changes over the years, including the acquisition by Norton Simon in 1973, Max Factor remained a family business until its subsequent sale.

During its tenure, Max Factor not only offered a wide range of cosmetic products but also ventured into the fragrance industry. One of its notable successes was the creation of the Halston fragrance, which became the second best-selling designer fragrance globally. The brand saw further ownership changes when Norton Simon was purchased by Esmark in 1983. Eventually, Max Factor found itself under the umbrella of Playtex beauty division, following the merger of Esmark and Beatrice Foods in 1984. The final change in ownership occurred in 1991 when Procter & Gamble acquired Max Factor from Revlon.

Max Factor, as a fragrance house, boasts an impressive collection of 11 perfumes. Its fragrance creations, crafted in collaboration with esteemed perfumers Jean-Louis Sieuzac and Laszlo Lengyel, span from the earliest edition in 1950 to the newest release in 1988.