Who Invented Lip Gloss?

Who invented lip gloss? Lip gloss is a marvelous thing: yummy, slippery, shiny and water-resistant. Many people turn to lip gloss to shine up their lips, but few know who came up with this fabulous stuff?

Max Factor-the man who later founded the company Max Factor & Co-is the man you can thank for your favorite flavor lip gloss. Factor created lip gloss for movie stars to wear in films back in 1930. Factor had been creating make up for movie stars for 15 years at the time he developed the first lip gloss.

Factor started out as the makeup artist for the Royal Ballet Company in Russia back in the early 1900s. He immigrated to the United States in 1904 and created his cosmetics company soon after. Max Factor & Co is responsible for the first pancake makeup, cover up makeup, mascara wand and lip gloss.

The first lip glosses were jar greasepaint lip glosses. Later on, stick lip glosses, lip glosses in graduated colors, color harmony lip glosses and finally retractable lip glosses came on the scene, one after another. All of these products were developed first for Hollywood, then for the general public.

Lipstick became popular with flappers in the 1920s, but was soon followed by the mass marketing of lip gloss in the 1930s, which was marketed as being less gaudy and more conventional than lipstick or grease paint.

Even today, the debate between lipstick and lip gloss remains a hot topic between make up artists.  Is it classier to wear a lip stain or a clear gloss? A matte lipstick or an iridescent lipstick? Lip gloss is more subtle than most lipsticks and is still appreciated by those who prefer a natural look.