Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
You must have been a beautiful baby
24
items My favorite beauty products using vintage formulas or are vintage inspired. They last because they work.
Sections
4
Let's face it, you're beautiful
Hair, There, Everywhere
Body, soft as velvet
Mmmm, perfume
Let's face it, you're beautiful
Face products from the past
Debuted in 1935, this recognizable vintage face powder has remained largely unchanged. I love it because it's affordable and gets the job done.
Airspun Loose Powder - Naturally Neutral - 1.2oz
Beauty brand based on vintage cosmetic colors and accessories. Looks gorgeous in your makeup vanity and on you!
Besame Cosmetics
Established in 1930, this brand continued evolving in the 50's using salon testing. My favorite formula is anything mint julep. You'll thank me later.
Queen Helene
This formula goes all the way back to the 1880s when it started as a witch hazel formula. It finally settled into the cream emulsion we know in 1904. Slather it on your face, wipe with tissue and rinse with cold water and you're set. If you really wa...
Cold Cream Facial Cleanser and Makeup Remover
What is vanishing cream? It's basically any moisturizer that vanishes into your skin once you apply it. Tracing back to Victorian times when make-up was a no-no, if it vanished, no one knew you were wearing it. Problem solved!
Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid & Ceramides for Sensitive Skin - Unscented - 3 fl oz
Revlon 440 Cherries in the Snow. An iconic color from 1953, it was immortalized by poet Sylvia Plath as her fav color. Who can blame her? It's not just a red, it's THE red of the 50s.
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick - 440 Cherries in the Snow - 0.15oz
One of Marilyn Monroe's favorite skincare lines, she loved the phyto bar and the shake-it tinted cream, both of which can be purchased today. It was rumored that a product from this line caused her to have a soft blanket of micro-hair on her face, wh...
Erno Laszlo
Confusing people since 1914, Noxema was created by a pharmacist for sunburns and eczema. In fact, the latter gave the product its name (no-eczema). That same pharmacist realized that if he found other uses for it, it would sell year round, so it was ...
Noxzema Classic Clean Original Deep Cleansing Cream - Eucalyptus Scented - 12oz
Hair, There, Everywhere
Vintage hair products
Seriously, this hairspray is awesome. It holds your style, but doesn't get crispy. You can brush through it without swearing. 1960's style that hasn't changed.
L'Oreal Paris Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold Unscented Hair Spray - 11oz
1965 called and they want their curl gelee back. What is a gelee? It's a mystery, but it works and it's less crunchy than a regular gel.
Dippity Do Girls with Curls Light Hold Gelee, 11.5 OZ
Considered the smell of the 70's, it's a weird blend of chamomile, sage, and bubblegum. For reals tho, I grew up in the 70's and this was everywhere. I wouldn't use it everyday, but it's fun for a night out or an all-out 70's costume.
Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific | Shampoo and Conditioner
"There is no curl stronger than a wet set that you sleep on. There is also nothing more uncomfortable." - Every person who has tried to curl their hair in history.
I've done several eras of reenacting and they all seem to want my hair curly, even th...
Pillow Rollers For Hair
It takes a little time to get used to, but Lottabody setting lotion is the go-to for historically accurate hair-dos with curls. Note: You need to cut it with water before you use it or you won't be able to brush it out!
Just remember, when working ...
Lotta Body Setting Lotion, 8 Ounce
All the hip chicks in LA use Suavecita pomade for their rockabilly do's, and you should too. A little dab goes a long way and it smells divooon darling!
Suavecita Pomade for Women – Medium Hold
When I fell in love with this light-weight pomade, it was easily available at Target or Wal-mart, so I apologize that it's a bit harder to get now. However, if you have fine, thin hair, it's worth it to track it down. It has a light, pleasant floral ...
Motions Salon Haircare Shine Enhancing Pomade
This vintage bouffant style sleep cap is adjustable at the top, depending on how much space you needed for curlers. This particular style by Andre is mostly tulle/mesh to allow air in to dry the wet set. However, the bottom was usually satin to keep ...
Vtg Andre Fantasies Hair Bonnet Frills n Fluff New Dead Stock Pink Blue Ruffles (vc4)
This is the modern version of the bonnet sleep cap for curlers I posted from Etsy. It is adjustable at the top and the satin keeps your hair from catching on the fibers and pulling out of the curlers or getting frizzy.
Andre Satin Swirl Sleep Cap & Bonnet
I've posted some bonnet sleep caps, but many women in curlers wore a pretty scarf over their curlers, with a few bobby pins holding it in place. Here's a nice video that shows you how to tie it https://share.google/ypQvMROi2sO3naiGr
Floral Print Square Scarf - A New Day™ Brown
Body, soft as velvet
Avon is a must when curating your make-up tray. Created in 1961, you still get the original scent. If you need a little more moisture, get the oil version. Moisturizing and keeps the mosquitos away. I know this first-hand!
AVON Skin So Soft Original Body Lotion - 11.8 oz
Hands down, this is my favorite lotion. Originating in 1911, the ingredients moisturize without sitting in an oily pool on your skin. During the pandemic I was washing my hands every 20-30 minutes for 8 hours at work and this product saved my hands. ...
NIVEA® Creme - Intensive Moisturizer For Body, Face & ...
Mmmm, perfume
Scent is a powerful time-machine that can instantly return you to that time you bought a perfume for a first-date that never ended. True story, I still have the bottle from the first date with my spouse and I sparingly use it for special occasions. I...
If you are looking for beauty items based on historical recipes, look no further than Little Bits. I've mostly tried their 1920s formulas and they were brilliant. Their perfumes are amazing as well. Not as overwhelming as modern perfumes, they offer ...
LitttleBits
Even though this came out in my junior year of high school in the late 80's, to me this was my teenage scent. It was the first time I felt I discovered a perfume that was "me." It's a clean, green fragrance with top notes of green notes, freesia, and...
Calvin Klein Eternity Perfume For Women
This perfume was inspired by Grace Kelly in 1955 and was based on the popular cocktail of the same name. I was lucky enough to get a sample from a 1960s bottle before the perfume was halted. The original perfume was very complex, but started with a l...
Gin Fizz Eau de Toilette - LUBIN ® Perfumes
My grandma bought me Jean Nate after bath splash for x-mas when I was in high school and I wasn't quite sure what to do with it, lol. Was it a perfume? Do I dab or put it in like lotion? This has been the question since it was first created in 1935 a...
After Bath Splash Mist, Original