How smudgeproof lipstick was invented Moments of Vision 6 Jessica Oreck
In a Moment of Vision…
It’s the 1940’s.
The world is at war,
and for the first time
in American history,
women are joining the full-time
work force in droves.
An organic chemist by the name
of Hazel Bishop
is in the midst of designing aircraft fuel
for different oil companies.
But her true interests lie elsewhere.
The influx of women in the workforce
hasn’t changed the superficial
expectations of society,
and working women are expected
to look well-groomed
no matter their trade.
Bishop is sick of having to take time
to powder her nose
and reapply her lipstick.
Although the FDA has already begun
regulating cosmetics,
various ingredients in lipsticks
can be detrimental to lip health.
The bromo acid stains used to maintain
color in most lipsticks
are terribly drying.
Bishop spends her spare time
working with stains and dyes,
mixing oils,
and experimenting with molten wax.
In a moment of vision
and after years of hard work,
Bishop introduces one of the first
smudge-proof, long-lasting,
working woman’s lipsticks
that doesn’t just tint the lips,
but also keeps them healthy
and moisturized.
Marketed as the only kissable lipstick,
Bishop’s product takes off
and it isn’t long before rival companies
are not just replicating the lipstick
but creating other,
more practical cosmetics.
Today, lip cosmetics
are a billion dollar industry.