The red rouge lipstick endorsed by Hu Die, the invincible brand incense powder endorsed by Ruan Lingyu, Zhang Ailing made money for the first time in her life, "immediately went to buy a small Danqi lipstick"... Since the opening of Shanghai, the European style has gradually become eastward, and there are more and more types of modern cosmetics in the mainland. Alabaster, flower water, head oil, incense powder, lipstick, finger oil, etc. are loved by more and more women.
"In 1922, China's import of fragrance cosmetics was 2609372 two giants of customs", and by 1933, "the import of perfume fat powder had reached more than 1.5 million yuan". From cosmetics imported from the West, to domestic products such as pechoin, clam oil, flower dew and elegant cream, how did the cosmetics industry in modern Shanghai come into being? What kind of impetus does the rise of the cosmetics industry have on the mainland national enterprises and economy? The Paper invited modern history scholar Zhang Xin to talk about the history of the cosmetics industry in modern Shanghai.
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A blend of domestic and foreign goods
@紫小包: The fragrance of Shanghai's ancient Ya Cream is very similar to Lancôme's base cream, and the texture of Pechoin is very similar to the Vaseline base cream in modern European and American supermarket daily chemical products. In the metropolis of the Far East at that time, did these domestic and foreign goods have any intersection?
Zhang Xin: In modern China's cosmetics market, there is a phenomenon of blending domestic and foreign goods. Ru Ya Shuang was first sold in the mainland pharmacy founded by Mr. Fan Hefu, a Chinese businessman, which was founded in 1912 and initially dealt mainly in Western medicine, medical devices and imported cosmetics. Soon, Fan Hefu was directly engaged in the production of domestic cosmetics, and set up the main distribution office in Qipan Street, Wuma Road, Shanghai, and sales offices in Tianjin, Ningbo and other places.
Lancome, born in France in 1935, Lancome perfume was very popular in Shanghai at that time, and a popular phrase in Shanghai was: "I use French perfume", this French perfume roughly refers to Lancome.
Vaseline is an American brand that was first discovered in the 19th century and used as a pain reliever for burns and cuts. In 1859, chemist Robert Chesenburg set out to study this natural substance, and it took 11 years to finally extract and purify a pure white ointment. Robert named his work Vaseline and patented it in 1870, and it was in this year that he gave the brand its name, Vaseline. In 1900, Vaseline expanded globally and was introduced to China, and it was also popular with women at that time.
There are many cosmetics brands in modern China, including Shuangmei brand cosmetics produced by Guangshengxing, Samsung brand toothpaste produced by China Chemical Industry Society, Invincible brand dish cream produced by Home Industry Co., Ltd., and Pechoin balm produced by Fubeikang Cosmetics Co., Ltd. Foreign goods include Double Beauty, Xiashlotus Snowflake, Lux soap, Max Buddha, etc., these domestic and foreign cosmetics were all for women at that time.
@LINDAAA: What is head oil used for? Why is it no longer popular? I remember there was something called mousse. Were these kinds of cosmetics imported from the West at that time?
Zhang Xin: Head oil, oil cosmetics used to add shine to hair and achieve moisturizing effect. It is not popular now because modern hair care products have more varieties and better results, which can not only relieve itching and dandruff, but also grow hair and strengthen roots.
Mousse, also known as hair foam conditioner, foam styling agent, with hair care, styling, hair lotion and other effects, was originally invented in France and introduced to China from abroad.
@澎湃网友jQrIBf: Were there any fashionable cosmetics during the Republic of China? I feel that the Shanghai ladies and ladies at that time were no less pursuing beauty than now.
Zhang Xin: I divide the cosmetics of the Republic of China into two categories, one is luxury goods, including honey, glycerin, alabaster, powder, perfume, hair oil, nail polish, etc., most of which are imported products, mainly for wealthy households, highlighting the novelty and noble characteristics of the product, using women's pursuit of modern psychology, and the price is relatively high, which belongs to the trendy cosmetics of that time. The other category is positioned as daily necessities, including beauty powder, beauty ointment, soap, tooth powder, toothpaste and other products, mostly made in Japan and China, belonging to ordinary daily necessities.
At that time, Shanghai celebrities and noblewomen had a strong pursuit of beauty, so the word "modern girls" also appeared at that time, they were tied to new things, loved luxury, paid more attention to brands when buying cosmetics, and loved Western goods.
@乌龙: Is women's makeup in modern Shanghai influenced by Westernization, such as thin curved eyebrows?
Zhang Xin: The makeup of modern Shanghai women has been influenced by the West. The image of Western women appearing in newspaper advertisements and the makeup of movie stars have influenced the makeup of modern Shanghai women. For example, they envy the yellow hair of Europeans, dye their black hair yellow, and learn from foreigners, apply "yellow rouge" to their faces, and especially draw a huge "black circle" next to their eyes.
But thin curved eyebrows are Chinese aesthetics. In ancient China, there were Qingdai eyebrows, mandarin duck eyebrows, small mountain eyebrows, figure-eight eyebrows, split eyebrows, inverted eyebrows, etc., not only with different names, but also in different styles. In modern times, the popular eyebrow style is a slender eyebrow shape with a slightly upward tail, which looks like a slender string moon, called willow leaf curved eyebrows, showing the gentle beauty of women.
@石可爱大宝贝: When foreign makeup brands enter the mainland, in addition to the demand for profit, do they have certain political purposes?
Zhang Xin: Foreign cosmetics brands entering the mainland value economic interests, the cosmetics industry has become a profitable industry in modern times, the raw materials used in cosmetics are not precious raw materials, the production method is relatively simple, but the price is not cheap. For example, the first introduced pancreatic soap and tooth powder were because of the development of import and export trade, Chinese people came into contact with these products, coupled with the prevalence of luxury in Shanghai at that time, the general rich can use their money for life enjoyment at will, and modern foreign cosmetics are used by them. It was recorded that "the women of the city ... Food must be delicate, clothes must be imported from foreign goods, thrushes, lips, perms, diamond ring heels, renovated clothes, residential buildings, driving cars, everything, just enjoyment, extreme luxury, extreme indulgence."
The development and change of domestic cosmetics
@阿虾大侠: How did the name alabaster come about? What is the difference between alabaster and regular cream?
Zhang Xin: Alabaster is called alabaster because it melts when rubbed on the skin when heated, and the reaction of snowflakes on the skin is consistent. Alabaster and ordinary creams have different methods of use and different effects. Alabaster advertises three major effects, one of which is to cleanse the skin. That is, apply a larger amount of alabaster and rub it slightly, and then wipe it off with a clean gauze, so that the dirt on the skin and pores can be removed. Second, it can replace foundation when applying makeup, that is, before applying powder, apply alabaster on the face, and then apply powder on it, so that the powder applied is more durable and quite even. Third, it can be applied directly to protect the skin, hydrate and moisturize, and make the skin moist and bright. Ordinary creams are wiped directly on the face after washing the face to moisturize and rejuvenate the face.
@抽象爱好者: How was clam oil invented? Was it first invented by China or imitated by other countries? Is there really clam oil in it?
Zhang Xin: (1) In the sixties and seventies of the 20th century, people's lives were generally poor, cosmetics were basically extinct, but the winter was cold, people's warmth was relatively simple, it was inevitable that there would be dry cracks, frozen hands and feet, etc., in order to protect the skin, clam oil was invented.
(2) Clam oil was invented in China.
(3) Clam oil is just a clam shell to hold skin care oil, and there is no clam oil in it. It is formulated with a variety of mineral and vegetable oils, including white petroleum jelly, hard wax, paraffin, ozokerite, flavor, ice flakes (dipterocarp), white mineral oil and so on. Because clam shells are used as containers, it is called clam oil.
@喵喵嘎: What cosmetics are still used in modern Shanghai?
Zhang Xin: Modern Shanghai domestic cosmetics are still in use, such as Xie Fuchun duck egg powder, Kong Fengchun goose egg powder, Ya shuang, pechoin alabaster, bee flower sandalwood soap, etc. Foreign cosmetics such as Ponzi white jade cream, Lancôme perfume, palm olive soap, palm olive shampoo, lux soap, etc.
@YOYO Qiu: How do you think about the rise of domestic brands in recent years? Is the current domestic brand a continuation of modern cosmetics, or is it a domestic shell for Western products? If you used one beauty product to represent the beauty of Chinese women, what would you choose?
Zhang Xin: (1) The rise of domestic brands is the embodiment of the progress of China's manufacturing industry, and the quality and service awareness of domestic products have made great progress. It is also the result of the gradual change of consumer consumption habits and consumption awareness. There is also the continuous heating up of new media platforms, spreading the influence of domestic products. The rise of domestic brands is due to many reasons.
(2) I think that the current domestic cosmetics brand is neither a simple continuation of modern cosmetics, nor is Western products set a domestic shell. It is the product of a combination of modern technology and modern knowledge. It needs to conform to both modern scientific norms and the aesthetics of modern women.
(3) I think there is no beauty product that can represent the beauty of Chinese women. The beauty of Chinese women is colorful and diverse, and should not be limited by a single standard.
"Beautiful Economy": An Analysis of the Cosmetics Industry in Modern Shanghai, by Zhang Xin, China Social Sciences Press July 2023