The Classic Beauty Products (Your Grandma Loved)

Beauty routines need not be complicated nor expensive. (Nor does it have to be scary either!)

Our mothers and grandmothers knew that. My grandmother had no more than 5 beauty products in her bathroom cabinet, yet her skin still looked smooth and relatively wrinkle free when she passed away age 85.

The classic beauty products that she used loyally and faithfully throughout her life time are still very much relevant and popular today. These are the  beauty products that have withstood the test of time, found still in prominent positions on shop shelves, and are still beauty products to be reckon with.

Sure, the packaging may be different, and there may have more choices, but the core ingredients are still there – still essential ‘must haves’ in your beauty arsenal.

Here is our Top Ten Classic Beauty Products:

Pond’s Deep Cleanser Cold Cream, 9.5-Ounce Jars (Pack of 3) – Founded in 1918 by the New York pharmacist Theron T. Pond; Ponds is lanolin free, dermatologist tested and suitable for sensitive skin. It deep cleanses to remove dirt, make up and even the most stubborn mascara, and is probably one of the most well known deep cleansing cream the world over.

Nivea Creme 1 oz. Tin (Pack of 24) – This was the first water in oil emulsifier using Eucerit (a chemical substance found naturally in sheep wool) in 1911 in Germany.  The name Nivea is latin for ’snow white’. Nivea is great for dry skin, rough hands, and other dry skin patches on the body such as elbows and knees. Today, the brand has a multitude of products catering to all skin types but we still love the little tin.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant – If Sir Edmund Hillary used it when he climbed Mt. Everest in 1958, you know this cream is good for protecting your skin in extreme conditions. Eight hour cream is a  perfect traveling companion as it soothes dry chapped skin, lips, and hands. Much like the next product…

Vaseline Petroleum Jelly – I remember a top beauty consultant whispering to me she swore by vaseline petroleum jelly to keep her skin moist at night, and at age 50+, I believed her as she looked great.Voted one of the top ten budget beauty products, vaseline should be in every woman’s make up bag. From treating cracked lips to taming eye brows to adding gleam and shine to eyes and cheeks – many top make up artists swear by this unassuming product.

Max Factor Creme Puff Pressed Powder Makeup Fair Ivory (Warm Fair) – A Hollywood staple since black and white films, Max Factor first came up with the term ‘make up’ and in 1938, invented the Pan Cake – the first cake make up. Many top name actresses such as Jean Harlow, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford  swore by it.

L’Oréal Elnett Extra StrongHold Hairspray – 11.0 oz. – My grandmother had  a huge tall one on top of her bathroom cabinet that used to fascinate me. Still the hairspray of choice for many hairdressing salons the world over, this 45 year old product is growing again in popularity for the younger generation.

Mason Pearson Boar Bristle Hairbrush – If you are serious about your hair, this is the hair brush to have. The original was first made in 1885 in England, where Mason Pearson invented the ‘pneumatic’ rubber cushion hairbrush that became the standard for many hairbrushes today. It’s not cheap, but the boar bristles distributes your natural hair oil evenly and beautiful over every strand of your hair. Great stuff!

T. LeClerc Loose Powder This is a fabulous loose power that is light, translucent and hides a multitude of sins. Founded in 1881 in Paris by a pharmacist T.LeClerc, this powder is a well known secret amongst make up artists and movie stars. The color Banana is the choice for photo shoot perfect looking skin. I tried it (yes, it is yellow) and I can confirm most emphatically that it is true.

Chanel No 5 (3.4 oz) Eau De Parfum – 100% AUTHENTIC – Marilyn Monroe famously said she wore nothing but Chanel no.5 to bed and who could blame her? Coco Chanel brought us the little black dress, bell bottoms, jersey fabric (or then known as underwear fabric) as outer wear and of course, Chanel no.5. When this iconic French designer was asked why she did not marry the Duke of Westminister, her reply was “There have been several Duchesses of Westminster. There is only one Chanel.” How true.

Last but not least – OLAY Active Hydrating Beauty Fluid, Original, 6 Oz – The first batch was hand made in a home laboratory by the chemist Graham Wulff in the 1950s; Oil of Olay quickly became popular with the women in South Africa because it was made to closely resemble sebum found in young looking skin. This light weight, quickly absorbed fluid was a far cry from the heavy creams favored then and women the world over responded to this grease-less, matt looking  moisturizer. It is still one of the most popular brands around today.

Do you agree with this list? Have we left your favorite classic beauty product out that you think should be included? Leave us a comment!