4.27.2011

LOOSE POWDER BOXES





LES BOITES A POUDRE
I must show my Coty loose powder box to you; its divine. The cotton flowers printed all over it are embossed which gives a unique 3D quality to the pattern. 
I mix its much too light powder with one from Maybelline (I love both textures a lot) which I deliberately buy a tad too dark. 
Why on earth do I do that? you are going to laugh. I like the carboard box from French brand Coty so much that I would rather do that than powder my face every morning out of a dark blue plastic box. Call me crazy. I'll do that until I run out and then I will surely put the right color Maybelline (I prefer it to any other brand I have bought so far and trust me, I have tried quite a few).
The whole exercise inspired me to look up the various loose powder boxes that have graced the vanities of many a chic lady in the 20th century.
I found quite a few and I am truly amazed at the beauty and artistry that went into those small rather fragile containers.


Klytia Institut de Beauté

Not sure; if anyone knows, please let me know.

D'Orsay's Milord; Very Haute Société

Various brands

Tokalon; for a white Pierrot look?

Houbigant; sweet and feminine

Jean La Salle; very 20's

This Roger Gallet box is near and dear to my heart as it held orphaned shirt buttons for years in our family from our grandmother to our mother; one of us children surely has it today. I am not sure who does. No one would want to throw away such a stunning box (embossed aluminum) embellished with such magnificent birds.
images lobrial-toquam, e.bay, site-annonce

au revoir.




5 comments:

  1. love this! the coty box caught my eye today- I am going to get one today ,my grandmother always had this as a staple. now it is a real decorating must have.

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  2. What a beautiful post you have written - Les Boites a Poudre...such beautiful boxes deserve to be treasured and admired. They make a charming collection.

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  3. Thank you for this great & lovely page you've put together with charm -- such interestingly chic containers -- at one time I too wore Coty loose powder in the States, the box that you opened the article with. I wish to explain something leading to a comment about that container (& plug a couple of great films while at it).

    Early this morning I was enjoying for the umpteenth time, "The Lady in the Window" on Youtube, a 1944 film noir directed by the famous Fritz Lang, starring Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, and Dan Duryea. Afterward, I began watching "Scarlet Street", another Fritz Lang film noir re-teaming these three actors. In France, you might be familiar with these, especially "Scarlet Street"; Wikipedia tells that it is a 1945 American film noir based on the French novel 'La Chienne' (The Bitch) by Georges de La Fouchardière, that previously had been dramatized on stage by André Mouëzy-Éon, and cinematically as 'La Chienne' (1931) by director Jean Renoir.[2]"

    Also since it appears you are in France and this excerpt is handy, here is a little from Wikipedia on film noir:

    "The term 'film noir' originated as a genre description, in part, because of this movie ['The Woman in the Window"]. The term first was applied to American films in French film magazines in 1946, the year when The Maltese Falcon (1941), Double Indemnity (1944), Laura (1944), Murder, My Sweet (1944), and The Woman in the Window were released in France.[2]"

    So around 12 minutes into "Scarlet Street," Christopher Cross & Kitty March are having their first drink together and as he compliments her face, she pulls out a compact case, shakes the loose-powder puff first, then applies powder to her face . . . (the puff makes a sound as tho there are beads inside of it; would be interesting to learn what she was using).

    Then about 20 minutes in, the camera shows a table top covered with items and among those, is your favorite Coty loose powder container! It's incredible that they have kept the design all of these years! I would say it is a classic design that needs no updating, and so no surprise in a way, but I can't think of any make-up items I've witnessed in a movie scene from 1944 that I've also used and can still purchase and that still looks so modern!! So it's worth mentioning and you can see for yourself!!! There are a couple of Youtube versions of "Scarlet Street" -- possibly the one with a better picture is " Scarlet Street (1945) - Full Movie" published Feb 28, 2013 by QuestarEntertainment. It seems this is a sign of how successful that specific design has been! I feel like going to get one soon!!

    Also from your page, I saw Houbigant for the first time in decades and if I recall correctly, I had that fragrance once, from a special gift shop here in Lansing, MI that had very exquisite things, and which no longer exists. Many a time I wished I still had that fragrance I loved it so . . . I will need to look into whether perhaps it is still available perhaps to order. What a surreal experience that would be!!! Thank you for igniting my hope on this!

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