I was cleaning out some old suitcases that once belonged to my late mother and I found two or three cosmetics bottles with Lena Horne's name on each of the beige and cream-colored labels.
Lena Horne, a major African-American star of stage, screen, and records, had her own cosmetics line in the 1950s and/or 1960s long before current celebrities like Halle Berry and Beyonce ever did. No other black entertainers of that time, as far as I know, had products produced using their name. The one exception that comes to mind would be boxer Archie Moore whose name and likeness appeared on half-gallon milk containers.
I don't know if her cosmetics line is mentioned in any Horne biographies but it would be fascinating to learn how this business came to be and whether or not she was influenced by Madame C.J. Walker, the African-American hair care products entrepreneur. It's the sort of story that should be of interest to a national publication like Black Enterprise or Essence for its historical significance if nothing else.
In the meantime, I'm saving the bottles as collector's items.
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Hello. I am a beauty writer specializing in vintage and I am working on an article about cosmetics for African-American women during the early and mid-20th century. I would be forever grateful to get a photograph of the Lena Horne makeup bottles. Thank you so much, Lauren lauren@hrstbooks.com
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