Secrets of the USSR: how Soviet women made beauty. Soviet beauty salons What manicure was in the 80s
First, a short digression into history:
1980s:
The longer - the better, acrylic is at the peak of fashion, and there is really only one rule: fingernails and toenails must be strictly the same shade. Bright. The nails were carefully grown, and then filed from the edges, forming a pointed middle.
Early 1990s
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Popular
Stained glass nails, lots of glitter, rhinestones and nail “earrings”: at the beginning of the last decade of the twentieth century, fashionistas seemed to recoup all those long years when nail polish was only red. At the peak - mother-of-pearl and "acid" shades. The "acute" form gets the beautiful name "almond-shaped" and has practically no alternatives.
1996
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This year stands apart in the history of manicure, because it was in 1996 that CND Nails took part in Fashion Week, and all critics burst into articles that manicure is also part of a fashionable image, and the designer's approach to it is quite justified. In fact, this is the beginning of a new era: manicure has turned from a purely philistine procedure into an art object. For the first time, the nails are filed, leaving the corners: the “square” on long nails turned them into small spatulas, but fresh! Original! Bold!
2000s:
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From bright colors and defiant combinations, the pendulum swung sharply in the opposite direction: French reigned supreme. The neutral shade on the plate and the white rim along the edge symbolized (well, they should have symbolized) the owner's disdain for ostentatious luxury and the desire for everything natural. The shape has also changed: a “soft square”, when the outer line follows the shape of the nail bed, is still considered the most successful for a harmonious look. "French" in the salons still costs more than a standard coating, but it gives out, rather, some isolation from the fashion world.
2010s
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Civilization! Robots inject, not humans! Down with kitchen slavery! Nail stickers have entered the market. With and without patterns, long-lasting or one-day, they almost supplanted lacquer staining, since they did not have to be applied evenly, they did not peel off, they were easily removed if necessary and made you feel like a designer. At the same time, a nail printer appears: print at least a portrait of your beloved grandmother! Thanks to the victory of technology, nails began to grow again: it’s easier than ever to stick a sticker!
2012
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The fashion for long nails is finally leaving: now cool - cut to the very root and covered with dark glossy varnish. Black, dark blue, purple are absolute hits. In contrast, Chanel declares fashion for pale pink shades and short nails on the catwalk, and no one can resist the queen of fashion: already on next year coming...
2013 - 2014
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... Nude era. Beige, nude, cream, milky, ivory, neutral, natural: no matter how many definitions were given to the new color trend. French lovers breathed a sigh of relief and continued to paint a white stripe along the edge, and the most advanced divas were limited to a shiny coating over the base. Long nails are completely ostracized, it is “allowed” to grow 1-2 mm, no more.
2015
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And this fading soon bored everyone. Nail art is experiencing a real heyday, a golden era: an elegant, aristocratic, minimalist design is in fashion: a thin strip in the middle of the white coating, a slight color accent on the corner. It’s not boring anymore, it hasn’t gone yet: perhaps it’s time to ask for a moment to stop. But it won't stop: new trends are on the way...
Even the youngest readers, whose mothers and grandmothers hunted for the same beauty treasures and kept the same scarce cosmetic gifts from abroad, can keep memories of cult cosmetics in the USSR. Times change, and since Lancôme powder has ceased to be amazing, we recall the harsh Soviet makeup products, many of which can still be found on the shelves.
Mascara "Leningradskaya" for eyebrows and eyelashes
The very mascara that should have been spit on (or soaked in other, more hygienic ways), scrape with a tiny toothbrush, and apply to the eyelashes. Until the 1950s, all mascaras were produced in this format: Rimmel, Maybelline, and the Svoboda factory had the so-called cake mascara. It had to be applied thickly and quickly, and skilled people really managed to create fluffy voluminous eyelashes with the help of compact mascara. Many, by the way, after the procedure also separated them with a needle for lack of a comb for eyelashes, and if the mascara got into the eyes, irritation was guaranteed. If you like pain, you can buy a copy of Leningradskaya in a variety of stores, and if you just like the vintage atmosphere, look for modern counterparts in conceptual brands: for example, Bésame Cosmetics produces such a nice solid mascara.
Foundation "Ballet"
58 rubles
Another bestseller of the Svoboda factory is the first Soviet Foundation. The name transparently hints at the ambitions of the product: it is practically makeup, very dense and stable. On the one hand, he really covered all the redness and pimples, on the other hand, he looked like a mask, could emphasize bumps, lay down in stripes and do many other things, because of which he created more problems than convenience. In addition, the cream was produced in only one shade,. "Ballet" can be bought to this day, but in three color options: beige, peach and natural. The tool has become lighter, retained 100% masking skills and can even be suitable for people with unpretentious skin: it contains glycerin, lanolin, beeswax and other familiar components.
Perfume "Red Moscow"
636 rubles
Today, most people will say about this floral chypre that it smells like a grandmother - "Red Moscow" could be found in almost every home on all dressing tables in the country. If we discard the stereotypes, wearing "Moscow" is possible and necessary: it is a complex and bright fragrance, and it is better than many conventional evening scents from the mass market. Him rich story: originally named "The Empress's Favorite Bouquet" and dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty, the fragrance has survived the revolution and change of power to become a true symbol of Soviet elegance. In the USSR, and even the Novaya Zarya factory itself had other perfumes, but Moskva easily overcame class differences and financial restrictions, and therefore became the main one.
Ruby Rose Eyeshadow Palette
450 rubles
A real flood of the market with cheap imported cosmetics happened in the 80s: crazy-colored nail polishes, mother-of-pearl lipsticks, powders with disgusting sponges in the kit. For those who preferred the one that creates a holiday on the face to basic cosmetics, the Ruby Rose multi-color palettes of shadows were the object of desire: sets of 12 or 18 colors existed, it seems, in all possible versions. Of course, adjusted for fashion: basically everyone chose mother-of-pearl blue, white, purple, green shades or used brown. The shadows fell, lay unevenly, but in the 80s and 90s (especially for schoolgirls) they seemed no worse than unattainable luxury palettes - they could make the perfect make-up for a disco. The brand still exists.
Hairspray "Charm"
169 rubles
For the hairstyles of Soviet women were often responsible perm, hydrogen peroxide and other things of dubious benefit, and daily styling products were often homemade - for example, sugar syrup. Therefore, the very fact of the appearance of an affordable domestic hairspray in the 70s was perceived as an event, and the composition, texture properties and fragrances, and other trifles worried the consumer little. By the way, “Charm” varnishes cannot be called of poor quality: they are not very convenient to spray and easy to apply more than necessary, but they perfectly fix the hair. The era of bouffants has passed, and the Charm product line is replenished with a variety of new products and other formats.
Rose Powder Lancôme
2 873 rubles
Despite the fact that in almost every category of makeup or care products there was a domestic substitute for luxury, Soviet women dreamed of something else: powders, blushes and lipsticks of the famous expensive brands Lancôme, Estée Lauder, Dior. Alas, Soviet lipsticks sometimes tasted like either soap or rubber, and the powders lay down in a thick layer. It was possible to get a French product with a pleasant texture and delicate fragrance by being born very rich, visiting the Beryozka store or catching dealers in the market. Not so much has changed: most people still prefer Lancôme powder today to domestic flower powder.
Kiki nail polish
79 rubles
Another herald of budget changes is Kiki's colorful nail polishes, available in hundreds of textures and colors. Due to the relatively low price of consumables, manicures could be changed at least every day: they did not last long, however. Perhaps not even because of the properties of the varnish itself, but due to the fact that the base, fixative and top for manicure were then excesses - the nails easily deteriorated. Today, Kiki-branded nail polishes still come out, but times have changed, and even in their price range, you can find better and more interesting products, and shimmery blue nail polish or a shade of fuchsia are in store for time travel.
In the late seventies, our heroine Galina Ivantsova changed her job at a scientific institute to a place at a manicure table. Soviet women are not some "filthy French women." It turns out that queues for manicurists lined up in the morning, although this was not included in any social package or standard of everyday Soviet life. About tips, conditions and connections - a story by Galina Ivantsova for Onliner.by.
A few years ago, Galina Ivantsova retired. I would have worked further, but my eyesight began to fail. For a manicurist, the eyes are just as important as the confidence of the hands, so our heroine changed her sedentary work pattern to active retirement: a house, a garden, grandchildren.
- I came to the hairdressing salon No. 2 in 1979,- says Galina (by the way, the Minsk hairdresser on Kirova, 1, opposite the station, is still working). - Prior to that, she managed to work for six years as a technician at the Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry. Around science, professors ...
The Soviet reward system was, of course, not without costs. For her work at the institute, Galina Ivantsova received 70-80 rubles a month. After a while, working as a manicurist, she will receive three to four times more.
- My mother pushed me: “What kind of salary is this!”- recalls Galina. - Through a friend, I came to get a job at the hairdresser's #2. Cool place for those days. Everyone came there to work "from someone" and on the recommendation. People were not taken from the street.
Jobs in the hairdressing salon appeared extremely rarely. The traditionally lucrative public service sector was protected.
- Five masters in the women's room, the same number in the men's room, four manicurists, cleaners, wardrobe girls - with the exception of a couple of people, all Jews: well-groomed, stately, smart. They went to them for hairstyles, manicures, communication and, of course, for culinary recipes. They taught me life without a drop of doubt, and I am still grateful to them. Many of them were long overdue for retirement, but they were in no hurry. And only when the path to Israel opened, they began to slowly gather. So there was an opportunity to get a free place.
There was nowhere to study - sit next to me, watch and remember. A couple of weeks later, having done manicures for my mother, friends and neighbors, I took the first client.
Manicure cost 22 kopecks - cleaning without coating. For 30 kopecks it was possible to make it coated. The set of loaves plus brown bread cost the same amount. Cheap? Yes. Today I would not go for a manicure, being a pensioner.
We had a plan - 7 rubles per shift. Count how many cleanings you need to do. And not just how, but in order to develop a clientele.
There was a problem with the instrument. Liquid varnishes gave exceptionally scary colors. In quality, they were more like building paints. But there should have been 20 flowers on the table - they mixed, they were wiser. To make it beautiful, they bought jars of petroleum jelly at the pharmacy. Vaseline was washed out, and the jars were filled with varnish. They put everything in some boxes from under imported sweets or cookies. Then the French perfume "Klima" appeared. When the perfume ran out, customers would bring us empty bottles. We poured varnishes into them. Workplace was transformed.
Even later, imported varnishes appeared on the market, we bought them with our own money. The client could agree to the Soviet varnish according to the official price list, or he could quietly pay us extra for the imported one.
The masters of the women's hall earned the most at the hairdresser's, especially during the season when styling, curling, dyeing began - up to 25 rubles could be received per day. My official salary was 140-160 rubles, not counting the "left" money. It is today that tips are legal, but earlier the authorities looked at them differently.
I remember well the first time they left me 15 or 20 kopecks for a tip. It offended me. But the Jewish colleagues quickly cooled down: wait, then you will be offended that you didn’t put in enough. In fact, I began to receive several times more than at the institute.
Once a respectable woman came into the hall with a child by the hand. She introduced herself as the wife of the chairman of the city executive committee and said to mow her grandson without a queue. Arkasha's hairdresser, pointing to the end of the line, replied: "Lenin - he was standing in line." Yes, we were, as they say, "useful" people.
I came to work at twenty minutes to seven in the morning and saw a crowd in front of the door: students, workers, pensioners, gypsies. We stood in a live queue, the record was conditional. If someone from the VIP entered through the back door, then he was simply entered retroactively. And so that the people from the queue would not become indignant, the cleaning lady carried the sheets to the back door. And a dear client entered the hall already in the image - they say, "in work."
Store directors, BSU professors, officials' wives... We received benefits in return. Shops were like coming home. A cleaning lady runs in: a sausage was delivered to a nearby store! We take a sheet, go through the back door and exit with a full bag. Weighing, payment - all later.
In the late eighties, hairdressing salon No. 2 was closed for repairs, and Galina Ivantsova moved to another, even more famous salon - Alexandrina.
I can only say good things about my colleagues. We managed to acquire, support and develop a strong school of manicure. In conditions of scarcity and lack of tools, we managed to show amazing results. Own customer base was not an official goal. But only in this way the first experience of helpful and attentive performers was formed in the USSR.
The nineties for manicurists are already completely different times. A tool, varnishes appeared on the market. Men began to come more often, there were businessmen, and bandits, and ordinary people. Alexander Solodukha drove up in a Mercedes, played us a cassette with his songs - we listened. His hair has always been not very chic, but he is a sociable and cheerful person. There were deputies, artists, scientists…
- Do you yearn for the USSR?
- What are you! No, no and NO! We often had guests, and setting the table was a real disaster. We could go to the store manager, but if he himself is empty, then what will he share? Constant running around, grabber, deficit. I don't even want to think about the past because of this. And the streamer from the queues at the end of the month? Was my family wealthy? There was a TV, a Zhiguli, a VCR appeared. But what is wealth? Therefore, I do not yearn for the USSR.
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How did the manicure in the USSR.
Our mothers and grandmothers did not want to stay away from fashion and beauty and also looked after themselves in the conditions of that difficult time.
Perhaps you caught your mothers at home applying cheap Soviet nail polish to themselves and were afraid to touch anything so as not to leave a mark on their nails? And the smell of acetone, to whom he is not familiar. Perhaps there are no such people.
Beauty tips were regularly published in the Rabotnitsa magazine and Soviet books with fashionable recipes. Including manicure.
Manicure sets and tweezers for cutting cuticles have come into fashion. Now anyone could independently, without leaving home, put their nails in order.
For those who did not want to bother too much, Soviet hairdressers provided this service for 35 kopecks.
Craftswomen met clients in white coats. The trimming procedure was about the same as it is now. First, the hands were steamed in a bath with soapy water. Then they did a hand massage with cream. Many still remember a narrow range of creams of that time. The palette of varnishes also did not differ in variety and durability. Red lacquer worn by special occasions for ceremonial events. On the rest of the days, Soviet fashionistas preferred to limit themselves to pale pink or transparent colors.
Nevertheless, through speculators it was possible to purchase high-quality bright foreign varnish. Although they cheated in no time, so sometimes you could be left without money and without goods.
Sometimes in the capital's department stores appeared in limited quantities varnishes of well-known foreign companies. At such moments, the rule “who had time, he ate” was in effect. Or rather, he took it.
Pedicure was also in demand, although a little less. Therefore, in the manicure rooms at the hairdressers, they did the same edged pedicure. As abrasive substances for removing rough skin on the feet, metal graters, tweezers and scissors were used, and sometimes even razors.Most Soviet women, nevertheless, preferred ordinary pumice to pedicure rooms. In the 70s and 80s, every bathroom had such a thing.
In the Soviet Union, as in any other country, women wanted to be attractive. That's just half a century ago, only a few managed to "get" real cosmetics. Fashionistas got out of the situation as best they could. Ordinary colored pencils, beer, silver paint were used.
Ink spat in
Arrows came into fashion in the 1960s. Soviet women did not want to lag behind Western beauties and also carefully drew a "bird" for themselves. But instead of a cosmetic pencil, a regular one was used. A sharpened match was dipped into the lead, and the arrow is ready.
Ink was also impossible to find during the day with fire. A mixture of vaseline, burnt matches, and tar was used. Later, all the beauties of the Soviet Union unanimously spat into the factory box with mascara, and then separated the eyelashes with a needle.
Silver as a shadow
To make the eye shadow, again, children's pencils were used. The stylus of the desired shade was rubbed to the desired condition. Those who wanted to look completely irresistible used the "silver". Women dipped their fingers in a shiny powder and then applied it to their eyelids.
Curling beer
Curlers, like everything else, were “gotten” in the Soviet Union. And those who did not succeed did not get upset and twisted their hair around a newspaper and beer. A rope was laid on the newspaper, the sheet was folded, and a strand was wound onto the finished roll. The protruding ends of the rope were tied together. To fix the curls before curling, the hair was moistened with beer.
Nail polish
With nail polish, too, everything was not easy. In the USSR, it was mainly sold colorless varnish. Then inventive fashionistas added blue pen paste to it, beaten Christmas decorations or the sheen of liquid from dissolved mother-of-pearl buttons.
You should not think that there were no cosmetics at all in the Soviet Union. In 1937, the first institute of cosmetics and hygiene appeared in Moscow, and on store shelves -