The Fascinating Origin of Maybelline: From Kitchen Accident to Global Beauty Icon

Starting as a modest family business, the rise of Maybelline New York as a multinational cosmetics company reaching every nook and corner of the world is truly a fascinating tale. Over the years, by combining technologically advanced formulations with on-trend expertise, Maybelline has successfully transcended the limits of the cosmetics industry. However, the engrossing and captivating journey of Maybelline started as a chance discovery in an American family which later on changed their destiny and legacy.

For us to comprehend the history of this groundbreaking discovery, we need to know about two interesting personalities - Thomas Lyle Williams and his sister Mabel Ana Williams.

The ‘Maybelline’ Family History:

The original members of the Williams family, aka the ‘Maybelline’ family, included Thomas Jefferson Williams, his wife Susan Williams and their children William Preston Williams, Eva Kay Williams, Tom Lyle Williams, Mabel Anna Williams, and Noel James Williams.^[1] The Maybelline family was based in Chicago, Illinois, where they built their cosmetics empire over decades until it was sold to Plough Inc. in 1967, which was later acquired by L'Oréal USA Inc. in 1996.

Thomas Lyle Williams, a pharmacist and driven entrepreneur, formulated the revolutionary product taking inspiration from his sister Mabel Ana Williams in the year 1915. The tale behind this accidental discovery is so amusing that Tom Lyle's grandniece Sharrie Williams had to bring her family's long-hidden story to light in her book 'The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It'. ^[1]

Let’s dive into the fascinating world of Maybelline and appreciate the enthralling story behind its origin.

Birth of Maybelline:

The world-renowned Maybelline, known for its prevalence in the make-up industry, has a unique yet interesting origin story. The story involves Mabel Williams turning a disaster in the kitchen into an opportunity to enhance the beauty of her eyelashes and her brother, Tom Lyle Williams, converting it into a successful business venture. In 1915, Mabel Williams singed the hair off her eyebrows and eyelashes in an unprecedented cooking fire in the kitchen.^[1] This tragedy forced her to fix her singed eyebrows with the aid of a mixture she had learned about in ‘Photoplay’, a popular American film fan magazine.

The magical mixture involved her mixing ash and coal dust with a tiny amount of petroleum jelly. The trick worked, making her eyebrows appear thicker and fuller, which caught the attention of her brother Tom. Tom Williams, known for his entrepreneurial mind, turned his fascination with the way the product enhanced his sister’s beauty into a commercial triumph.

Tom, a 19-year-old who had tried out his luck in the mail-order business, realized the value of the product and decided to replicate his sister’s little creation at home using a chemistry set utilizing Vaseline, carbon black, cottonseed oil and safflower oil. Unfortunately, he was not successful in the venture and when Mabel applied it to her lashes, it ran into her eyes and stung them badly. However, it did not waver his determination and he later sought professional advice and commissioned Parke-Davis, a wholesale drug manufacturer, to make a suitable product. Tom was able to formulate a more refined, safe product with the desired consistency and texture. The product, initially merchandised under the name “Lash-Brow-Ine”, was sold by mail order through magazine ads in its early years. The scented cream consisted of refined white petrolatum along with several oils which were packed into small aluminum containers for sale.^[2]

It was only after a few years ago, in 1917, that Tom Williams began manufacturing an eyebrow beautifier and cake eyelash, which he named ‘Maybelline’ in honor of his dear sister Mabel Williams. Thus, the 1915 kitchen fire in the Williams household gave rise to one of the world’s largest cosmetic companies – Maybelline.

On the contrary, there are many other versions of the tale of Maybelline and most of them are romanticized retellings with certain elements being changed as per the targeted audience. Some focus on Tom’s deep interest in beauty and esthetics, which inspired him to help women enhance their appearance, whereas others stress on his entrepreneurial spirit. Whatever the origin story, Maybelline is one of the pioneers in modernizing the cosmetics sector and Mabel's influence in the development of this cosmetic innovation is truly remarkable.

References

1. Williams, Sharrie; Youngs, Bettie (2011). The Maybelline Story: And the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It. SCB Distributors. ISBN 978-1-936332-17-5. Accessed on March 03, 2025.

2. Sharrie Williams, “The Maybelline Story Blog,” n.d., Accessed on March 03, 2025. https://www.maybellinebook.com/search?q=maybelline.

By Jithin Paul

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