Vintage Makeup - The Mystery of Rachel

Last week I wrote about my vintage purchases at a local market including some unopened face powders with my name on. Rachel was the name of a popular colour of face powder in the early to mid 20th century. But how did it come to be called that? I wanted to find out.

As is often the case with these sorts of things there are several possible stories!
The first I found in one of my makeup reference books - Retro Makeup.

Excerpt from Retro Makeup by Lauren Rennells

Elizabeth-Rachel Felix. Portrait by Joseph Kriehuber
Source: Wikipedia

This account came up a number of times in my research. But then I read about another Rachel - Sarah Rachel Russell (or Leverson), also known as ‘Madame Rachel’ (?1814 - 12 October 1880). It seems (as well as being involved in prostitution, fraud and blackmail) she sold cosmetics and toilet requisites in the 1860s, often making exaggerated or fraudulent claims. One product was a personal mixture of face powders.

Madame Rachel
Source: The Library of Nineteenth-Century Photography

Both interesting stories and I guess we will never be sure which is the true source of the name.
Anyway, as colour film and television came along, more shades of face powders were needed. Extra shades of Rachel were added such as Rachel No.1, Rachel No.2, Special Rachel and as seen here - Rose Rachel.