The Smashbox Cosmetics line, which gets its name from the accordion-style device found on early cameras, is a common product in major department stores and skin care and makeup boutiques. Smashbox's founders, brothers Dean and Davis Factor, are the great-grandsons of the legendary Max Factor.
The Max Factor
The founders' famous ancestor, a Polish immigrant who once went by the name Max Firestein, came from modest beginnings. Max Factor Sr. sold greasepaint to stage actors in St. Louis before heading west in 1909 to Los Angeles, where he developed his own makeup line designed for film studio use that proved to be far less oppressive than grease paint, according to History Channel's website. Starlets who enjoyed the glamorous look of Factor's makeup on screen used it in personal appearances, and soon every woman wanted it as well. Max Factor cosmetics were released to the consumer market in 1927. Factor, who died in 1938, popularized the word "makeup."
Smashbox Photo Studios
Before Smashbox Cosmetics, there was Smashbox Photo Studios, which was formed by Dean and Davis Factor in 1991. Dean Factor, who received a master's in business administration from the University of Southern California, handles the business of Smashbox Enterprises, serving as chairman of the board and CEO. Davis Factor, a celebrity and fashion photographer, has shot for numerous print publications, such as Vanity Fair, Allure and Marie Claire. He also serves as chief creative officer of Smashbox Cosmetics. Smashbox Photo Studios are in Culver City, Griffith Park and West Hollywood, California.
Smashbox Cosmetics
The Factor brothers released Smashbox Cosmetics in 1996, but got off to a shaky start, noted Davis Factor in a September 2009 interview in Cosmetics Magazine. Smashbox Cosmetics was first launched in 50 Nordstrom stores. "We overestimated how big the sales would be," stated Davis. It took the brothers five years to draw personal income from Smashbox Cosmetics, during which time the income generated from the photo studios made up for the cosmetic line's losses. Davis attributes the success of the line to "artistry and innovation" as well as simply happening to be in the business of professional photography. Davis states, "When I started out as a photographer, the makeup artist on set was constantly applying powder on the models' faces. That really bugged me, and I thought there has to be a better way."
Why Women Use Smashbox
Max Factor makeup has its roots in early film, but Smashbox Comestics keeps a sharp eye on fashion trends when developing products. Paula Begoun, author of "Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me," describes Smashbox Cosmetics in its earliest incarnation as a "collection of trendy and fashion-forward colors coupled with a pleasingly neutral palette of foundations, concealers and powders." Smashbox Cosmetics consist of an array of makeup products appropriate for all skin tones. Smashbox Cosmetics aren't tested on animals and are marketed as dermatologist-tested and nonirritating. Smashbox Cosmetics packaging is recyclable.
Buying Smashbox
Smashbox offers a large selection of palettes and starter kits that feature some of the line's most popular products, priced between $29 and $129, as of October 2009. Smashbox Cosmetics can be purchased at Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom and Sephora or on the Internet from Sephora.com, Beauty.com and the Smashbox website (see Resources).
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