Today, 25th July, would have been my late mum’s birthday. This post is a tribute: a gentle wander through my memories of her, and of the timeless glamour she embodied.
My mother, Joyce, was a striking woman – elegant, sharp, and always immaculately presented. She cared deeply about how she was perceived, perhaps a little too much for my liking, but I understand this was very much a generational thing. She had me later in life by traditional standards, so I’ve always treasured the old photos of her in her earlier years – to my eye, she had a real film star edge.
Back then, she was quite the glamourpuss, even in the most unglamorous of conditions (here’s a photograph of her taken in Milluni, Bolivia in 1952 that proves it).
Mum’s beauty routine wasn’t about elaborate ten-step regimes, but rather a few cherished products that defined her signature look. This post is as much a celebration of those classics as it is of the women who shaped my early understanding of beauty: Mum, of course, but also Auntie Peggy (the best Avon lady, ever) and Auntie Annie, the wise and cheeky relative who helped raise us.
Some of these products are still around today. Others live on in memory. And while my own standards now include a firm commitment to cruelty-free and vegan products, I’ve included notes throughout for those who share those values.
Less Is More: My Own ‘Signature Look’
I’m not a heavy make-up user myself. I don’t wear foundation, powder, or blusher day to day. I’ll occasionally use a bit of eyeliner, eyeshadow, or mascara if I’m on stage with Braver than Fiction, but even then, it’s minimal.
I have sensitive skin and fragrance doesn’t always agree with me, so heavily perfumed products are usually a no-go. But these memories? These are pure comfort.
Max Factor and the Power of Powder
My mum was devoted to Max Factor. While I can’t remember the exact foundation she used, if she used any at all (she didn’t always), one item was non-negotiable: her Crème Puff Powder Compact in ‘Candle Glow 55’. She never left the house without it. In fact, she wouldn’t so much as open the front door without her powder and lippy in place. That compact, with its soft matte finish and faintly glamorous glow, is still going strong today. (Max Factor is not a cruelty-free band and this product is also not vegan; it typically contains lanolin oil).
Avon Lipsticks and Eyeshadow Pots
Lipstick was the thing. Thanks to Auntie Peggy, Mum always had lipstick samples on hand – Avon ones, of course. Mum was dedicated to matching her lipstick with her nail varnish, earrings, handbag and shoes. The coordination was legendary.
Avon still sells a huge array of lipsticks in the UK, so anyone looking to recreate that perfectly matched vibe is well catered for. (Avon is a cruelty-free brand, but check ingredients – some products still include beeswax or carmine so, not vegan.)
I don’t remember my mother wearing much mascara or blusher, but those little, crystal pots of blue and green cream eyeshadow from Avon are lodged in my memory. While the exact same format might be hard to come by in 2025, you can still find plenty of colourful Avon eyeshadows today.
Scent Memories: Blue Grass, 4711, and Yardley London Florals
Scent was a big part of Mum’s daily ritual. Her go-to was Elizabeth Arden’s Blue Grass – that fresh, floral green blend that just smelled clean. It’s still sold widely, though it likely isn’t vegan due and, Elizabeth Arden is not a cruelty-free band.
She also occasionally wore 4711 Eau de Cologne – a sharp citrus burst of lemon, neroli, and bergamot. You can still find it at Superdrug, Boots, and of course, online. (Manufactured by Mäurer & Wirtz; generally considered vegan-friendly and cruelty-free).
She also had a soft spot for delicate florals like honeysuckle and lily of the valley, which often came from Avon and Yardley. These gentle, nostalgic scents became part of her everyday elegance. Yardley still offers both fragrances today, with matching soaps and talc.
Mum adored her Avon perfumed talcs. I vividly remember a grand powder puff in the Avon Unforgettable Beauty Dust container, sitting proudly on her dressing table – and later, still in use to store her curlers well into her 80s.
And lavender! My middle son still associates lavender with his grandmother. She kept sachets in drawers and wardrobes so everything smelled soft and fresh. You can still easily find lavender sachets – usually just dried lavender, so vegan by default.
Fancy Soaps and Cleanliness Rituals
Our bathroom had its own small gallery of ‘fancy’ soaps – decorative bars gifted on holidays, often beautifully wrapped and never to be used. These weren’t for washing; they were for show. I can still remember the quiet ritual of Mum changing the soap when visitors were coming, for a fresh bar. It was all about presenting your best self (and extensions of it).
Her favourites were cycled through the bathroom, depending on what was available or on offer, and included Imperial Leather (vegan and cruelty-free), Camay (not explicitly labeled as vegan or cruelty-free), Lux (vegan but probably not cruelty-free) and Pears (vegan and cruelty-free) – all still available today. I’ve recently rekindled my love affair with bar soap, and Pears remains on my go-to list.
Bath Time: Radox Crystals and Crumbly Cubes
Bath time was a proper ritual at our house. Mum loved Radox crystals and those indicidually-wrapped bath cubes that softened and scented the water. Radox is still easy to find in the UK. (Radox bath salts are vegan but parent company, Unilever, states they don’t test on animals, but some ingredients or products may be tested to comply with government regulations in certain countries).
For us kids, bath time meant Matey – that iconic foamy pirate. Amazingly, Matey is still available and just as bubbly but although marketed as cruelty-free, its ingredients suggest animal-derived ingredients or byproducts.
I don’t take baths nowadays, but I do enjoy a good foot soak. I remember jars of bath salts sold at village fairs – brightly coloured, often tied with ribbon, probably just Epsom salts with food colouring and a dash of scent. If anyone remembers precisely how they were concocted, I’d love to know! (I think..?)
Meanwhile, if you’re into DIY bath blends, this Pukka Relaxing Bath Salts recipe is sheer genius. Worth a peek.
Skincare: Keep It Simple
Mum didn’t fuss. She washed her face with bar soap and a flannel, then followed up with Oil of Ulay (now Olay Beauty Fluid). Lightweight, lightly scented, and still sold everywhere. (Olay Beauty Fluid is not considered cruelty-free, nor is it guaranteed to be vegan).
I also prefer to wash my face with a cloth (usually muslin) and although I do use liquid cleansers, I still use a cloth or flannel to remove them, rather than reusable pads (I save those for toners).
Auntie Peggy and Auntie Annie: Strong Women, Lasting Impact
Auntie Peggy wasn’t technically family, but she and her husband, my Uncle Stuart, were Mum and Dad’s closest friends – the kind of people we called ‘auntie’ and ‘uncle’ without question. A beautiful woman, devoted to her husband, she was an avid board game fanatic and a brilliant dressmaker. She made a lot of my childhood clothes and introduced me to the world of personal care through her work as an Avon lady.
Auntie Annie was family – an actual relative who became our housekeeper and carer after Dad died suddenly and Mum had to return to work to support her family of four children, two of us under the age of five. Auntie Annie stepped in and became an absolute rock for me and my brothers. She was incredibly hard-working, dependable, and loving. A true constant during a time of huge change. Annie was a mother figure to me: an incredible cook, wickedly funny, and full of cheek. She didn’t wear make-up as far as I can remember, but she loved her Cornish violets perfume – sweet, powdery, unmistakable. (This one by Floral Charm may be vegan and cruelty-free, but it’s not possible to say for sure. I’ll be checking with the manufacturer to confirm).
Looking back, I realise each of them taught me something meaningful:
- From Mum, I learned not just how and where to apply perfume, but the power of grace under pressure. She showed me that attention to detail – even in scent – can be a form of strength.
- From Auntie Annie, I learned how not to behave like a lady – and why that might not be such a bad thing. She taught me that a wicked sense of humour and fierce loyalty can carry a family through the toughest times.
- And from Auntie Peggy, I learned about stitching, but not just the care behind it. She passed on a love for thoughtful, hands-on creativity, and how beauty can live in the everyday rituals we share with others. Although I confess my actual dressmaking skills are limited, and as far as making clothes is concerned…let’s just say it’s a blessing that Auntie Peggy isn’t here to see that.
Self-Care: From the Mad Men Era to Modern Day
I’ve recently been binge-watching Mad Men, and it really highlights how different life was for women in the 1950s and 60s. Back then, ‘self-care’ often meant little more than maintaining a flawless appearance and a spotless home. Women were expected to be perfectly coiffed and dressed, even just to stay indoors, and happiness or ambition often took a back seat to those domestic and aesthetic expectations.
Women who came of age in the late 1930s and early 1940s (like my mum) entered adulthood during a truly tumultuous era. This period was heavily shaped by the long shadow of the Great Depression, which had profound effects on daily life and job prospects. On top of that, the outbreak of World War II in September 1939 meant many young people faced conscription or volunteered, plunging them into a world at war. While these years undeniably marked the beginning of significant global shifts, society hadn’t quite caught up yet. Despite the later cultural shifts of the ‘Swinging Sixties,’ traditional expectations for women remained strong. The pressure to be neat, pleasant, find a husband, and always maintain a respectable appearance was a deeply ingrained part of life for women of that generation.
While Mad Men is set primarily in the 1960s, beginning in 1960 and running into the early 1970s, it also uses flashbacks to the 1950s. These glimpses into the past help to explain characters’ histories and show how much society was changing. The show, being set in the advertising world, vividly portrays the cultural impact of beauty products from that era. It’s fascinating to see how pervasive certain brands were – names like Avon, Pears, Camay, Lux, and Oil of Ulay all make appearances, truly reflecting the product trends and societal norms of the time.
In one memorable scene, another Peggy – Margaret ‘Peggy’ Olson (played by Elisabeth Moss) – watches as women test Belle Jolie lipsticks. She doesn’t fully join in, and later quietly says, “I don’t think anyone wants to be one of a hundred colours in a box.”
It’s understated but powerful – a moment of choosing not to be just another face in the crowd. Don Draper (played by Jon Hamm) later reframes it in his pitch, suggesting lipstick is not just a product but a form of identity and self-expression. It made me think of my mum, whose coordinated lipstick, nail varnish, handbag and earrings weren’t just style – they were her signature. Or so she thought…but was she simply following a code?
Fast forward to today and, thankfully, the definition of self-care has shifted. It’s now much more holistic – about looking after your mental, emotional, and physical well-being, not just your lipstick and laundry. Women are encouraged to prioritise themselves, to pursue passions, education, careers, and to have open, honest conversations about things like mental health. We’ve come a long way from simply keeping up appearances.
That context helps me appreciate the quiet strength of women like Mum, Auntie Peggy and Auntie Annie even more.
Is there a scent, a soap, or a shade of lipstick that takes you right back to someone you loved? Maybe a memory of watching your mum or gran getting ready, or a special product that still lives in your drawer today? I’d love to hear your stories that celebrate the women who came before us, and the everyday rituals that helped them feel truly themselves!
Melanie Lampro 
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