Makeup Memories | Vintage Mary Quant Crayons

Writing about the Mary Quant Autumn/Winter 2010 mook made me wonder about the brand’s legendary crayons of old. Thanks to Lily Pond of Japonisme, I was able to find this photo of vintage Mary Quant pearly crayons. Slim, shimmery and colourful, these makeup crayons must’ve been as art-fulfilling as real crayons.

Trivia: Mary Quant apparently used Caran d’Ache crayons to do her makeup back in the 1950s!

Image source: Japonisme

17 Comments

  • lotusgreen says:

    hi again–

    so glad you found interest in these! i think the left one was the pearly, and the right one was ‘plain.’ but now you have me on make-up nostalgia. i remember milkmaid lipstick, which came in a white tube with flowers on it, was slightly pearly, and smelled, ever so slightly, of some kind of fruit.

    i remember feeling so grateful that i was alive for the style of twiggy lashes, when both the undereye lashes and the upper-lid crease were drawn in with liquid eyeliner.

    i remember white lipstick. and driving 10 miles just for a particular color, or combination of colors in one pack. i remember make-up counters around the world! i still have a little face-powder sample from a drugstore in tokyo that was the absolute closest i ever got to a perfect match to my skin and then never being able to find it again.

    ahhhh please forgive my meanderings….

    lily

    • makeupmag says:

      Hi Lily,

      I loved reading your reply! I wish I could see that lipstick now. I know that iconic Twiggy look (I did it once for a makeup class) – I always wondered if the people of that era really did it that dramatically. Do share more of your makeup memories! :)

  • Sally Hildrew says:

    I was just throwing out a tin of (very greasy and clearly got too hot), Mary Quant Pearly Crayons but my daughter said check they aren’t worth anything! Anyway, mine are the dark ones on the left of this page but maybe the others were also pearly crayons?
    Maybe I shouldn’t throw them out after all?
    Sally

    • makeupmag says:

      Hi Sally,

      It’s cool that you still had some! I think they make precious (makeup) memories but I don’t think anyone would actually buy them unless they’re die-hard collectors. :)

  • karelly says:

    i would love/ appreciate getting some boxes of Mary quant crayons
    as a real fan but also because they were the best

    colors
    smooth
    and stood firm a day long

    would love to get this crayons again

  • karelly says:

    no chance I suppouse eh?

  • karelly says:

    I mean not used onces

  • karelly says:

    not the 50`s but

    1977 London

    Elefant Castle college

    • makeupmag says:

      Hi Karelly,

      I don’t think so. However, MQ did come out with crayon sets a few years back. You might have to check eBay or have a friend in Japan check the stores. :)

  • Suzy says:

    Do you all remember how STRONGLY SCENTED Milkmaid lipstick was? If someone were speaking to you, you could smell it and it smelled like candy. It tasted like candy. I bought an original tube of it on Ebay but it would not twirl up anymore. The scent was barely still there.Enough that it “took me back.” Down inside the tube you could see half an inch of it ; I guess you could stick a lipstick brush down in there to reach it . I never tried and worse? I lost it.

    • makeupmag says:

      Hi Suzy,

      I’ve read about Milkmaid lipsticks but have never seen them in person (or at least I can’t remember). Your talking about Milkmaid oddly reminds me of Yardley, which I do remember! :) Sorry you lost a piece of makeup memorabilia. I hope you find it!

  • Vicki Braddy says:

    I had a dream last night that I had my box of crayons again…the yellow one with the black flower on it. I never went anywhere without rainbow eyes and designs on my face and arms …..
    I woke up and thought, I wish I still had them… I bet there’s someone online who remembers them…wonder if she still makes them….wonder if I could find a box not used…..
    Sadly I have seen one box, looking tatty and with one colour missing so no possibility of rainbows….. but it brought a smile to my face just seeing the box again….. :)
    I’m 57 now but if I could find some I’d rainbow up again…. :)
    Aaaaaahhhhhhhh the memories ;)

    • makeupmag says:

      Dear Vicki,

      Thank you for sharing your lovely anecdote. You could try eBay but I’m guessing it’d be hard to find a brand new box. Here’s to more dreams of flowers and rainbows!

      PS: Apologies for the late response; I was away and had limited Internet access.

  • Mikki says:

    I lived in Southern California in the late 60’s & still remember how much I loved my Milkmaid products. Still have a lipstick & it still smells delicious. After one application my mascara lasted without coming off during a 4day vacation of swimming in the ocean in Mexico & it made the lashes look & feel wonderful. I’ve often wished I could get the formulas & find some company to start making it again. What are the chances of that. Thanks for the info.

    • makeupmag says:

      Hi Mikki,

      Thank you for sharing your lovely makeup memory. I love reading such anecdotes. :) I have had MAC lippies and glosses that lasted for years with no change in texture and scent (they’ve since gone Back 2 MAC), unlike the ones in revamped formulas…makes me wonder why they changed the original formula in the first place.

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