My great-aunt Peg Albin (front and center of photo above) was always peddling something. I remember growing up, and she was always pulling our her free catalogs and taking orders from customers. It was her funeral in 2021 that I saw her on the cover of a 1978 magazine called “Vanda Star” that led me to do some investigation into the now-defunct MLM beauty company called Vanda Beauty Counselor.
Vanda Beauty Counselor History
Back in the early 1930s, George Beeman noticed something that sparked a revolution in the beauty industry. While on a shopping trip with his wife, he was surprised to see her purchasing cosmetics without knowing how they would actually look or feel on her skin. Determined that women shouldn’t have to guess when it came to such an important decision, Beeman introduced the idea of in-home cosmetic and skincare consultations—a concept that quickly became one of the most unique and effective sales methods in the beauty industry.
Soon after, the renowned cosmetic chemist Dr. Maison G. de Navarre played a key role in creating exceptional skincare and cosmetic products, which became the foundation of Vanda Beauty Counselor’s line in 1931.
The new business was located at 14934 Harper Avenue in Detroit, Michigan which was the same address as the Great Lakes Pharmacy. The pharmacy run by the brother of Maison, Henry Joseph Maicki. The address now appears to be home to a gas station and convenience store.
Vanda Beauty Counselor website screenshot from 2001. Source: Internet Archive Wayback Machine
Before finding the above, I asked ChatGPT if they could help, but they did not have any information readily available on Vanda.
After uploading a photo of the magazine cover (full image above) that my aunt appeared on, here is what they came up with:
Based on the magazine cover titled “Vanda Star” from 1978, it seems like “Vanda Beauty Counselor” was a company involved in direct sales or multi-level marketing (MLM) with a focus on beauty products, similar to companies like Avon or Mary Kay during that era. The image shows a lively meeting or conference, which is common in MLM cultures where representatives gather for recognition, learning, and motivation.
The fact that this company had quarterly publications and organized such events indicates that it was a well-structured operation, likely with a network of beauty counselors or representatives selling products door-to-door or through personal connections.
Vanda Trademarks
The first trademark filed by Vanda Beauty Counselor Company was for “Beauty Counselor” back on November 20th, 1939. The trademark for “Vanda” was filed January 10th, 1966, and on June 20, 1973, they filed another trademark application for just the “V” logo.
Other trademarks filed over the years included:
- Liquid Beauty (power base) – 7/21/1952
- Orchid Petal (skin freshener) – 1/21/1966
- Estra-Lo (cosmetic for face and skin care) – 2/28/1966
- Soft Soft (after bath skin freshener) – 3/23/1966
- White Gold (perfume) – 3/30/1966
- Great Loss (liquid lipstick) – 3/9/1978
- Sudden Flower (cologne) – 7/24/1978
- Tangible Beauty (liquid & powder makeups) – 7/24/1978
- ColorPower (lipstick & nail polish) – 2/1/1979
- Vanda Wilderness (cologne) – 3/26/1979
- CreamShine (eyeshadow & mascara) – 4/2/1979
- Hair Affair (hair shampoo & cream rinse) – 5/29/1979
- Ten Digits (hand cleaner) – 5/29/1979
- Vanda Tan (suntan creams, lotions & oils) – 8/13/1979
- Distraction (cologne & bath oil) – 8/48/1980
- Deep Action (skin care preparations) – 7/11/1984
- Glide ‘N Shave (shaving gel) – no date given
On July 28th, 1999, the company tried to rebrand by filing the trademark “Timeless Beauty” which also showed as the main theme of their website:
Final Thoughts
I could not find any information when the company went out of business, but it appears the website became defunct in 2012. Some items are still available on eBay though!
Some companies have emerged using the “Timeless Beauty” name and logo, but the websites and products do not appear to be legitimate.
All in all, Vanda Beauty Consultant seems to be the “OG” in MLM beauty brands starting before even Mary Kay (1963), so it’s sad that it did not last. Although Avon was started in 1886, it did not originally set out to be a beauty company (it started out selling books).
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