Uploaded February 2022 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

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What is the first thing that comes to mind when people say "Soviet Union"? Tanks, machine guns or shaceships? There are several options but I can name ONE thing that certainly doesn't. Cosmetics and perfumes. It's not that Soviet authorities ignored this area of the industry - they simply had other priorities. All this led to the fact that amidst the deficit and the small variety of cosmetics, millions of Soviet women were forced to use those products that were available in stores. Many of them acquired truly cult status...but did that mean these products were really good?

00:00 - Intro
01:52 - Traditional Russian cosmetics
06:26 - Cosmetic industry in USSR
10:06 - Iconic Soviet cosmetic products

Many people think that women in the Soviet Union were basically not allowed to use any kind of makeup. But actually perfumes, hand creams, and loose powders were as much a part of the empire as party conferences, propaganda campaigns, and five-year plans. In fact, cosmetics were an integral part of the Second Five-Year Plan (1933-1937), which, among other things, focused on consumer goods and social progress. In fact, the entire cosmetics and perfume industry was inherited by the Soviet Union from the Russian Empire. The Soviet leaders did not destroy anything, but only nationalized the largest factories and slightly changed the focus of some enterprises from fine fragrances for the aristocracy to hygiene products for the common people. However, after the WWII, it so happened that cosmetics became almost the most scarce commodity within the USSR. Women stood in line for hours to get their hands on the coveted blush or lipstick: good products were rare and cost a fortune. Today I will tell you about the history of cosmetics in Russia and in the USSR, and show you examples of unusual cosmetics, many of which have survived to this day.

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Hey there. Somehow you found my video and decided to watch it. So let me introduce myself. I'm Sergei and I'm from Russia. My channel is about my native country. I want to tell English-speaking viewers about the real Russia, about its past and present. Unfortunately, you can find a lot of propaganda about Russia on the Internet, both from the Russian media and from the Western ones. I want to tell you about Russia, as it really is, the country in which I was born, grew up, and lived all my life.


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