Chanel, Dior and Lancôme – for which Soviet girls were ready to give all their salaries and even go into debt.
Today, when buying cosmetics, two difficulties can arise – choice and cost. The peculiarities of the Soviet economy, which was planned and did not take into account the demand, led to the opposite problem: even with the financial resources, it was extremely difficult to buy something. There was a notion “to get it” because there was nothing in ordinary shops, speculators were selling imported things. Legally, scarce goods and food products could be purchased through special distribution or in “Berezka” for foreign currency and for certificates, later checks of Vneshtorgbank.
Who had access to the elite Soviet stores? First of all, officials who worked in Soviet institutions abroad – embassies or trade missions. Representatives of culture and sports who went on tours and competitions. Scientific intelligentsia that took part in conferences and received royalties for articles in foreign publications, translations of their works into foreign languages. Soviet specialists – doctors, engineers, translators, who built socialism in developing countries. Well, and those groups of citizens who received foreign currency from foreigners themselves without going abroad. But people who did not have checks could not get into the “Berezka” in any way.
Cosmetics at Berezka began to appear only in the mid-1970s. These were nail polishes, lipstick, eye shadow and mascara from the French firms Christian Dior and Lancôme. Perfumes (shampoos, deodorants and creams) have been purchased for Berezka since 1974 mainly in Finland. The products of the famous cosmetic brands Lancôme and Estée Lauder got into the special distributors, but all of these were available to a select few.
Available foreign cosmetics were sold in the Moscow stores Leipzig, Budapest, Wanda. In the last we went to buy Bulgarian creams and perfumes. Those who could buy Dzintars cosmetics, the leader of the Soviet perfumery and cosmetics industry, were more fortunate. And, of course, the countries of the Eastern Bloc helped out. The cosmetics of the Polish factory POLENA, of high quality and excellent by Soviet standards, were very popular. The real bestseller was Pupa lipstick.
Perfumery
The smell of foreign countries, luxurious life and freedom – this is what French perfume meant for Soviet women. The French perfume primarily refers to Magie Noire and Climat by Lancôme. The latter, by the way, became wildly popular after the release of the film “Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!”, Where Hippolyte gives Nadia the coveted bottle. But the ultimate dream was the fragrances that many had heard, but only a few possessed – Opium by Yves Saint Laurent and, of course, Chanel No. five.
Opium Yves Saint Laurent, 1977
Lipstick
Blue and blue cases with the laconic signature of Dior fell on dressing tables and in cosmetic bags for real minions of fate. Taking into account the fact that with an average salary, the cost of a box reached 25 rubles with an average salary of 120 rubles. Even if you had the opportunity, only a select few could buy lipstick.
The more common was Pupa lipstick, which amazed girls with an unusual red tube with a retractable mirror. In general, this is an Italian brand, but under its guise, Polish counterfeits were often sold from hands. True, this did not affect the cost. However, as well as for the joy of possession.
Rouge Christian Dior lipstick
rouge
Estée Lauder is one of the first brands to enter the Soviet market. The pink blush she produced was especially chic. The shade didn’t suit everyone, but it didn’t matter. In the beginning, cosmetics could only be bought at Berezka and through special distribution, these were limited departmental sales. In 1989, the first Este Lauder specialized store was opened on Tverskaya. But getting into it was also not easy – only by invitation. Therefore, ordinary citizens could buy cosmetics only from black marketeers for big money.
Powder
Because of the Lancôme brand logo, Soviet women called the powder a “golden rose” and were ready to pay almost half of their salary for it: the price of black marketers reached 50 rubles. They took care of this powder and used it only on special occasions. In public, they pointedly powdered the nose; if it was necessary to impress others, the empty box was not thrown away.
Full member of the Russian Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons