You will often her that affiliate marketing is the best way to start when trying to earn money online. A lot of affiliate programs do try to make it as easy as possible for you to promote there products, by providing you with emails for you to send out, classified ads for you to copy and paste and various other tools for their affiliates in order to sell their programs and products.

However, what is not quite so easy is acquiring a list to send these emails to. Also, the fact that thousands of other people are also copying and pasting those classified ads for the same products makes it difficult to make a sale.

So alas, you will resort to paying for solo ezine ads or pay per click advertising. This can become an expensive fast, especially for someone new to affiliate marketing or online business in general.

So what is the thing to do? Is affiliate marketing a scam? Do real people really make any money doing this?

Well, the answer is not quite clear cut. Yes, real people do make a lot of money with affiliate marketing. But, I guarantee they are not fresh faced newbies, they are experienced marketers who have paid their dues and learned how to build a list to promote their affiliate products to.

So, if a person wants to pursue affiliate marketing, know that it is not a get rich quick option (there’s no such thing).The first thing that you must do is learn how to build an opt-in list. There are plenty of programs out there that can show you how to do this with minimal effort and expense.

Affiliate marketing is just like any other worthwhile endeavor, it requires knowledge, action, patience, and perseverance. Remember this and you will surely succeed.

Jackie Shumpert is the owner of several online business websites and blogs. If you found this article helpful please visit:
http://yourhomebizsolutions.com/im
http://tns.freetraffic1.com
http://affiliatemarketing.yourhomebizsolutions.com/1

As the 2006 fiscal year comes to a close, industry professionals begin to set their sites on 2007’s economic outlook. So far the prediction has been bleak at best. With national housing leader’s sales and housing starts down across the board, the industry is finally coming to terms with the slowing market ahead. The year of 2007 will prove to be a make or break year for many builders on the cutting edge of the industry. In order to stay competitive in a slowing market, new strategies must be uncovered to help leverage current market share. However, the most successful companies in 2007 will not only find a way to maintain their market strength they will be creative enough to increase it. It is with that notion that we usher in the new year with a new strategy and a new outlook on how we sell homes.

For most of the top 100 builders, the past several years have been filled with a tremendous amount of growth and an ever increasing bottom line. A successful year has been determined by the number of new housing starts with each year containing more than the last. With the slowdown in the housing market, builder’s attentions must be altered from a strategy of more homes to one of more value per home. Ensuring that each home built achieves maximum sales potential is crucial towards making sales targets in the year ahead. As such, home and condo builders alike must rethink their selling strategies and implement new ones that focus on the importance of this concept.

The new homes option market is a very lucrative and profitable one, however up until recently options were seen as an after thought by most builders. For the upcoming fiscal period, new home options sales are going to weigh more heavily than ever before. With that being said, a priority must be placed upon increasing options sales across all homes.

One of the main reasons new home purchasers limit their options selections is that they simply do not see the value in the options being offered. Most can not make the connection between money spent and benefits gained. To break past this, new home builders must ensure that both cost and value are presented in meaningful terms that make sense to a new home purchaser. For example, instead of listing an option as a lump sum cost, break the cost down in terms of mortgage impact. A $2500 kitchen cabinet upgrade looks a lot more enticing with a list price of $5.75 per month. To further stress the benefits of an options upgrade, list the estimated resale value of the option being purchased. Purchasers are much more likely to spend the extra $2500 on their mortgage if they can see the benefits come the time of resale.

Another strategy for increasing the sale of new home options is to contrast the value spent versus the costs saved. With the ever increasing cost of electricity and gas, home owners have begun to place an increased importance upon energy conservation. As such, new home purchasers have become smarter in their choices of building materials demanding newer and more effective energy saving products. Capitalize on this increased interest by showing the savings in costs per year on energy efficient products. For instance, if you’re selling installation with an r value of X costing x amount of dollars more than your traditional installation, consumers are much more likely to purchase the more expensive installation if they can visually see that the increased R value results in a savings of X amount of dollars per year. Once a consumer is better able to rationalize the cost of a product they are then more likely to invest in its benefits.

Many consumers fail to purchase a significant amount of options due to none other than lack of product knowledge. When it comes to product selection it simply boils down to a lack of product know how and genuine unawareness of product benefits. To combat this, insure that your new home purchasers have the information that they need in order to make an informed and educated decision. This education can come in many forms from online product information on the company website, to design center kiosks containing in depth product benefits and features. Which ever route you choose, ensure that the consumer is given the necessary information that he or she requires.

Currently, new option upgrade sales account for only x percent of the total sale of a home. In the new marketplace of 2007, builders must find a way to increase the percentage to successfully increase market share and net profits. By informing your consumers about the benefits of upgrading their options, you have taken the first step in the shift towards an options valued strategy.

Frank Guido, President and CEO of Aareas Interactive, has been at the forefront of merging technology and sales strategies in the home, condo and resort building industry for more than 15 years. By effectively drawing upon his extensive technical background, as well as industry-proven sales and marketing experience as well his construction software has brought the building industry in to the new millenium.

Have you ever watched television to find creative ideas, business marketing concepts or even leadership lessons for your business? It’s easy to get into the habit of using your television time to increase your business ideas. For instance, many people walk out when the commercials come on. But if you’re looking for marketing ideas, commercials are free idea generators for your business. Watching commercials is a way to get ideas on how to promote your business. See if the advertisement makes sense, appeals to a targeted audience and effectively sells a product.

The ideas in some television shows can give you new ideas too. When Donald Trump decided to become a television star, my curiosity was peaked. Even though I don’t watch a lot of television, it struck me that anyone who can take a failed business and bring it back to billionaire status certainly would be of interest to a person interested in business or leadership. And becoming a television star was just evidence of the risk taking ability of this brilliant, billionaire businessman.

Even though the television show about having a billionaire businessman do a 13-week job interview for an apprentice is just another reality show hit, you can find leadership lessons each week if you look hard enough. Some leadership lessons are found while the contestants pursue their projects. Many more can be learned through the interactions in the Boardroom Scenes at the end.

Here are 10 points that you could learn from this reality show on leadership. See if you identify any of these in your workplace.

- Think fast
- Be creative
- Provide feasible suggestions
- Don’t bad-mouth your team
- Be a decisive leader
- Make a decision and move on
- Conduct yourself with dignity at all times
- Be positive
- Think up alternatives/Have a Plan B
- Never forget the budget

Use your instincts and training to view current events and even television shows with an eye to learn how to be a better, more creative leader in business. You can always challenge yourself to think better, faster, and smarter by seeing how new concepts and imaginative ideas can be applied to your business. You will see your creative thinking being refreshed and become a better leader in the meantime.

Take the mystery out of eproducts when you find out how to write and distribute your own eproducts at http://www.eproductmentor.com Get your FREE subscription to E-Product Mentor. Write ebooks, ecourses, articles and other online products. Get the popular 5-part ecourse, “How to Write a Web Article” as a sign-up bonus. Subscribe today at http://www.eproductmentor.com

Travel insurance is one of those things that most of us reluctantly buy, hoping we will never actually need.

It’s an annoying but often necessary expense if you are planning a business trip or holiday abroad. And like many other aspects of insurance, it can be confusing, costly and time consuming to get the right cover. Here are some tips to make the process a little bit easier:

How Much Travel Insurance do you Need?

1. Determine how much coverage you really need and don’t be persuaded into taking out more coverage than is necessary. There is actually no legal requirement to have travel insurance when travelling abroad. You should take into account such factors as your destination, length of trip and your age. Families should take out a family policy, which covers adults and children and usually costs less than individual policies. Less than 60 countries actually have reciprocal health agreements with the UK - and those that do mostly operate on an emergency basis only. If you are travelling to Switzerland or a country in the European Economic Area, you are also eligible for free or reduced rate emergency medical care. And if you think your credit card may include travel insurance - check the small print carefully, as the wording is often misleading and you may not be covered under your credit card.
2. Don’t assume the insurance offered by your travel agency is always the best value. Travel agents generally receive a commission on each policy sold and their insurance may not be the most competitively priced - in fact it can cost an average of five times as much as it should. And insurance provided by a travel agent or a tour operator isn’t regulated by the FSA (Financial Services Authority) whereas most independent insurance companies are members.

What Should be Included in Your Travel Insurance?

3. Make sure you have adequate medical insurance - the most important part of any travel insurance policy, and the reason most of us get travel insurance. Apart from treatment abroad, you may need to return to the UK in an emergency, or for specialised treatment. The cost of this can be very expensive - an estimated £30,000 to travel by Air Ambulance from the Eastern US; an estimated £14,000 to return from one of the Mediterranean islands. Ideally, this service should be available 24 hours a day.
4. Adventure trips and holidays featuring extreme sports are more popular than ever these days. Does your travel insurance cover you against such activities as bungee jumping, sky diving and mountaineering? These are just a few of the activities that will normally be excluded unless you specifically request coverage. Skiing and scuba diving - two commonplace activities - are considered dangerous sports too. Winter sports coverage is usually offered as an optional extra or included under a separate policy. Surprisingly though, statistics prove that most accidents abroad actually happen in hotel rooms!
5. Consider trip cancellation insurance. As the name suggests, this insurance covers you in the event of delays or cancellations. Some of the most common reasons you may need this type of insurance are bankruptcy of a cruise line or airline, weather delays and other natural disasters and labour disputes. Most discount air tickets have stiff penalties for changing dates or cancelling them altogether - it may pay to insure against that possibility.

It might seem like you’re throwing money down the drain that could pay for a nice meal or day trip on your holiday, but good travel insurance doesn’t have to be expensive if you know where to look and can be a real life saver if things turn sour, particularly if you’re thousands of miles away from home when it does.

You can quickly find and compare the most popular UK travel insurance companies at UK Insurance Index. Together with customer reviews and money saving tips it’s never been so easy to compare and buy travel insurance online.

How do you spell success? Is it M-I-L-L-I-O-N? Is it $25 an hour? Is it $12 an hour? Being able to comfortably pay all your bills with an extra $50 in the bank? How do you personally define success? If you have not reached that level of achievement, how close are you?

We must be consciously aware of where we are going if we ever expect to reach it. Being average is so common that only a small group of high achievers ever go for the gold and get it. This is not the time to stand around and watch others live a dream-come-true lifestyle. It’s time for you to do it. There’s not a person reading this article who cannot manifest whatever level of success they desire.

If there is anyone doing what you want to do or living the lifestyle you desire, it is possible for you. The greatest challenge we face when we decide to move from one level of success to another is change. We all want things to be different in our lives, but we fail to understand that we must change ourselves in order to see change our around us.

For most of us, change is one of those things no one wants to talk about. We want our income to rise, body to get stronger, marital and parental relationships to enhance without our consciously and actively doing our part. Any changes we desire in our lives must come as a direct result of changing ourselves. If we desire to lose weight, we must change our schedule to include a daily workout regimen. If we desire to earn a higher income, we must be willing to unplug the television, disconnect the telephone, and do anything else possible as we commit to our objective. If we desire to develop our intellect, we must do the things conducive to that and refrain from things that counteract that objective.

My stock market mentor Wade Cook says it best: “If the next five years of your life are like the last five, where will you be in five years?” What a profound statement, don’t you think? If the next five years of your life remain the same as now, are you going for the gold and getting it, or are you living in what Anthony Robbins calls no man’s land, a place where “you’re not really happy, but you’re not unhappy enough to do anything about it”?

If you are currently in no man’s land, this article is here to disrupt the negative patterns that are guiding your life. If you are pursuing more meaningful and lasting success, this article will keep you focused on the journey.

The interesting thing about life is that we all want something, but we are not all actively pursuing it. We all have goals and objectives, but the challenge is that our goals don’t inspire us. Instead of making a firm decision to quit smoking, end that adulterous relationship, or have a great relationship with our step-children, we say things to ourselves like “I’ll try.” The problem with “I’ll try” is that it leaves the door wide open for failure, which makes us feel bad, which in turn makes it even that more difficult to step out and pursue another of our heart’s desires.

So what is the best way to develop goals and objectives that inspire us? We must get angry, disappointed and disturbed about the way things currently are in our lives and decide to do anything we possibly can do to move away from that negative feeling. The two guiding forces in our lives are pain and pleasure. We must be able to make the pain of not changing more painful than making the changes necessary for the success we desire.

Some of us have bad habits, bad friends, and bad attitudes that will definitely hinder us on the road to success. We must be honest with ourselves and ask difficult questions. What has this destructive relationship cost me? Has life been better since dropping out of college, or do I need to enroll next semester? Is watching Regis Philben make someone else a millionaire helping me achieve more, or do I need to cut that television off and develop my own unique plan of success?

Success is available to all. No one is exempt. It is true that we do not all have the same education, resources, connections, etc. The only even playing field we all possess is time. What we decide to do with that time will determine the results that appear in our lives, both positive and negative.

Yesterday is gone. We must release the past so we can make forward progress into the future. Today is all we have. What we do with our today will determine whether our next five years are like our last five. Each day we choose. We are in control. We must make firm decisions that will inspire us to action despite the necessary changes required.

Change is necessary for all success, whether spiritual, social, physical, educational and intellectual, or financial. To enhance those areas of our lives, we must change the way we think, change what is important to us, and change our daily activities to achieve the desired outcomes. At times things may seem difficult, but nothing is impossible.

Decide what you want. Why is it a must that you have those things? Feel the pain of disappointment and failure if you don’t make the changes. Decide what habits, relationships, and time wasters are preventing you from getting what you want. Make a list of the positive habits, relationships and time management systems needed to go to your next level of success. Create a working plan and work your plan.

The last part of the equation is perseverance. Never give up. Failures give up. Decide today that you are a high achiever who will go for the gold and get it, and you will.

Demond is the owner of Self Empowerment Network where visitors can get an accurate Personal Mission Statement. After the mission statement, please visit our Self Empowerment Goals section to develop your dream life. Demond is also an Expert Author on EzineArticles.com. Webmasters, you may publish this article on your website as long as the Bio section stays intact.

After the age of the craftsmen, when the Industrial Revolution began to pump out products in mass, time became a critical issue with regards to production in manufacturing. No longer could products be made according to an arbitrary or infinite timeframe for production. With the introduction of mass manufacturing, production mandates and quotas were increasingly created according to the notion of how much time it should take to make x number of items. The idea gave rise to business efficiency theories and models such as Frederick Taylor’s time-motion studies in the early 1900’s, and Frank Gilbreth’s one best way production mode of scientific management in the 1950’s.

The notion of standards- or estimate-based labor performance measurements has continued through the years in one form or fashion, and continues today in our new Twenty First Century industrial revolution. In short, performance measurement is a way to manage and benchmark performance in order to identify areas for continuous lean improvements. However, what has changed over time has been the means by which labor performance data has been gathered, interpreted, and reported. Rather than just simply counting parts produced by any single worker in relation to the time they used to produce the lot, employee direct labor performance measurements are packaged with a variety of criteria including performance data such as competency scores, trending, goal progress, and several other factors to assess the actual labor utilized in production as a direct cost factored into pricing.

It is here, in assessing the direct cost of labor, where key performance indicators will drive the periodic employee and work center evaluations. Indeed, the quantification of the standards/estimates for any production process or technique means that evidence of productivity can be gathered on many levels and over time. To do this requires a detailed analysis of production processes to understand with greater accuracy where exactly the inefficiencies lie and where the benefits in adjustments will be achieved. ERP software systems are powerful tools for both establishing and revising performance measures, as well as monitoring how well adjustments in standards/estimates are meeting production efficiency goals. For example, ERP performance analyses may indicate certain products are being underpriced relative to their direct cost, or that machines or employees are being nonproductive in terms of time versus output.

In essence, ERP software systems work on an averaging that tells the tale of what production should be and what it actually is in practice. When labor and machine performance (as divided by individual employees, departments, and the whole plant) meets expected standards, manufacturing runs at rates that meet or exceed capacity. So, successful direct labor performance occurs when balance is achieved between predetermined standards/estimates, and the ability of resources (human and/or machine) to meet those goals. The bottom-line result: Cascading and effective ERP benefits through optimizing of all resources, and a productive ROI.

http://globalshopsolutions.com/

Dusty Alexander is the President of Global Shop Solutions. Global Shop Solutions is the largest privately held ERP software company in the United States.

Copyright 2007 - Global Shop Solutions. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, and give the author name credit.

Families are busy. Parents polled cited ‘not having enough time’ as the number one barrier to a harmonious family life. A close second is dealing with habitual, patterned behavior they find themselves and their children stuck in. Tempers flair. Personal power is threatened. Trust is compromised. Love goes unexpressed.

It’s easy to see how number one leads to number two. When there is little time for exploration or discovery, falling back on habitual reactions, no matter how ineffective in the long run it may be, is a common occurrence. What tends to happen is tantrums or arguments or angry interludes.

Interestingly, this is taking up way more time and energy than it would if the issue were addressed head on, modified and transformed. Easier said than done? Yes and no. Easier in the moment, much more difficult for the long run.

So what’s a family to do when in the throes of yet another unproductive interaction? The first step is to be aware that it ’s happening. Stop, watch and listen. Listen as if you’ve never heard this before, watch like you’re the most curious person alive. See it from another angle, prevent yourself from assuming you know what will happen. Allow whatever is happening to happen, since the high emotions that occur in these situations could prevent meaningful communication in the moment. Just observe and let it run it’s course.

Now what? Wait for the time when people are somewhat relaxed. Have a conversation about how things will be in the future, for the benefit of all involved. Begin by getting buy-in. You might say something along the lines of, ” I’d like to discuss something I’ve observed about our family that is extremely important to me. Do you have a few minutes right now?” If you get a “no”, get a commitment to a time that will work.

When having a conversation where you want a change this kind of reflexive behavior, here are some things to keep in mind:

* Pick a time when there is emotional neutrality

* Take responsibility for your part in the situation

* Have a discussion to outline other family member’s responsibilities

* Explain that you need to work together to come up with a solution

When you are in the brainstorming phase:

*ALL ideas are welcomed, and none are commented on at the time of brainstorming. (Some of the reasons for the behavior may very well emerge at this time. When you know the need, the solutions come more readily)

*Writing them down as they emerge gives weight to the situation

*After all concerned have exhausted their ideas, go down the list and discuss.

Note: Ground rules for everyone in this phase: No negative judgement, as in “this is a bad idea, this is stupid, I hate this, this would never work” etc etc

Get agreement:

*The solution must be agreeable by all concerned if it is to be effective.

Decide on how this will be implemented:

*Inform everyone that you will remind each other of their agreement should there be a temporary lapse

*Reinforce that this was a mutual plan, for the betterment of all involved.

If there is a lapse:

*A simple, direct statement reminding the person of the agreement, and the expectation that they comply. (”Remember the agreement we had about this? I need you to honor that and >insert whatever the agreement was here<" end of talking)

The long term goal for a respectful parent/child relationship is mutual trust. Exhibiting respect for each other, expressing love, allows trust to occur. Peaceful interactions can be the norm. Trust me.

Teaching early education, parenting education and personal development since 1989, Natalie Tucker Miller has called Vermont home since 1985. Growing up in Long Island, NY, she graduated from Five Towns College, then continued her education in the pastoral setting of northern NY at SUNY Potsdam. There she met Paul, to whom she’s been married since 1982.

You want to break your golf swing down to scientific truths? Well, here’s one: swinging the club ‘harder’ will not result in more power.

Stating the golf scientific swing truth again (with feeling): swinging harder will not result in more power.

When I was kid learning how to hit a baseball I found out one day that the key to power was in the rotation of the hips into the ball. Guess what? The principle is the same for a golf swing.

Many golfers get in trouble when they try to generate club speed with the arms and shoulders. This is an easy way to get your swing out of balance and causes movement of the head. The result can be catastrophic to a golfer

Your arms should be along of the ride, the real focus being on the rotation of the hips into the golf swing, in that pivot of the hips.

This is a simple exercise that should emphasis the point:

Cut yourself a piece of rope or hose about a yard long. You want something without much weight but that still takes up the space of the golf club in your hands.

Now, head to the back yard and practice your golf swing with the rope or hose.

As you swing focus on the movement of the hips into the swing. Forget about the shoulders and hands for a moment. Let them follow the lead movement of the hips.

Now try this again, this time focus on thrust of the shoulders, arms, and hands into the swing with great force.

What do you notice? What is the difference between the two?

You should notice a more controlled and consistent swing with the focus on the turning of hips into the swing. When this control is maintained and a greater hip thrust is produced, it will result in more power in your golf swing.

So, forget about swinging ‘faster’. Instead put all of your concentration into the hip pivot of your golf swing. Experiment. See what happens.

You should experience more control and power in a very short time.

Looking for more power in your golf swing? Please remember this golf scientific swing truth: the power is the hips, not in the arms.

Stan Thomas has been playing golf since before dirt covered the earth. He knows he’ll never master the game, but he can’t deny the quest.

He invites you to visit his website:

http://GolfImproveSwing.com/
http://www.squidoo.com/golfimproveswing/

Acupuncture is an ancient form of Chinese medicine that has been around for more than
2500 years and is becoming an increasingly popular treatment for back pain.

According to the theory of acupuncture, energy-called chi or qi-flows through the body
along pathways called meridians. If the flow of chi is interrupted, pain or illness can occur.
When that happens, very thin needles can be inserted along the meridians to correct the flow of chi.

Like all back pain treatments, acupuncture seems to be most effective when used in conjunction
with other treatments. It is also very safe, with no known risks as long as you choose a reputable
practitioner. Needles are sterile, disposable, and FDA-approved. In the U.S. they are used only
one time, sealed before use, and disposed as hazardous waste after treatment.

During an acupuncture treatment session, the practitioner will insert anywhere from one to twenty
needles into various places in the body. Some needles may go in just under the skin, while others
may go deeper into muscle and fat.

Needles will be left in from fifteen to thirty minutes. The practitioner may turn needles one way or
another after inserting them into the body, or leave some in for only a few seconds before removing
them and inserting them elsewhere in the body.

You may be surprised to learn that acupuncture is rarely described as painful. In fact, many people
find it relaxing and even fall asleep during treatment. Some people feel energized. One reason for this
is the type of needles used. Acupuncture needles are very different from hypodermic needles. Instead
they are very thin and fine, like hair. They are also solid, whereas hypodermic needles are not, as they
are made to extract tissue. So getting acupuncture needles inserted into your skin will feel nothing like
getting a shot at the doctor’s office.

Since some medical doctors also practice acupuncture, you will want to make sure they are licensed in
acupuncture in addition to their other training.

To check if a practitioner is licensed and accredited, contact the American Association of Acupuncture
and Oriental Medicine.

Click here:

Back Pain Relief Information, and Products for all back pain conditions.

Ray Attebery is the Managing Director for Daily Health Updates, a breaking health news national service for TV and Radio broadcast stations in the United States and also President for The Centre for Pain Relief in New York City.

The Centre for Pain Relief

Back Pain Solutions

American cosmetic trade has expanded from humble beginnings in the early 20th Century into a major multi-billion dollar industry. If there is one man most responsible for the launch and popularization of the American cosmetics industry, it would be Max Factor.

Born the son of Jewish parents in Lodz, Poland in 1877, Max Faktor worked at age 8 in a pharmacy and dental office. While apprenticing there he was employed mixing various potions and became fascinated with the human face. Later, as a young man in Moscow, he established his first shop in which he sold cremes, wigs and perfumes. A theater group wore some of Max’ makeup while performing before Russian aristocracy, which led to his being hired by the Russian royal family as its makeup consultant. He was also engaged by Russia’s national opera.

In 1904 Max, his wife Lisa and their 3 children left Europe and emigrated to America, arriving with less than four hundred dollars to his name, the spelling of which was Americanized into “Max Factor” during his immigration proceedings. That same year he worked at the St. Louis World’s Fair selling skin cremes and perfumes and then moved on to the theater district in Los Angeles four years later, where Max opened the Max Factor beauty salon, thinking he might have the opportunity to work in the newly emerging movie industry in Hollywood.

Some six years later, in 1914, he invented the first of many creations that would come to be known globally. This initial invention, greasepaint compressed into a tube, was designed specifically as a makeup for actors, one that would not crack. It was Max Factor who coined the term ‘makeup’ to describe his product.

As a result of this product, many of Hollywood’s top movie stars began visiting his beauty studio and his reputation was born. During the following two decades, he was responsible for the glamorous looks of celebrities such as Jean Harlow, Judy Garland, Rita Hayworth, Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn and Joan Crawford, many of whom relied on his services not only for their movie appearances but in their ‘everyday’ lives.

Then in the 1920’s Max Factor started selling his cosmetics to consumers, believing that all women should have the opportunity to look like the stars. In doing so, Max was largely responsible for the commencement of the cosmetics industry as we know it today. Many of his Hollywood clients also agreed to appear in magazine ads to market his cosmetics, and the name Max Factor soon became known around the globe.

From there Max Factor was responsible for a number of cosmetic innovations including the first foundation (known as Pan-cake), which was applied to the face with a silk sponge. Other ‘firsts’ introduced by Max Factor and the company of the same name he founded were false eyelashes, lip gloss, the eyebrow pencil, stick makeup, concealer, the mascara wand, water resistant makeup and many others.

Max Factor died in Beverly Hills in 1938, but the company he founded continued to grow under the direction of his son, Max Jr., becoming synonymous with high fashion and glamour. In 1991 the brand name “Max Factor” was sold to Procter & Gamble.

For those who are interested in learning more about the father of modern makeup, a visit to the Max Factor Museum in Hollywood is recommended. You will find a restoration of Max Factor’s original beauty salon containing scores of autographed photos of Hollywood stars, advertisements from magazines, an Oscar, presentations of many of his original creations, four celebrity makeup rooms (one each for blondes, redheads, brunettes and brownettes), a collection of wigs, and a small theater. Admission is free.

The writer, Colin Albert, oversees the MineralMakeupShoppe website. The site presents a new makeup product called Naked Minerals makeup, which is a pressed all-natural mineral makeup that is easy to apply and does not stain your clothes.