The Ideal Face

At a 1934 Southern California Cosmetologists meeting in Hollywood, actress Sylvia Sidney's face was chosen as a standard of beauty because of it's "perfect oval shape" states Paramount Makeup Department Head Wally Westmore. "The elliptical symmetry of Miss Sidney's features made our choice an easy one". 

Westmore, along with other makeup and hair artists of the day realized the importance of using almost mathematical type techniques to improve upon an actress' look. Max Factor even invented the Micrometer, a head device that measures all the features to establish any correctable flaws such as a crooked nose or an uneven brow. Below, Factor demonstrates the device to Ern and Perc Westmore.
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