Pick Me!

A weblog by Laura Moncur

2/2/2010

Hasbro’s Fresh ‘N Fancy

Filed under: I Love Makeup!,Personal History — Laura Moncur @ 10:00 am

I was looking at the 1980 Sear’s Christmas Catalog on the Wishbook Flickr page when I found this toy set from Hasbro on page 548:

1980 Sears Christmas Catalog P548 by LauraMoncur from Flickr

Here is the description:

Fresh ‘n Fancy Cosmetic Set by Hasbro

Create and explore the glamorous you! Everything you need to make lip gloss, eye shadow, cheek blush, nail polish, perfume. All ingredients are non-irritating, non-staining and non-toxic… they wash off with soap and water.

SET INCLUDES: Mirror, mixing tray, mixing container, beaker, funnel, gloss pots, tools, bottles for perfume and nail polish, instructions, folder of good grooming tips, labels, small decorative packages, jars, assorted ingredients.

$16.99

This little cosmetic set is probably the reason that I love makeup even today. Despite my feminism, I have clung to the daily ritual of makeup, mostly because it feels like a little bit of creativity that I can do every morning. I’ve talked about it here before:

My mom was always so good about choosing toys that fostered creativity. I was able to mix scents to create my own perfume. I could mix colors to create a nail polish. I could create lip gloss that came in a color that no one else could have. I absolutely LOVED this toy and used up all the ingredients long before I used up the lip glosses, fingernail polishes and perfumes that I created with it.

If I remember correctly, the fingernail polish wasn’t like “real” fingernail polish. It created a plastic coating on my fingernails that could be pulled off in one piece. I didn’t need fingernail polish remover, I just needed to pull it off. Of course, because it wasn’t like grownup fingernail polish, I hated it instantly, but it didn’t matter because there were only two fingernail polish bottles, so it wasn’t the main part of this toy.

My FAVORITE was the perfume. I could create a perfume that smelled like roses, gardenia or lavender, but that wasn’t really exciting to me. I liked mixing the scents to try to create one of my own. I remember making a scent that I absolutely loved and when it was all used up, I couldn’t remember how I made it. It was a very important lesson on keeping good notes. Even today, I take the time to document every art project, fix it job or “hack,” so I can recreate it and write about it here. That was a habit that Fresh ‘n Fancy taught me at the tender age of eleven.

I guess I should send my mom an email thanking her for the AWESOME Christmas present, even though the gratitude is thirty years old.

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8 Comments »

  1. I think it is so cool that you remembered this toy from your childhood. This was my favorite toy too! In fact, I was able to purchase one on ebay. It wasn’t in the best shape but it had most of the items in it. I just wanted to see it one more time. It brought back such good memories for me.

    Comment by Gretchen — 4/17/2010 @ 10:55 pm

  2. So funny even though we are women now we can not help but think of this toy, I was so excited to play with it when I got it on Christmas, I ruined my parents brandnew bedroom set mixing colors, they had that set until about a year and a half ago.

    Comment by Tammy — 11/19/2010 @ 4:47 pm

  3. Some may find it odd that this kit brings back so many fond memories, I was a boy when my tomboy sis got this kit for xmas and immediately handed it to me! This was the equivalent of a chemistry set in my world….and I remember getting in trouble for ‘hooking up’ all my girls at school with my homemade makeup creations,(we were in 5th grade-sis was in 8th-lol). My mother, being the last of eight siblings, grew up on hand me downs and decided my sister would have all the pretty dolls and things she never had. Naturally, my sister wanted none of it, but my mother never gave up. I remember taking a beauty bath and reading the lil guidebook that came with it all about proper grooming, diet, and excercise…hagha!! I am sure Fresh n Fancy as well as the Barbie “head’ with make up and blow dryer are how I became a hairdresser and makeup artist for the last 17 years!! lol

    Comment by MARKUS KOBI — 9/23/2011 @ 12:22 pm

  4. I just remembered that I ruined the lil mirror mixing more ‘formulas’ on it when the mixing dish was dirty …lol

    Comment by MARKUS KOBI — 9/23/2011 @ 12:27 pm

  5. I LOVED this kit as a child. Does anyone know where I can find one???

    Comment by adriann nance — 11/27/2011 @ 2:56 pm

  6. I loved this as a kid! The picture has brought back so many memories!

    Comment by Cathy — 6/21/2012 @ 12:31 pm

  7. What a flashback!!!…I 1st learned about this amazing makeup kit when a friend showed it to me…I instantly fell in love with it and wanted one too…I begged my parents for it for several months…My dad checked me out from school early on my birthday and took me shopping to buy the kit…I was sooo happy!!!…I loved it…I can remember that the nail polish would peel off all at once…lol…One of my favorite childhood memories:)

    Comment by Helen — 10/26/2012 @ 9:52 pm

  8. FRESH & FANCY! FRESH & FANCY! MAKEUP YOU MAKE UP YOURSELF

    MAKE YOUR OWN EYE SHADOW – GLOSS YOUR LIPS!

    One girl says to the other: Your eyes look mysterious!

    Does anybody know the whole song?

    Comment by TJ — 7/12/2013 @ 9:39 am

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