Hazel Bishop

Hazel Gladys Bishop (August 17, 1906 – December 5, 1998) was an American chemist, inventor, and entrepreneur, and the founder of the cosmetics company Hazel Bishop, Inc. She was the inventor of the first long-lasting lipstick.

Early life Bishop was born in Hoboken, New Jersey, and was one of two children of Henry and Mabel Bishop. Her father was a businessman and ran a dozen successful enterprises that included numerous stores in Hoboken. She attended Barnard College in New York, originally enrolling in pre-med, with intentions of becoming a physician. She was graduated from Barnard in 1929 with a B.A. in chemistry, with plans on attending Columbia for her graduate medical studies. but the stock market crash that occurred in October of that same year resulted in the end of her academic career.

Career From 1935 to 1942, she worked as research assistant to A.B. Cannon in a dermatological laboratory at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Here, she was introduced to the business side of cosmetics, as A.B. Cannon was one of the founders of the cosmetics company, Almay.

Lipstick invention

Bishop’s interest in lipstick began in her cooperation with Dr. A.B. Cannon, and as the popularity of red lipsticks began to rise amidst the World War. Bishop wanted a longer-lasting, “nondrying, nonirritating, long-wearing” version. The goal was a non-drying, smudge-proof, long-lasting lipstick that would not smear on clothing or cups. The resultant mixture, formed into a mold, was called "No-Smear Lipstick."

In 1948, she and Alfred Berg founded Hazel Bishop Inc. to manufacture these "No-Smear Lipsticks." giving Spector shares in the company rather than a specified budget.

In 1951, Bishop became the first woman to appear solo on the cover of Business Week.

Bishop's innovative use of bromo acids would set in motion what would be known as the "lipstick wars." with competitors such as Revlon making their own versions of Bishop's formula in vying for dominance of the cosmetics market. The advent of the "no smear" lipstick would prove to be a success for Bishop, as her debut line would not only sell out on the first day, but end up taking over 25% of the American lipstick market.

In four years, sales soared to $10 million.

Bishop lost control of the company in 1954 in a proxy fight with majority stockholders, led by Spector. In 1962, she became a stockbroker and financial analyst, and was an expert regarding cosmetics stocks, first with Bache and Co. (1962–1968), then for Hornblower & Weeks-Hemphill Noyes in 1967, and ultimately for Evans & Co. (1968–1981).