S6 E7 Cosmetics and Surgery

The ‘Twiggy Lashes,’ launched by Yardley London in 1967 in collaboration with supermodel Twiggy, were marketed as a way for consumers to recreate her iconic wide-eyed look and became a symbol of Swinging Sixties youth culture and accessible glamour. Decades earlier, however, facial modification took a very different form in the hand-crafted facial prosthetics made during World War I by Francis Derwent Wood and Anna Coleman Ladd at the “Tin Nose Shop” for severely disfigured soldiers. These painted metal masks, often used alongside early plastic surgery, aimed to restore dignity and social acceptance rather than beauty or fashion. Together, these objects show how the face functions as a powerful site of identity, shaped both by commercial ideals and by medical responses to trauma.   This podcast is a product of academic coursework, created by students for educational purposes. The opinions and views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent the official stance or views of Texas Christian University.