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Editor's Note: The NCA is 100 years old this year, and we were delighted to learn that one of our long-time Vendor Members, Mehron, Inc. is nearly as old! The company was founded just four years after the NCA. Here is a brief history of Mehron.
Mehron, Inc. is a professional makeup company that has been a market leader in the industry for over 95 years. As the company celebrated its near century milestone in 2022, it reflected on the accomplishments it has made over the years.
Mehron was founded in 1927 as a small-scale specialty cosmetic manufacturer in New York City. It all began with Mehron Melik purchasing Plucker & Ahrens Co. in 1927. Mehron quickly realized that there were many more opportunities in the world of professional makeup and officially incorporated the business in 1932. He opened a storefront in the heart of NYC’s theatre district to supply makeup to Broadway performers. The store flourished and became known for its wide variety of unique products.
By the 1940s, the company had earned a stellar reputation and made its mark by establishing partnerships with marquee beauty brands such as Max Factor, Elizabeth Arden and Estee Lauder. It also expanded to offer products in retail salons in NYC, Chicago, Miami, San Francisco and Boston. In the early 1950s, the company was the first to introduce false eyelashes to the U.S. consumer market. Mehron products soon became an industry hit and were sold nationally in drug stores and department stores.
In 1971, Martin Melik, son of Mehron Melik, returned from military training and joined the company full time. Recognizing the need for change, Martin made improvements and upgrades to marketing, manufacturing processes, machinery equipment, packaging, formulas and products. “After 44 years, the Mehron product line needed a comprehensive makeover. Technology had changed, raw materials had changed and consumers expected modern formulas for their professional makeup.” said Martin Melik, now CEO of the company.
In 1975, Martin purchased Mehron, Inc. from his father and, two years later, the founder of the company passed away.
During the ensuing decades, new trademarked product launches included Color Makeup Palettes, CreamBlend Stick Makeup, StarBlend Cake Makeup, Celebre Pro HD Cream Makeup and in 2001, Paradise Makeup AQ.
Paradise Makeup AQ face and body paints and Celebre Pro HD Cream Makeup were instantly adored by makeup artists worldwide. Their popularity resulted in an expanded international footprint with distribution partnerships in Canada, Mexico, EU, UK, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Hong Kong and Malaysia.
Today, Mehron’s product lines have grown to more than 1,200 SKUs sold in over 65 countries. The company’s products have been used in acclaimed productions such as The Lion King, Shrek the Musical, Black Swan, American Ballet Theatre, Blue Man Group, Cirque du Soleil, Phantom of the Opera, CSI (TV) and The Metropolitan Opera, among so many other genres.
The company has been honored over the years with multiple Emmy Awards and CosmoProf (Bologna) Cosmetic Trendsetter Award among various other industry accolades.
As Mehron approaches its centennial, the company remains committed to supporting artists and makeup professionals worldwide with its range of high-quality products. “With the global transition to ecommerce, it has never been more important to create and produce exciting, advanced formulas and products that will keep the Mehron brand at the forefront of creative makeup innovations” says Melik.
