A very popular trope in teen movies is the makeover, the physical transformation of the ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. In this episode, Susan and Debbie take Rhonda under their wing, and convince her she can be the next homecoming queen. Their beauty intervention happens in the sancta sanctorum of the Schaffer’s mansion — Liz’s bedroom.
Fans of time travels, this is for you: there’s a Westman Atelier mirrored compact (containing Vital pressed skincare face powder) on Liz’s vanity. A product launched in 2022 makes its appearance in 1981 — a magic trick that is possible only in the fictional worlds created by Ryan Murphy.
In 1988, one year after Andy Warhol’s death, his business manager, Fred Hughes, commissioned photographer David Gamble to take pictures of the artist’s New York home. The picture of Warhol’s bathroom cabinet is probably the most famous result of that photoshoot: it was sold for $25,000 at an auction and in 2012 it was displayed at the exhibition Regarding Warhol: Sixty Artists, Fifty Years at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. A print of it is in the collection of The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh.
No need for me to explain why I have decided to analyse in detail the contents of this cabinet. I have scrutinised fictional and real-life bathroom cabinets and dressing tables for more than 10 years, so I couldn’t miss the opportunity to write about this iconic cabinet.
Before starting, let me say that medicines and several beauty products haven’t been included: I never write about medicines and the aforementioned products, now discontinued, haven’t been identified yet. The description of other products, although identified, is not completed by pictures because I haven’t found any online.
Let’s start with the top shelf.
The aqua green jar is Clinique 7-Day scrub cream: this product is still on the market, but the packaging has been changed (now it’s available in tube form).
The glass bottle with white stopper on the far right is Janet Sartin sun lotion. This brand and their beauty salon in New York still exist.
On the second shelf, starting from the far left, we can see a glass bottle of Guerlain Extrait de Pot-Pourri aux Plantes Marines, a home fragrance.
Seeing a Chanel no. 5 ancillary product (an after-bath spray) is not surprising: Andy Warhol included the iconic bottle of the French perfume in his Ads series.
Next, another Guerlain product – Vétiver talc. Unfortunately I haven’t found a picture of the product in the packaging shown in Warhol’s cabinet, but the pagoda-like bottle is so charming, isn’t it?
The silver tube contains Framesi Gelly’s color enhancing styling gel. This Italian haircare brand, still on the market, was founded in 1945.
Last, the glass bottle on the far right is another Janet Sartin product.
On the third shelf there’s a small-sized bottle of Vidal Sassoon shampoo.
In the back of the shelf there’s another Janet Sartin product, housed in a white jar.
Another Alo Sun product – the After Tan lotion – sits on the same shelf.
The white jar with taupe cap is Revlon European Collagen Complex exceptional beauty cream.
On the fourth shelf there’s a Sally Hansen product: I haven’t found any picture of it online, but the bottle reads that it’s a desensitized skin conditioning lotion.
Next to it there’s a jar of Interface herbal rub scrub. This is another product which I haven’t found any evidence of online. The brand doesn’t exist anymore.
One of the most interesting products is Halston 1-12 shaving foam. The fragrance was launched in 1976 and is still available on the market. Warhol using a Halston beauty product makes so much sense that I would have been surprised if I hadn’t found any in this cabinet.
The jar with blue cap contains Noxzema Antiseptic Skin cleanser pads.
Just under the Noxzema pad jar there’s Clinique Sub-Skin firming cream.
Among the lip products I can see a Lip Smacker Bonne Bell lip balm (cherry or strawberry-scented) and a tube of Vaseline Lip Therapy balm.
On the fifth (bottom) shelf there’s a bottle of Cetaphil lotion.
Next, a bottle of Vitabath Spring Green body wash.
On a jar of Vaseline pure petroleum jelly there’s a bottle of Lubriderm Lubath body wash.
Next, there’s a bottle of Neet cocoa butter lotion hair remover.
World Wide Aura 