12 Beauty Heirlooms From Grandma’s Vanity Still in Use: a 1960s Brow Brush, a Silver Lipstick Case

Grandma handed over this tiny 1.7-ounce perfume bottle about ten years ago. Nobody knows what it is: the label is a little signature that’s impossible to read. The scent has deepened over the years, and it’s too precious to use without a name, so its owner asked the internet for help.

“It’s so special to me and I love the scent.”

“My grandma gave me this lipstick and is asking me to buy another one for her, but I know next to nothing about [designer lipsticks] and was wondering if this is identifiable at all? It’s more orange in person. Just the name of the lipstick line would help.”

It’s her old lipstick that she gave to me to get her another one as im going to a country that has more [of the brand] than when we are.

These comments have been so helpful I think it’s definitely [the shade], will still take it in for a comparison though!

I feel like an absolute peasant beside her, she dresses so nicely and wears sunglasses everywhere.

(I am a dude btw)

The mirror has been in this family for decades, and its new keeper calls it an official heirloom. So the rest of the room was built around it: a new black vanity desk to match the carved frame. The drawers are still empty and the chair is still wrong, but the mirror finally has a place worthy of it.

“I consider it an official heirloom.”

“PSA: Do a welfare check on your Granny’s makeup brushes”

I went to visit my grandmother today, and as I was using her restroom I noticed her makeup brushes looked like they were crying — to me, the only person who could see them — for help to be put out of their misery. I spent like 30 minutes scrubbing them while she watched a documentary. Literal mud from the sheer quantity of eyeshadow and blush came outta those brushes.

She has tools so old, one is literally from the 1960s based off the embossed cursive [brand] logo!! They looked radioactive, especially that one. It looks like it’s been through 3 wars even after cleaning. I’ll be keeping an eye on those brushes from now on when I visit, since I live closer to her now.

I went over there today and I believe she at least used it for her brows today. By the way — that mascara did NOT come off. It’s probably 40 years old and cemented on. She’s getting a really nice metal lash comb/eyebrow brush combo in the mail.

I told my mom about this and she recalls using this brush growing up.

“Great Grandmother’s Vintage Italian Silver Lipstick Case”

My grandma gave me this lipstick case that was once her mother’s, knowing I love vintage things and makeup. The details are so beautiful and whoever made this put much so much love into crafting it. I’m currently doing some research on it and know it’s a vintage Italian piece and also part of a collection of different engraved designs.

This piece is anywhere between 70-100 years old and is in such good condition. I just need to give it a nice clean

I’m such an old soul, anything vintage just makes my heart so happy lol. I’m also all for reusing things, I do plan on giving this a good clean and popping in my favourite lippies

Something I’ll forever cherish, I also might start using it as my own after I clean it. My grandmother enjoyed things being used and loved over being kept in a storage box. If it wasn’t being used, it was on display to cherish each moment you glanced at it

She’s enjoying those pieces of her mom’s collection now and actually uses a lot of it herself.

These hot rollers were Grandma’s back in the 1980s. One afternoon on the porch, the next generation sat still while they went in, one section at a time. When they came out and got brushed through, the result was a big, bouncy blowout and a very pleased grin.

“POV: you try your grandma’s hot rollers from the 1980s”

“My grandmother recently gave me this 1930s Art Deco [brand] makeup compact with attached lipstick tube and finger ring”

I assume this belonged to someone in my family, but unfortunately, I don’t have much context for its exact history.

It’s a beautiful piece though, and still has some residue makeup left inside the compact and lipstick tube!

This was such a fun watch! Thank you for sharing. I noticed that the collectors in her video have the same compact I have in their display case! I took a screenshot and circled it below. So fun, and now I want to start collecting myself!

This compact was a great-great-grandmother’s pride and joy. She was very poor, and it was one of the nicest things she ever owned. It sat broken and unusable for years, so her great-great-grandchild took it apart, cleaned it and fixed it, so that Mom can carry it again.

“They were sturdy and elegant and meant to last.”

“My grandma’s lipstick holder! Needs a little tlc, but still beautiful.”

I did a magnet test on it to see whether it was actually brass or not. It is indeed brass, just badly tarnished (sat on my grandma’s vanity ever since I can remember!). I looked up some tutorials on how to clean it, and the one that looks most promising to me is a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda, scrubbed with a soft toothbrush.

After it’s all clean and shiny again, I’m going to go to a craft store to see if I can find some stones to replace the missing ones!

No idea. I wish there was an easier way for me to find out. All I know is I’m 26, and she had it way before I was born!

Before the wedding, the bride’s great-grandma opened up her jewelry stash and let her dig through it for her “something old.” There were boxes inside boxes, earrings still on their cards and a whole handful of gold rings to choose from.

“I am so blessed to have her in my life and this is a memory I will cherish forever.”

“Depotted my powder into my grandma’s old [vintage] compact case”

I have been using it for a few days now and it does feel nice any time I use it. I am thinking of gifting it to my cousin in a few years when she is old enough to appreciate it. She shares my grandmother’s name so I am hoping it will be a special gift.

I also have another small case I got at the same time from her that is a solid perfume.

I am really happy I can use it instead of having it sit around.

At 18, with the keys to a first apartment, came one family gift: Grandma’s vanity. Forty years earlier, the same vanity had been a gift from Great-Grandma to Grandma. Now the carved wood and the tall mirror stand in a new place, three generations in.

“so special”