As a pre-teenage boy in the 1960s, my world changed because of Gunilla Knutsson. Apparently so did other boys, girls, teens, men and women because of a certain new television commercial that began appearing during prime time programing.
Knutsson, who died at age 84 in 2025, was internationally famous for being the first ever “Noxzema Take It Off Girl.” The TV commercial actress was a former Miss Sweden.
The ad featured an enticing jingle song by singer Tommy James, showing Knutson seductively removing makeup while promoting Noxzema’s cleansing cream. It was a bit shocking and a touch modern for the times.
Suddenly the 1960s became a huge decade for beauty. Hair got taller, lashes got darker, and drugstore products made it easier to try the looks women saw in magazines, commercials, and department stores.
Some of these products had been around before the decade began, but the ’60s helped them gain popularity and make them part of everyday routines. Here are some of the beauty products that still bring back memories of the decade.
Noxzema
Noxzema was already a long-running skincare product by the 1960s, but its blue jar and cooling feel made it a bathroom-counter classic. The brand dates back to 1914, and the product was also visible in 1960s beauty advertising. If you used it, you probably remember that strong scent.
Dippity-Do setting gel
Dippity-Do dates back to 1965, when it began as a setting gel for classic roller curls. It made sense in a decade of carefully shaped hair, from smooth flips to curled sets that needed to stay put. In 2025, the brand celebrated its 60th anniversary, and its Girls with Curls line nods to its original styling history. One of the newer products, Light Hold Gelée, is described by the brand as a tribute to the original Dippity-Do Setting Gel.
Aqua Net hairspray
If you remember the 1960s hair, you definitely recall hairspray. Bouffants, beehives and teased styles needed serious hold, and Aqua Net became one of the products tied to that sprayed-in-place look. The brand was already known by the 1960s and later became even more famous during the big-hair years of the 1980s. To this day, for many people, Aqua Net is still the elite hairspray brand.
Breck Shampoo
Breck had been around before the 1960s, but its famous Breck Girl ads became part of the beauty world of the decade. The campaign used soft, idealized portraits of women with shiny, healthy-looking hair.
Prell shampoo
Prell was introduced by Procter & Gamble in 1947, but it stayed familiar for decades. Many people remember the green shampoo, the tube or bottle, and those ads that made the product look rich and thick. Prell’s green liquid and unbreakable bottle were featured in memorable advertising. It is one of those products people remember visually almost as much as they remember using it.
Clairol hair color
Clairol helped change the way women talked about hair color. Its famous “Does she…or doesn’t she?” campaign began in 1956, but its influence carried strongly into the 1960s. The brand aimed to make at-home hair color look natural enough that no one would know for sure if it was colored.
CoverGirl “clean” makeup
CoverGirl was born in 1961, making it a true beauty name of the decade. The brand became known for affordable, accessible makeup and a fresh, clean look. CoverGirl helped sell the idea of makeup that looked pretty, polished, and easy to wear and is still a big name in the makeup game today.
Maybelline Ultra-Lash Mascara
The 1960s were all about eyes, and Maybelline’s Ultra-Lash fit right in. The mascara was introduced in 1963 and became part of Maybelline’s growing eye makeup lineup. With Twiggy-style lashes, heavy liner, and dramatic eye makeup becoming popular, mascara was no longer just a finishing touch.
Avon Skin So Soft
Avon’s Skin So Soft launched in 1961, starting with bath oil. Over time, it became one of the company’s most recognizable products. It also came with the Avon representative, which changed the game for beauty product shopping.
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I remember all of those products, and with the exception of the Clairol hair color, I used all of them at one time or another. The Noxzema, which I used on the recommendation of my sister, was a disaster — it made me break out in pimples!
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Yep, I tried them all, too, except for Clairol. I’ve always been satisfied with the brown hair God gave me. 🙂
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I sure do remember all the commercials; they were mezmerizing. I got gifted some Skin So Soft, which I didn’t like, but did use the Noxema in my mother’s cabinet. Love the smell. Good for sunburns. And I used to use a friend’s Aqua Net to kill hornets. You should try it; they just stuck together and that was it; kerplunk. But not being much for cosmetics in general, more of a nature girl, I never bought a single one. True to form, I don’t like the chemical smells. Rose oil is much nicer, and coconut oil, too.
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Wow. Never even thought about the hornets. Awesome. Had to laugh though.
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Hair spray is probably toxic, but not near as bad as Raid. I have a bottle of sugar syrup outside killing yellow jackets right now!
We have to admit, the Breck hair commercials were stunning: shimmering, gorgeous hair.
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