INTRODUCTION: Barbara Walden is one of the century's leading entrepreneur's.  Having recently celebrated 46 years as Founder and President of Barbara Walden Cosmetics, Inc., located in Marina Del Rey, CA, she continues to utilize her success as an instrument to help others.  Barbara Walden is recognized and honored as one of the century's leading role models in the world of beauty, and highly praised and regaled as a woman of many humanitarian deeds and efforts.  Actress turned beauty mogul, Barbara was the forerunner in designing the first cosmetic line for the African American women.  Barbara authored the highly acclaimed beauty book, "Easy Glamour" published by Wm Morrow & Company in 1983.  The book quickly established a new precedent in beauty, hair and skin care for women.

By 1969 this ambitious young women from New Jersey had already won a major contest at Universal Studios.  Among 350 young ladies, 7 where chosen to appear as Mickey Rooney's "Satins' Seven Sinners" in The Private Lives of Adam and Eve, and were given contracts.  Her impressive film credits include The Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston, What A Way to Go with Paul Newman and Shirley McClaine, Global Affair with Bob Hope, Night of the Quarter Moon with Nat King Cole, and in 1977 made a come back appearance in Disney's Freaky Friday with Jodie Foster; along with being chosen as one of the three "Bat Girls" for the LA Dodgers and the Hollywood Stars Celebrity game with Mrs. Sammy Cohen and Mrs. Milton Burle, hosted by Nat King Cole.

As if fate had a way of intervening, there were two elements in Barbara's acting career that would eventually guide her into the world of beauty.  The first element was she was against the way the film industry categorized and portrayed Blacks, depicting them with dialogue consisting of "Yassum" and "Nossuh".  Barbara found it difficult to remain silent, often voicing her disapproval to directors, casting directors, writers, and anyone who would listen, including her own agent.  Much to the dismay of her agent, Barbara was adamantly against how Blacks were being portrayed, that she turned down roles in two major films.  The Raintree County with Montgomery Cliff and the multimillion dollar epic, Cleopatra, with Elizabeth Taylor.  The issue was the spark that ignited the flame, motivating her to help found the Beverly Hills-Hollywood chapter of the NAACP. 

Studio make-up was another area that Barbara felt unflattering to her sensitive black skin.  The make-up would run under the hot lights, and although Pancake foundation was then considered the primo-line for the film and television industry, it was designed for lighter skin tones.  "The make-up would actually turn my skin purple or a grotesque chalky shade."  Barbara recalls. "In fact, there were times when I looked as if I'd fallen into a flour barrel!"

Researching, Barbara tested and tried a wide array of over-the-counter cosmetic lines, desperate to find one that would compliment her skin tone.  "I was dissatisfied with what I found, as it seemed that no one in the cosmetic industry was paying much attention to the Black woman's beauty needs.  I was discussing my frustration with a very good friend of mine, Dan Raeburn, who was in adverting.  After many conversations, we decided to experiment with a reputable chemist in hopes that we could develop a special line of cosmetics that would meet the beauty needs of the Black woman." 

Barbara Walden Cosmetics was launched in 1960 on just $750.00 dollars.  What originally began as a door-to-door marketing push in the Watt's section of Los Angeles, several years later launched at I..Magnin's in Beverly Hills and has been sold throughout fine department stores including Bloomingdales, Macy's, Marshall Fields, May Company Department Stores just to name a few.  Her skin care, makeup, fragrance and is popular with women of all ethnic groups and was the Official Makeup of the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics and is sold in China, Europe, and Africa.

Barbara Walden has appeared on over 100 top local and national televisions shows, and interviewed in over 500 worldwide newspapers and magazines.  She has been recognized and honored as one of the 20th Century's leading role models in the world of beauty and highly praised for numerous deeds of efforts.  She has been honored by countless local and national organizations and was recently the recipient of the Los Angeles Chapter Top Ladies of Distinction Community Service Award, Delta Sigma Theta Spirit Award and the NAACP Community Award.

The year 2006 will make Barbara Walden Cosmetics 46th Anniversary, and she continues to utilize her success as an instrument to help others.  She works equally hard with women in jails, at detention and correction facilities for minors, drug and alcohol rehab centers, homeless and senior high schools in economically depressed areas, centers for the blind, senior citizen facilities, and convalescent hospitals around the country.

Ms. Walden has always been a champion for the less fortunate and under privileged starting with lessons learned from her Mother at an early age, "that it is always good to do for others."  Ms. Walden attends a church for the homeless located in Venice, California, The Bible Tabernacle.  Every major holiday you will find Barbara Walden on skid row in Los Angeles at the Fred Jordon Mission doing her work for the homeless.  The week before Mothers Day is the Mothers Day Beauty Week, Sunday Mothers Day is the Mothers Day Brunch on the streets, Thanksgiving for Thanksgiving Day Dinner.  The children's Christmas Party which is the biggest party on skid row, September back to school with a clothing drive so that every child will receive something new to wear to school.

After 46 years selling throughout major department stores, Barbara Walden has decided to offer her products through distributors as she feels strongly about what is happening to the black businesses today and would very much like to offer her products to be sold through distributors.  For more information on becoming a Distributor, please contact her office today!
 

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