Marilyn Monroe and James Bond's makeup came from Palsgaard

WHAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT PALSGAARD

Cosmetics Supplier for Hollywood

Palsgaard A/S produces emulsifiers that are used in food, plastic packaging and in personal care products, and the latter played a major role in a number of products loved by the big stars of the time such as Marilyn Monroe, Marlene Dietrich and Sean Connery.

You can read more about how creams, lotions and foundations produced at Palsgaard became a hit in Hollywood below.

Anita d'Foged and the Hollywood Connection

In 1946, Palsgaard's owner Herbert Schou entered into a partnership with the beautician Anita d'Foged to produce cosmetic products for her beauty salon in Copenhagen. Anita developed the ideas for the products, which were made at Palsgaard and with the use of the company's emulsifiers.

In 1949, she established Anita d'Foged Day Dew of Denmark, a large beauty salon with its own products in Beverly Hills, which quickly became popular with the big Hollywood stars of the time Marlene Dietrich, Lauren Bacall, Heddy Lamar and Ingrid Bergman.

Palsgaard Castle Labs

Anita played on the products' Danish origin and it was stated on the packaging that they were Made and Packed at Palsgaard Castle Lab, Denmark.

The Anita of Denmark series was produced under the direction of Edmund Larsen and consisted of cleansing cream, moisturizer, lotion, makeup cream, supplemented with various types of masks, powders, eyeshadows, eyeliner and mascara.

See more in this article from JyllandsPosten from 1970.

Day Dew – Marilyn Monroe's favorite foundation

The most popular product in the Anita of Denmark series was without a doubt Day Dew, a foundation that had a special ability to connect with the skin and could last all day. Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe reportedly used Day Dew in Ivory medium.

See more in this ad for Day Dew in Se og Hør from 1958. The recipe for Day Dew is still in Palsgaard's archives.

Supplier to James Bond Studios

In 1966, Herbert Schou announced that Palsgaard and Anita D'Foged had signed a contract to supply Day Dew make-up to James Bond Studios. The product did not melt under bright floodlight and under water, making it ideal for use in filming.

Day Dew was used both by the Bond girls and by James Bond himself, in the form of Sean Connery. One story goes that Connery had become so fond of Day Dew that he approached Palsgaard directly and asked for fresh supplies when he had run out and was about to film and appear on TV in Berlin. A car was immediately sent off from Palsgaard – you don't say no to James Bond!

The end of an era

Anita d'Foged died in 1967, but Palsgaard continued to produce Anita of Denmark products for her company, which was now owned by the American Harley Woodmansee, until 1989, when they chose to focus on Palsgaard's emulsifiers for food.

Day Dew and other products in the Anita of Denmark series are still produced in the USA, but now without emulsifiers from Palsgaard.

Other things you may not know about Palsgaard

Denmark was once ruled from Palsgaard

The King of Norway was elected at Palsgaard

The frigate Jylland was owned by Palsgaard

The industrial food emulsifier was invented at Palsgaard

Marilyn Monroe and James Bond's makeup came from Palsgaard

Palsgaard was a supplier for the World Cup in football

One million daffodils planted in Palsgaard Castle Park