Max Factor, the venerable cosmetics brand marketed to American women using the faces of familiar film actresses, will disappear from U.S. store shelves forever next year. It will still be available abroad, including in the UK, where it's a top seller for some reason.

The story of Max Factor the company is a classic corporate tale—a company started at the beginning of the 20th century by a plucky immigrant, only to end its life as part of a multinational conglomerate (Proctor & Gamble) and sold primarily at Walmart.