Realce eye shadow (sombra para los ojos), shade Malva (mauve) – empty

Object/Artifact

-

Archive of Cuban Socialism

Name/Title

"Realce" eye shadow (sombra para los ojos), shade "Malva" (mauve) – empty

Entry/Object ID

2025.1.361

Description

Empty turquoise molded-plastic swivel tube of eye shadow. The upper section (cap) carries the gold Realce emblem — a radiating sunburst above a stylized letter "R"; the lower section is the base, with a metal swivel collar/ferrule exposed between the two. The cap is slightly displaced, revealing the metal collar with granular soiling/residue. The base bears an inscription, transcribed by the holder as "SOMBRA PARA LOS OJOS / Realce / MALVA / HECHO EN CUBA."

Use

Kept by Gertrudis Caraballo Gálvez

Context

Realce was a makeup line of Cuba's nationalized perfumery-cosmetics industry (alongside Fantasía, Prisma, Alondra, Cirene), documented in Cuba Material's catalog, which lists Realce eye shadow in two formats — a pressed powder (9 shades) and a non-iridescent plastic-cased stick (7 shades). This object is the plastic-cased stick ("casquillo plástico"); "Malva" (mauve) is one of those shades. Reader recollections on Cuba Material attest to the Realce eye shadows' everyday use.

Collection

The Cabrera Arús family collection, Gertrudis Caraballo Gálvez collecition

Acquisition

Accession

2025.1

Made/Created

Manufacturer

MINIL

Place

Country

Cuba

Region

Caribbean, Central America

Edition

Realce

Notes

Date: circa 1970s–1980s; tentative.

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Label

Location

bottom

Transcription

SOMBRA PARA LOS OJOS Realce MALVA HECHO EN CUBA

Language

Spanish

Translation

EYESHADOW FOR THE EYES Realce MAUVE MADE IN CUBA

Notes

Tube (cap): gold Realce emblem — a radiating sunburst over a stylized "R." Base (per holder transcription; not independently imaged): "SOMBRA PARA LOS OJOS / Realce / MALVA / HECHO EN CUBA."

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Diameter: 1.1 Height: 5.3

Height

5.3 cm

Diameter

1.1 cm

Parts

Cap (turquoise plastic, with gold logo); base (turquoise plastic) with metal swivel collar/mechanism

Materials

Material

Plastic

Material Notes

Molded plastic (turquoise cap and base); metal (swivel collar/ferrule)

Condition

Overall Condition

Fair

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Gertrudis Caraballo Gálvez

Notes

owner

Related Places

Place

City

Havana

Country

Cuba

Region

Caribbean, Central America

Notes

use

Created By

María A. Cabrera Arús

Create Date

March 31, 2022

Updated By

María A. Cabrera Arús

Update Date

July 17, 2026