Ever wonder how the cosmetic industry came about and why they do not miss a beat on making money? And why is it that billions of dollars are spent on marketing to lure us into buying these products from skincare to makeup? What it would be like to live without your lipstick, liplgoss or mascara?
“A woman without paint is like food without salt” wrote Roman philosopher Plautus (254-184 BC). He was definitely a dramatist *rolls eyes*. As a makeup artist (my company's name is factory79), I can relate to seeing where makeup can enhance and also take away (concealing blemishes etc). It’s funny how food played a role in makeup *chuckles* and although cosmetics were seen as a health threat in Elizabethan England, women wore egg whites over their faces for a glazed look. (I’m getting hungry typing, but I digress).
For thousands of years cosmetics have been around, promising to make our lips rosier, eyes brighter and complexions clearer: also labelled Skin toning/Bleaching today… But that’s ANOTHER topic all together for a next time. Ne hoooo…. I continue…..
Evidence of makeup/cosmetics have been found by archeologists being used in Egypt dating back 1st Dynasty of Egypt (c.3100-2907 BC) Egyptian women used to line their eyes with leaded paints and copper. If you were or are a chemist major…yup you’ll understand that that concoction was clearly not in aid of the cause. Nail color often represented social class during the Chou Dynasty, (circa 600 BC) gold and silver were the royal colors. The Chinese used beeswax, egg whites and gelatine, for nail polish. Black or Red nail polish was worn by Royalty, later on. Lower ranking women were only permitted to wear pale tones. Wearing royal colors without the rank was punished by death….ermmm can we say extreme!
FACT: Modern nail polish is a actually a variation of car paint.
In Greco-Roman times, the Middle Ages, and Elizabethan times, pale faces were much more desirable for women than any skin touched by the sun. A tan was considered crude (classless) and reserved for women who worked the fields (tanning spas are now booming businesses *cha-ching*). Unfortunately, this led to various creams applied to the face to reduce blood flow, such as lead paint or arsenic face powder, which caused illness and death to some wealthy widows.
During the Italian Renaissance, women wore arsenic as a face powder which was designed for women from rich families. Women would be instructed never to ingest the makeup, but to apply it to their cheeks when their husbands were around. This led to Six hundred dead husbands (and many wealthy widows) later…. *pauses with a blank stare*….continue reading below….
Ok so let’s talk evolution whew!
The real evolution actually began during the 1910's. By then, women made their own form of mascara by adding hot beads of wax to the tips of their eyelashes. Some women would use petroleum jelly for this purpose. The first mascara formulated was in France by Eugene Rimmel who was the first to develop a non-toxic mascara in the late 1800s, it was a cake-like substance But Modern mascara as we know it was invented in 1913 by T.L. Williams, a chemist, for his sister Mabel. He saw his sister applying coal dust and Vaseline to her lashes, and so he made and marketed the stuff. He named his company Mabelline as a combination of her name and Vaseline. This mascara is known today as Maybelline. (my fave brand). In 1914, Max Factor often called the father of modern makeup introduced his pancake makeup compact style with mirror. During 1920’s lip gloss was introduced by Max Factor and also different shades of lip colours were created *puckers up*
From the 1930's through the 1950's, various movie stars proved to be the models for current trends in makeup. With the '60's and the hippies (the decade I think I should have been born) came a more liberated makeup look, from white lips and Egyptian-lined eyes to painted images on faces. Heavily lined eyes continued through the '70's and '80's with a wide range of eye shadow colors. Today's trend seems to have reverted to the more natural look with a blending of styles from the past.
And there yah have it just SOME of makeup historical past and trek through to the future…hope you enjoyed reading!.
Below are some other beauty related inventions: just for fun facts. For the record….I’m in love with Mabel for having had her brother create Maybelline! *teehee*
Petroleum jelly: Vaseline petroleum jelly was patented in the 1870s.
Hair removal: From about 3,000 B.C. women were removing body hair with scary ingredients they made from things like arsenic and starch. By 500 B.C. Roman women were removing body hair with razor blades and pumice stones, and using tweezers to pluck their eyebrows. By the early 1800s, European women were making homemade depilatories—walnut oil was one popular ingredient. From 1895 to 1904, Mr. Gillette perfected the development of his safety razor.
Underarm deodorant: Mum deodorant was the first invented in 1888 by an unknown inventor from Philadelphia.
Lipstick: Egyptians used a type of henna to stain their lips—back then it was a poisonous substance made of plant dye, iodine and bromine. Cleopatra wore lipstick made from crushed carmine beetles, which gave her a deep red pigment. Lipstick became popular as we know it during the 16th century by Queen Elizabeth I, where lipstick was made from a combination of beeswax and red plant stains.
Acne fighters: Pharaohs in Egypt used a combination of mineral water mixed with sulphur. Ancient Romans bathed in hot sulphurous mineral water. During the 1800s, sulphur treatments were applied to the skin but it was very drying and didn’t always work.
Hair: Sheen was created by brushing the hair a hundred times at night; using lemon rinses; adding eggs to shampoo. Hennas have been very popular since Egyptian times to color the hair. Hair dyes were often used discreetly in England and America during the 1800s, although one didn’t admit it in public.
Hair removal: From about 3,000 B.C. women were removing body hair with scary ingredients they made from things like arsenic and starch. By 500 B.C. Roman women were removing body hair with razor blades and pumice stones, and using tweezers to pluck their eyebrows. By the early 1800s, European women were making homemade depilatories—walnut oil was one popular ingredient. From 1895 to 1904, Mr. Gillette perfected the development of his safety razor.
Underarm deodorant: Mum deodorant was the first invented in 1888 by an unknown inventor from Philadelphia.
Lipstick: Egyptians used a type of henna to stain their lips—back then it was a poisonous substance made of plant dye, iodine and bromine. Cleopatra wore lipstick made from crushed carmine beetles, which gave her a deep red pigment. Lipstick became popular as we know it during the 16th century by Queen Elizabeth I, where lipstick was made from a combination of beeswax and red plant stains.
Acne fighters: Pharaohs in Egypt used a combination of mineral water mixed with sulphur. Ancient Romans bathed in hot sulphurous mineral water. During the 1800s, sulphur treatments were applied to the skin but it was very drying and didn’t always work.
Hair: Sheen was created by brushing the hair a hundred times at night; using lemon rinses; adding eggs to shampoo. Hennas have been very popular since Egyptian times to color the hair. Hair dyes were often used discreetly in England and America during the 1800s, although one didn’t admit it in public.
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