Makeup. The eyeliners, eye shadows, lipsticks, blushes, and mascaras we girls can all turn to to ignite confidence. It is one of the simplest things to use that can quickly turn your self image around. Then I began thinking, how has makeup changed over the years? Some still go for the “retro” look but I’m not talking about the way it is put on, I mean what is in the makeup and how it all got started.
Back in ancient days, makeup was to be worn by the elite, upper class. People would go to extremes which to get the look they were going for. Women would crush berries to use to stain their lips. Sometimes they would use mercury (yes, mercury) to lighten their skin; they also used leeches to suck their blood to drain, literally, the color from their face. OUCH! As we progressed to the Middle Ages, makeup was still only seen for the wealthy upper class or for actors. As the 20’s approached, Estee Lauder followed by Max Factor, and L’Oreal Paris made their way into the scene. Max Factor created a “grease paint” (sounds great, right?) that went on smoother than what was used by actors and that did not crease. It was then that Hollywood celebrities started to call Max factor wanting to try the new makeup and thus a makeup revolution for everyone was born.
We have come a long ways since the ancient days and using poisons or berries for a flush (or lack of) color. Makeup now a days has to go through many tests to account for safety measures before you will ever see it in a Sephora or beauty store. Some may call makeup vain and superficial, but I feel that we women all want to be accepted in one way or another. If that means strawberry lip gloss, I’m down! What do you think about how makeup has progressed?
Now that human safety has become a foremost concern of cosmetics consumers, I think that we're seeing trends that reflect an even broader concern for safety - for example "eco-friendly" cosmetics and a preference for companies that do not test on animals. As a sidenote, some years ago I read "Inventing Beauty" by Teresa Riordan. It was a fascinating book about the history of cosmetics and how dangerous some of these early products were.
ReplyDeleteI think it is fascinating how far make up has evolved. Beauty has always been a desire of the human heart and makeup helps reach for this goal. I especially loved your comment " I feel that we women all want to be accepted in one way or another". This is so true! Makeup is only as superficial as one will make it. Makeup is used to enhance features and magnify the beauty that is already there.
ReplyDeleteI would have never thought of makeup as part of today's culture and how we usually lack confidence without it. We cover ourselves we such a faux perspective of ourselves, we sometimes lose who we really are due to the art and glam of "revolutionized" beauty.
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