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Nov 15, 1000
Products used in Ancient Egypt
People have been using cosmetic products for over 100,000 years, starting with cosmetic body art from the African Middle Stone Age. Some of the first well documented cosmetic uses of red mineral pigments (reds ochre) and kohl for lining their eyes (eyeliner) are by the Ancient Egyptians and Greeks. This act was mentioned in Roman literature and was very much frowned upon, it's also mentioned in the bible in Esther as using lead-based products to whiten the skin. -
Sep 10, 1279
Geishas and Song dynasty
In Asia because of Japans geishas more countries were beginning to wear makeup. In China people started to stain their fingernails as a symbol of authority with beeswax, gelatin, and egg whites. The lower class citizens were not allowed to have their nails a bright color sometimes keeping them brown with dirt. In Japan geishas would use crushed flower petals as lipstick and sometimes bird droppings to make their face appear whiter. -
Very rare uses of cosmetics
Upper class women would you white lead based products and vinegar to make their skin bright which was very poisonous. Hair color was more important at this time showing your social class. If you were middle class you would use plant roots to dye your hair blonde, if you were low class soot would dye your hair black, and if you were high class an auburn color by various plants and roots that were only temporary. -
Cosmetics in London
Women would daub castor oil on their eyes and try to hide their freckles or blemishes with rice powder or pearl powder which was a mixture of chloride, bismuth, and french chalk to give it more of a silky texture. The wealthy class was so pale they might take beet juice and massage it on their cheeks to make them look healthier (like a blush). To get whiter eyes they would sometimes squeeze lemon juice in their eyes and put poisonous belladonna drops to give their pupils a contrasted look. -
The roaring 20's
The cosmetic uses in the 1900's starting showing true development, still very unhealthy to use, it was easier to apply and find in stores. Paleness (again) was something women strived for and tuberculosous was sometimes wanted, to make the skin appear constantly pale. Eyeliner was very dangerous to apply consisting of lead,sulfur,mercury, and soot or grease. Mascara came in a block of colored wax and had to be melted and applied. -
Cosmetics in the 40's
The makeup became less crazy as the young women in the roaring 20's got older and became moms. This look was more focused on eyelashes and lip color and was much more natural. If women were looking for a matte look on their lips they would sometimes put flour over their lips and if they wanted their lips to give off a shine they would use petroleum jelly or pomade. The company Revlon was created around this time but was barely noticed because makeup was still farely frowned upon -
Cosmetics startin to go crazy in the craze of the 50's
In 1948 Max Factor created a stick of foundation that actors and actresses could put on so that they would look better in films that had technicolor. Estee lauderr was a company created by a man and his wife and were the first company to gift out samples for free before purchase which plays a key role in todays cosmetic companies. -
Get the London Look
In 1960 congress passed the "Color Additive Ammendment" which established safer color additives in makeup. The act also prohibited the approval of any products that induce cancer. In 1965 aerosol deodorant was introduced which is also considered a cosmetic product. -
Glamour vs. Natural
In the 70's more people started spreading out and not following what others were doing in the makeup world, some were using khol around there eyes which is very dark, some were glamour girls used shiney sand as sparkles, some were more on the natural look using moon drops. -
Aloe Vera of America
Forever Living was established in the late 1970's but didnt become used until the 1980's. These products were bees wax based and considered very healthy for the skin. -
Dark cosmetics.
In the 90's everyone wore makeup, it became so popular and so needed by every teen. Other countries knew that america was going through a makeup phase so they would try to sell us products. In 1992 the chemical Elaegnus mollis diel oil (say that 5 times fast) is derived from a plant and is meant to soften the makeup products. -
Todays cosmetic progress
With botox injections and silicone implants i feel like women are degressing from health but a proffesor Yang Jianzhong gives me hope for the future, He is trying to invent an anti pollution cosmetic ingredient. Some women are looking for more of a healthy look but others sadly are taking buttox fat and injected in their lips to appear bigger. They are going overboard on tanning because we have found a way to take bronzer,liquify it and spray it on our bodies.
