History of Makeup
The History of Makeup goes as far back as the ancient Egyptians who used copper and lead ore to decorate their skin. Mankind has been using makeup for thousands of years from using berries to stain their lips, boy's urine to fade freckles and burnt matches to darken their eyes.
Different cultures use different applications of makeup as part of rituals including as symbols of fertility, marriage and courtships. Many women and men have put their health at risk by using homemade cosmetics which have included the use of arsenic, lead and mercury to give a paler complexion which they thought was beautiful.
Commercial cosmetics used today have to undergo vigorous testing and safe manufacturering guidelines. Nowadays the usual risk to health is that of irritation and rashes caused by one or some of the ingredients used.
Many myths are related to use of makeup mostly to people believing that there is no control or regulations regarding the ingredients used and that there is no independent evaluations onto any actual or potential risks to health, including that myth that some cosmetics can cause cancer. These beliefs are unfounded in as much that all cosmetics have to abide by stringent rules, regulations and rigorous testing before it can be sold commercially; to date there has been no substantial evidence that cosmetics can cause cancers.
Henna has been used in India since the fourth century. It was used as a dye for hair and was and continues to be used in the art of mehndi, where intricate patterns and designs are painted onto the hands and feet, this custom is used especially for marriages.
Kohl has long been associated with Hindu culture as they believed that its use on both children and adults were beneficial to health; in the USA it has been linked to lead poisoning and its use has been prohibited. Kohl pencils can be brought in many other countries and although it is still called kohl does not contain lead.
Beeswax, gum arabic and egg were used in China from around 3000bc to stain fingernails. The color used represented social class, the royals’ worn gold and silver on in later times red and black, lower classes were forbidden to use bright colors.
From the middle ages up until the Industrial Revolution the majority of people worked outside and therefore their skin darken due to the sun. The wealthy, who remained inside had far fairer complexions. It became fashionable for those who were not from wealthy families to make their faces pale by dusting them with white lead paint which also contains arsenic!
The History of Makeup depicts Queen Elizabeth I of England with a white face as renowned for using white lead paint on her face.
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