The History of Make-Up

These days, make-up has become so commonplace that even men have started to experiment in wearing them as well. However, did you know that what seems like a new and very recent innovation could actually trace its beginnings back to the time of the Ancient Egyptians?

A Brief History

Women’s makeup was first used during the time of the Ancient Egyptians who were the first people to discover the use of minerals for makeup bases. However, because of the fact that there really weren’t any formal scientific laboratories back then, the Ancient Egyptians made use of some pretty harmful minerals to color their skin.

These would be copper and lead. Both of which did more harm than good to their skins. These substances caused various skin infections, rashes and other illnesses that would sometimes lead to death due to overuse. Perhaps this is where the phrase “Dying for Beauty” originated from.

Fast forward to Ancient Rome where it was common for both men and women to rim their eyes with coal, just like the modern eyeliner. These people also whitened their faces with chalk and added a bit of blush through the use of natural dyes which they derived from red rocks. When the Middle Ages and the Renaissance came around, both men and women extremely valued pale skin.

In order to achieve that, they made use of all sorts of materials including ones that were very harmful such as lead paint. In fact, Queen Elizabeth I used this herself. Through the 1700’s and the 1800’s red rouge and bright lipstick was the look du jour. In general, both men and women wore make up until the mid 1800’s.

These days, fortunately, manufacturers are able to produce make-up that’s safe to use. Can you imagine painting your face with white lead paint? Needless to say, make-up has certainly evolved and both men and women should be thankful for the changes that happened along the way.