Ancient Cosmetics

When it comes to us women wearing makeup, it seems like we are shamed if we do, and shamed if we don’t. Although, the face powder in Renaissance era were harmful to skin, I am still glad that they came up with the idea. Without the Renaissance’s idea of face powder, Mr. Max Factor would not have invented the pancake foundation. Half of my makeup collection are: cake foundation, liquid foundation, face powder, setting powder—you name it. What can I say? Perfect skin ideal is hard to emulate, especially if you are genetically prone to acne. Nevertheless, it seems as though, whether you embrace the significance of makeup or choose to step out of the house—"bare-faced," you will be criticized either way. Because one day you attended a family gathering

Cosmetics and bathing in the medieval ages weren’t like what we have today. We have blush and shampoo and mascara, our ancestors in the medieval ages didn’t have these luxuries. For makeup, they used lead glaze because it “was practical to clean and looked beautiful”. Lead, it turns out, is very poisonous and can affect your intelligence and overall health, so most people slowly died from poison. Men used women’s cosmetics to stave off old appearance, unlike us, who use hair dye.

Have you ever thought about who created makeup? Or how it was created? When, where and how? Why was it created? How has it changed over time? Has it affected anyone? Well I’m going to tell you some of it. Make up wasn’t just created by powder or anything small and simple like that, no. Makeup actually has a lot of its own differences. In 180 BCE was when makeup had first had started but it wasn’t commonly used as much as then. People would limit the use of makeup because it was so expensive and hard to get and or find. The women who actually had it or used it were the prostitutes and the wealthier women. The “Cheap Knockoff’s” were the ones who were sold to the poorer women. The people didn’t really care if the slaves used makeup but

The psychology of beauty is complex not just because the concept of beauty is as yet undefined, but also because it is largely true that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder or how individuals perceive other people or things. The importance of beauty has been taught since the first civilizations. It is known that the cave people of the Mesolithic period (around 10,000 B.C.) softened their skin with castor oil and grease, and also used plant dyes to tattoo their skin. Lipsticks first appeared in the ancient city off Ur, near Babylon, 5000 years ago. Ancient Greek women painted their cheeks with herbal pastes made from crushed berries and seeds. A dangerous development of beauty

The idea of cosmetology and beauty was commenced by ancient tribal hunters. It is believed that they would smear ash under their eyes and use animal urine to alter their smell. This is where the idea of eyeliner and perfume originated (Schurman). Around the world cosmetology is being introduced like Egypt is suggested to be one of the most ancient culture that associates with cosmetics. Make up to them was really significant especially to the royal egyptians. Their idea of eyeliner was made up of lead, ash and mercury. The use of this eyeliner helped reduce glare, prevent any type of infection, and mostly to make their eyes beautiful (Schurman). Now the Chinese ancient culture had mixtures of natural ingredients to produce stimulating nail polish. The nail polish to these people were sign of wealth (Murphy). In ancient Rome and Greece those who could afford it would receive baths in lotions. They wore perfume, face powder, blush, eyeliner, and lipstick. During this period it was discovered that oils, lotions, and animal fat have beautification properties (Schurman).

Accordingly Makeup can be used for many things. The ancient Egyptians used makeup made from oils and cream to help clean and

Masks were a very important aspect of Ancient Egyptian burials. In common with the anthropoid coffin they provided the dead with a face in the afterlife. In addition they also enabled the spirit to recognize the body.

Ancient Egyptian religion had an effective impact on their daily life. The afterlife preparation and ceremonies was very important to the Ancient Egyptians. The afterlife took work and care but was cared for deeply by all Egyptian people. In ancient Egypt both royal men and women wore makeup in ways of their religion. Makeup in Ancient Egypt played a part in religion, makeup and cosmetics were very important because for the Royal it showed power and true dedication. Makeup was made of all natural materials and objects.They used resources that they had to make the best out of everyday life. Religion was not only for the people but also for the

Egyptian women apply pigments made from stibnite and/or galena, and green copper paste from minerals, to their faces for colour and definition, and kohl as a type of eyeliner. They made lip and cheek stain from ground Carmine beetles.

For an Ancient Egyptian woman , the phrase " Cleanliness is next to Godliness " was of importance , as good hygiene was the start & an important base of most beautifying rituals at this time, as having a body that emitted unpleasant odors was extremely undesirable and associated with impurity. To obtain good hygiene, women who could afford it made a cleansing paste out of water & natron , before rubbing oils into her skin , commonly fragranced with frankincense ( a good , balsamic sweet woody smell ) or myrrh ( a warm & woody resin ). Women of both the poor and rich class were often supplied with these oils , both to keep a pleasant body odor , and probably to help keep the skin moisturized as well in the hot climate. After cleansing themselves, Egyptian women loved to adorn themselves with makeup, especially eye

As women, we can alter our appearance through the use of beauty products, such as makeup. According to Paula Black, author of The Beauty Industry : Gender, Culture, Pleasure, "When women put on a face, they continue to express ideas of naturalness and artifice, authenticity and deception, propriety and danger, modernity and tradition. Making up remains a gesture bound to perception of self and body, the intimate and the social - a gesture rooted in women's everyday lives (Peiss, 1998, p.27).” (Black 7). In other words, makeup can be used to alter a woman's identity. For example, during the Victorian era, men feared that women used makeup as a way to disguise their identity. “The

It was not only till the Nineteenth century where makeup became gender inclusive to society and became a women dominated industry. As the years progressed society was conditioned to think that makeup was made for women. Outside ancient Egypt women had done above and beyond to enhance their beauty to become better suited for a mate or to be considered beautiful. Before makeup was even introduced to world, women went to the extremes of using burnt matches to darken their eyes, using berries to stain there cheeks and lips, and even swallow oxblood to improve overall complexion. And if it wasn’t for the help of social media, men would still be struggling to this day to get the cosmetic recognition that they deserve. Gender roles has always created social boundaries for not only men but for women as well.Women have also dealt with the hardship of trying to be accepted in a society. Since the nineteenth th century restraints of not being able to vote, or work has carried on to the Twentieth century. Women are taken seriously when it comes to sports or having physical strength. Till this day women are making less on their paychecks compared to men. Both genders have their disadvantages and both deal with trying to break the labels that have been created. A new societal culture is happening and regardless of gender the traditional constraints that have been created it is becoming less significant in not only the

Cosmetics, first used in Ancient Rome for ritual purposes, were part of daily life for women, especially prostitutes and the wealthy. Cosmetics were applied in private, usually in a small room where men did not enter. Cosmetae, female slaves that adorned their mistresses, were especially praised for their skills. They would beautify their mistresses with cultus, the Latin word encompassing makeup, perfume and jewelry.

Eye make-up was one of the earliest forms of females enhancing their beauty with make-up. It was told that women in Ancient Egypt would put eye makeup on to make their eyes look larger and to show more of the color of eye. The most used colors were black and dark green. The material used to make this eye product was a rock, copper, galena, and a sulphide of lead. This is a chemistry compound.

“Makeup has been used to enhance the beauty of both men and women for over thousand years. It its through teaching others how to apply makeup, we can strive to help others feel comfortable and confident in their own skin. Wearing makeup help embrace our natural features and may also help express the ideas in a creative way like art.”