Makeup has been used since ancient times, with evidence of its use in ancient Egypt. Both men and women used makeup, including kohl sticks and copper for eyeshadow. The use of makeup spread to other regions, including the Middle East, Greece, and Rome. Trends in makeup have changed over time, with some dangerous ingredients used in the past. Various substances have been used in makeup, including henna and ground gems. The history of makeup is diverse and continues to be culturally diverse today.
The history of makeup is quite ancient; women probably began wearing makeup around 4000 BC in ancient Egypt, and the use of various substances as cosmetics may be even older. Archaeological evidence clearly indicates that both women and men in ancient Egypt wore makeup, using kohl sticks to blacken their eyes and copper to create rich green eyeshadow.
It is quite possible that cosmetics have been a part of human existence for a long time. If earlier societies used things like berries to stain their lips and cheeks, for example, this would not have survived in archaeological sites, as the evidence would have long since expired. The use of cosmetics was widespread enough by 4000 BC for archaeological sites to include containers for makeup, some rare examples of cosmetics, and references to makeup in the art and writing of this period.
Undoubtedly, the trick spread from Egypt to other regions of the world. In the Middle East, makeup was common enough to be mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible, and both the Greeks and Romans used it. Indeed, some Greek societies believed that a woman without makeup could also be naked. A wide variety of supplementary personal care was also performed, including the removal of unwanted body hair and elaborate hair styling for both men and women.
Both men and women used makeup regularly historically. Both genders used a variety of substances to bring out their eyes, and many also wore blush and rouge. Many companies have also used various materials to lighten skin, ranging from rice powder to lead. Some of the first cosmetics were actually quite dangerous; lead and arsenic were routine ingredients when people started wearing makeup, for example, leading to illness and sometimes death.
Trends in makeup have also changed over the centuries, just as fashion trends in general have changed. In Elizabethan England, for example, people preferred a more natural look, with less heavy rouge and lipstick, while in the Regency era, both men and women used lipstick heavily. Cosmetics were also used on hair; powdered white hair was extremely popular at one point in time, for example.
Substances such as henna, kohl, ground gems and various metals have been used for centuries in the preparation of make-up and ointments, and when people started wearing make-up, they undoubtedly used everything available, from milk to fruit. Along with makeup, many cultures have developed creams to help remove makeup, along with lotions to soothe dry, flaky skin, especially in climates like Egypt. The history of makeup has been quite diverse and colorful, and makeup today continues to be incredibly culturally diverse.
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