Finished

After doing this project the saying "beauty is pain" comes to mind. The lengths people have gone to over time just to look a certain way or to be closer to their gods in the Egyptians case. We are so fortunate that makeup today isn't made from lead that discolors and shrivels our skin. I never knew makeup had such an impact in peoples' lives until now.

Men in Makeup

In Ancient Egypt men wore makeup just like the women. Over time, men stopped this and became natural. KISS, a band in the 1970s, covered their faces mainly black and white face paint. In the 1980s, men such as Boy George and various rock bands began wearing makeup. Not subtle makeup but heavy amounts of makeup typically for women (eyeshadow, lipstick, and blush.) Around 2006, the band Fall Out Boy became famous, their bassist Pete Wentz wore eyeliner. This started a trend for many men and become known as "guyliner".

Cruelty Free

There are so many cosmetic companies that test their products on animals before they sell it to the public. I found a company about a year ago that I love. Duwop's products are more expensive that those sold in drug stores but they feel natural and don't test on animals which is a huge plus. Here is a page you can check your favorite brands to see if they are cruelty free.

Skin Damage Camera

Here you can read about a special UV light camera that shows damage under the skin that is made by the sun. The comparison between the normal picture of the patient and the UV picture is shocking!

Eyelashes

Yesterday I was flicking through a magazine when I came across a page that had results from a test done on products that are supposed to grow eye lashes. To my surprise, the feedback on all of the products was positive. Women claimed their lashes were darker as well as longer with only a few weeks of use. LiLash is one of these products.
Products to improve the look of eyelashes have advanced majorly over time. In ancient Egypt where women would use kohl to darken them and women in Victorian times would put castor oil on their lashes. The first modern mascara was made with Vaseline and coal dust by a man who named the product after his sister, Maybel. it is known today as Maybelline (a combination of Maybel and Vaseline.)

Foundation

Many years ago, women used products such as lead to make their faces appear blemish free and gorgeous. This could also make them very sick.

By the early 20th century, pancake makeup was used. This was a very thick coat of foundation that covered even major scars and discoloration.

Almay has now created the Smart Shade Makeup collection. This collection includes foundation, concealer, blush, and bronzer that all adjust to match one's skin color. The products are also made from natural things such as grape seed and ginseng as well as hypoallergenic. According to a review I read it really does match skin tones and leaves it natural looking!

Tanning

Today, most people want that tan that makes them look more beautiful. In history, people didn't want to be tan, at all, they would use leads, aresenic and chalks to make themselves pale. They often got lead poisoning just to look "beautiful."

In the 1920s, designer Coco Chanel was seen with a tan from staying in the sun too long. The suntan trend was started by mistake! Dyes and creams were developed to help with the tanning process. In the eighties, tanning salons became very popular because the "golden" look could be achieved faster.

Ancient

Here is a page filled with details on beauty products of ancient people. You can read about techniques used on eyes and also about perfumes made oils that varied from region to region (sometimes perfume was worth more than gold or silver.) The bathing habits of ancient people are also included Egyptians bathed everyday where as Mesopotamians bathed only on festive occasions. Hair was a mark of beauty, Kings grew their hair long and well cared for to show their wealth, but peasants had short hair for hygiene and care reasons. Hair was even dyed with henna, sometimes animal body parts and blood!

21st Century

Today I found a web page with strange beauty products of the 21st century. This site has the most bizarre items. 

In Japan, you can buy a prosthetic that trains you how to smile. While using this piece of plastic you can't talk... You can also buy cookies that enhance breast size but also work other "miracles". Weird...

This same website shows a new type of lip gloss- FUZE Slenderize Guilt Free Lip Gloss. It was made by FUZE, the weight loss drink, as well as the cosmetic company, Two Faced. This creation is supposed to boost someone's energy without actually eating. This lip gloss has a metabolism booster, L-Carinitine (a fat burner), and Chromium (supposed to maximize food-energy conservation.)

Make Up

A few years ago, I had to do a project that required me to make a Shakespearean time magazine. In the magazine I included beauty products that women in that time would have used. Products back then were crazy, a mixture of white vinegar and lead was used to make the skin pale. They even used mercury as a way to remove blemishes! The many different techniques used throughout history are fascinating!