10 interesting beauty facts every makeup enthusiast must know!
Makeup used to be a symbol of wealth and beauty, with wealth given more importance. Both men and women used cosmetics to show that they belonged to the upper echelons of society, as makeup was costly and only available to the rich. I simply wear it because I’d scare children without it on…
Here are other interesting beauty facts every makeup lover should know:
- Makeup Was Used for Skin Protection
Back in ancient Egypt, men and women used makeup as part of their daily routine. They would use cream and oil to protect their skin from the blazing sun. To make their cheeks and lips pop, they would grind ochre and mix it with water to get that pinkish glow.
- Cleopatra Used Kohl
Ancient Egyptians used kohl to enhance the look of their eyes. One of them, Cleopatra, who ruled ancient Egypt in her time, used kohl for her eyes. This made her replicate the look of their Sun God Re. Kohl was considered the first eyeliner, and Cleopatra’s look inspired the people of today. Now, we use eyeliner to make our eyes look bigger and brighter.
- Lipstick Has Ground Gems
In ancient Mesopotamia, they crushed precious gems until they looked like dust and pressed it on their lips. Their lips would then shine when it gets hit by the sunlight. This practice started the usage of lipstick.
- Guys Wore Makeup
From ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome to the French Revolution, men used to wear makeup. They would draw hair to cover up any bald spots on their head. Also, they would put cream, lotion, and oil on their faces to avoid getting sunburn. And during the French Revolution, men would cover their faces with powder to show their wealth and status in society.
- Lipstick Colour Represented Social Class
Red lipstick was used to signify social class; the redder it was, the lower your status in society was. In Europe, people would assume that you worked in a brothel if you wore red lipstick. On the other hand, bright pink tones indicated higher social status.
- Tanning Craze
In the 1920s, famous fashion designer, Coco Chanel, had a sunburn while traveling at the French Riviera. Upon her return, her sunburn had turned into a golden tan, which eventually became the talk of the town. They tried to copy her look, thus creating a tanning craze during this time. They tried to imitate Coco Chanel, hoping they would know how it felt like to have a luxurious lifestyle. After this, spray tans and self-tanning lotions replaced the baking in the sun to achieve that sun-kissed look.
- Being Pale in the 15th Century Was Considered Beautiful
Many women thought that having pale porcelain-looking skin meant you were the epitome of beauty during this period. When every woman tried their best to look pale by using leeches to suck out some blood, some went to the extent of using a product called Venetian Ceruse, a white lead product that causes hair loss most of the time and sometimes, even death.
- Being Bald Was Beautiful
During the 1400s to 1500s, the trend of going bald and hairless among women was the archetype of beauty. They covered their faces with powder, concealing their facial hair, including their eyebrows. This is probably the reason why the infamous Mona Lisa looked like she did not have any eyebrows. In some cases, women opted to have their hair shaved and instead wore wigs that looked elegant and sophisticated, at least during their time.
- Do Not Use Your Hand to Test Makeup
When you test the colour of your foundation, you usually use your hands to see if it matches your skin tone. This belief is not true. The hands are more exposed to sunlight compared to the rest of your body. If you want to know which shade to choose for your face powder or foundation, try matching it with the skin tone on your neck and chest. This is the area in your body with the closest skin tone to your face.
- Don’t Pump That Mascara
Pumping your mascara leads to drying out. When you pump your mascara, the air is trapped inside, causing it to dry up. Instead of this motion, gently twirl it inside the tube. This way, you will be able to get more mascara colour than pumping it to the tube.
*This is a collaborative post!
