As we scroll through time and take a glimpse into the past of our ancestors to view the way cosmetics performed we find a colorful picture that depicts woman of all ages having a yearning to look better.

When we look into the Egyptians around 4000 BC we find women using brightly colored green paste made from copper minerals to provide color and definition. They used creams made from sheep’s fat, lead and soot.

In 1500 BC China and Japan used rice powder to paint the pasty white faces common in that era. Eyebrows were shaved and teeth painted gold or black. Henna was commonly used to stain hair and faces. In other words teenagers looked exactly as they look today.

1000 BC Greece – woman as well as men wore wigs mainly to hide the fact that they seldom bathed. And everyone wanted white skin so wearing chalk or white lead face powder was very common. They spread their palms with reddish henna, supposedly to look younger.

100 AD – In Rome, these super-civilized ancestors put barley flour and butter on their pimples and sheep’s fat and blood on their fingernails. They had specially dedicated slaves to apply their cosmetics.

In the 14th Century cosmetics were regarded as a health threat because many thought they would block proper circulation. Well to do women wore egg whites to create a whiter countenance and slept with slices of raw beef on their faces to get rid of wrinkles. I think some English playwright wrote something to the effect “ A beautiful woman is like a
delicatessen….” Then again, maybe not.

In the 15th and 16th centuries in Europe the aristocracy only used cosmetics. Italy and France became the chief centers of manufacturing cosmetics. The French perfected the art of creating new fragrances. This process was developed through the blending of ingredients that was very labor intensive and gave birth not only to the means for producing modern cosmetics but also for murder, as arsenic was sometimes used in face powders instead of lead.

Until next time we will continue to explore the world of beauty Where Time Stops and Beauty Begins.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

The 20th Century has seen a huge interest in physical beauty particularly for women.  Plastic surgery has thrived on women’s quest for beauty.  Definition of beauty in the 20th century , when referring to physical beauty, are nearly always constructed in terms of outward appearance and sexual attractiveness.

A truly beautiful woman makes the best of her physical assets but more importantly she radiates a personal quality that is attractive and this is so in any century.  The beautiful, it would appear, are those who are exciting to almost all of the opposite sex.  In the Victorian era that we talked about last episode it was considered a woman’s duty to make herself beautiful.  Some of the more bizarre and painful beauty aids of the Victorian era continued to be marketed well into the 1920’s.  One of the main ingredients of the 20th century that sets us apart from the 19th century is the popularity of cosmetics.  From puberty onwards-young girls use cosmetics in order to look older to attract older boys, unlike their mothers who use cosmetics to do the reverse and to disguise the flaws of age.  Many feminists believe marketing of cosmetics to be an exploitation of women by the male industry mogul and some women resent being part of a ritual with cosmetic application.  It is not purely for the benefit of men that most women wear cosmetics but for themselves and each other.

The growth of the film industry has had a huge influence towards beauty especially in this century.  Have you noticed that the bar is continually being raised on exactly what physical characteristics define beauty?  Is it the pouty lips, perfect bone structure, flawless skin, size 2 waists, and hair that resemble spun silk?  Take these same beauties and plop them back in time when the advent of modern cosmetic technology had not even begun to reach its full potential.  True genetics play a role in physical beauty, but with the likes of total extreme makeover reality shows and abundant publicity, we see that beauty can be achieved with a few thousand dollars and a good plastic surgeon.    Not only that, today’s cosmetics in general are so technologically advanced you can improve your looks by makeup applications and home treatments.

Cosmetic marketers and science have joined forces to give women everything they ever wanted to be their most beautiful and feel better about themselves.  After all isn’t this what makeup and beauty is all about.  Beauty ultimately is an investment in your well being, self-esteem and many times mental and physical health.  For many women it’s fun to experiment with different looks and products.  It feels good to be noticed and when you feel beautiful you tend to radiate confidence and power.  It’s inherent in women’s nature to want to feel feminine and look and feel great.

Hey, women have come a long way, and they deserve to feel sexy and confident – beyond smoke and mirrors.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download