If you think that the cosmetics industry does a booming business today, it’s no small wonder, when you consider the pains that women have go…

Arnaud Bruyerie

If you think that the cosmetics industry does a booming business today, it’s no small wonder, when you consider the  pains that women have gone through in order to remove imperfections, highlight features and generally take rather plain face and turn it into one that exudes beauty and glamour. This is nothing new. For centuries, women have been striving to achieve the ~perfect look~, and that look seems to change with each generation. Though marketable cosmetics were not abundant at the turn of the 20th century, women weren’t stymied by the lack of conveniently manufactured products. Instead, they often made their own concoctions or used basic store-bought items and spiced them up with a few creative additions.
 
Women have been very innovative and have used their own home made potions before these readymade cosmetic were marketed. You would be very surprised if you were to meet a lady of 1900~s and see what ingredients she used for makeup. Foundation which is so common and basic was simple powder until 1914 when Max Factor marketed Pan-Cake make-up. Guess what was used as eyeliner? Henna! While for the mascara effect women in 1900~s used to coat their lashes with wax.
 
 After the Pan-Cake make-up, next to hit the market was the compressed powders which were followed by powdered blush. Just before this lipstick had been marketed. Then came the lipsticks with metal bases to protect them from damage when placed in the purses or carrying cases. At around the same time an attempt was made to have tattooed lipstick on those who were brave and adventurous enough, but this trend failed because of the high risk and dangers to be faced by the women who went in for lipstick tattoos.
 
Guess who introduced mascara? Maybelline! And you would be surprised to know that the mascara was invented when the inventor saw his sister making her lashes longer, fuller and silkier by applying petroleum jelly.
 
As you have come to know women’s tryst with beauty has been age old as has their partnership with cosmetic. The only changes that have come in this relation over the decades has been that in present day women have the ease of buying anything that they want off the counter rather than making it themselves. They have all kinds of possibilities available to them whether they want a bright or a simple look there are cosmetics to suit all needs.

Bruyerie is a cosmetology teacher who runs Fab [Cosmetics] (link: http://fabcosmetics.com), a complete resource directory at your fingertips on everything
from makeovers, to skin care, mineral makeup, and much more. For her article archive, go to:
http://www.fabcosmetics.com/newsletters